14 h. ago Hong Kong steps up mental health support for Tai Po fire victims

Hong Kong authorities will step up mental health support for people affected by the Tai Po fire, the city’s deadliest blaze in several decades, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has announced, with about two-thirds of patients having been discharged from hospitals. Ten days since the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court, Secretary of Health Lo Chung-mau said on Friday that all 79 patients admitted to hospital due to the fire were considered no longer at risk, but noted some expressed feelings of guilt...

Events

14 h. ago Hong Kong to focus on mental health support after fire, seek smoking ban at sites

Hong Kong authorities will make mental health support for people affected by the Tai Po blaze a priority in the aftermath of the tragedy, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has announced, as the government said it intended to push for a blanket ban on smoking at construction sites. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Lee said that not only the residents of Wang Fuk Court, but the entire community could move out of deep sorrow with proper mental health support. “Everyone is experiencing this...

Events

5 d. ago In betting on Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong is really betting on itself

Hong Kong’s financial identity is entering a new chapter, shaped as much by strategic alignment as capital flows. By co-launching a US$1 billion investment fund with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the city is taking one of its most assertive steps yet to redefine Hong Kong’s financial identity in a rapidly changing global economy. The message is clear: Hong Kong intends to be a serious player in the next phase of global capital realignment. This comes as Hong Kong companies are...

Politics

9 d. ago Hong Kong to offer discounts, free pools and museums to boost Legco turnout

Hong Kong authorities will roll out a range of freebies and promotions for residents over the weekend of the coming Legislative Council election, including complimentary access to swimming pools and museums, as part of efforts to boost voter turnout. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki announced on Wednesday that voters would also get thank-you cards after casting their ballots. The city’s No 2 official said that the government would offer free access to public facilities, as well as gifts or...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific broadens reach as regional tensions grow

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will step up diversification efforts to mitigate growing geopolitical risks that have “affected our business a lot”, its CEO has said, as the airline expands the group’s network to 103 destinations by the end of this year. During a visit to a pilot training centre in Adelaide, Australia, Cathay Group CEO Ronald Lam Siu-por said the group also took a flexible approach to accommodating customers’ requests, such as ticket cancellations, in response to...

Events

1 week ago Bomb disposal chief urges Indonesian residents to vote in Hong Kong Legco poll

A senior Hong Kong police officer has appealed to Indonesian residents in the city to take part in and support the coming Legislative Council election as part of the government’s latest effort to boost voter turnout. Raymond Suryanto Chin-chiu, head of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, made the appeal in Indonesian in a video released on Sunday by Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan on her social media account. “Dear Indonesian friends in Hong Kong, if you are a...

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong steps up voter turnout efforts with video targeting minority residents

Hong Kong authorities have ramped up efforts to drive voter turnout for the coming Legislative Council election, including releasing a new video featuring a bomb disposal chief urging ethnic minority residents to cast their ballots. Raymond Suryanto Chin-chiu, head of the explosive ordnance disposal bureau, made the appeal in Indonesian in a video released on Sunday via Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan’s social media account. “Dear Indonesian friends in Hong Kong, if you...

Politics

2 w. ago Financial education stepped up for Hong Kong’s helpers to avoid dodgy loans

A year after arriving in Hong Kong in 2017, Filipino domestic helper Maria Nemy Lou Rocio took out a HK$25,000 (US$3,200) loan from a local bank to settle her family’s debts and provide for her three children at home. The 44-year-old had learned from other domestic workers about how to apply for the loan but said it took more than a year to repay it. With a monthly salary of less than HK$5,000, she was left with little for herself and had to borrow from friends to cover her daily expenses in the...

Politics