71 m. ago Politicisation of Hong Kong’s fire tragedy in Western media a new low

As sure as night follows day, you can always count on the big Western media outlets to politicise anything bad that happens in Hong Kong or on the mainland. So with the horrific Tai Po fire, you can be sure those platforms will go to town with that approach. The real cause of the fatal fire? Well, of course, it’s all about democracy and freedom, or rather the lack of their Western versions in China. The same old “democracy” explains everything, which turns every ignorant foreign commentator into...

Politics

2 h. ago Reflections | In wake of Tai Po blaze, China’s long and difficult struggle fighting fire

Reflections | In wake of Tai Po blaze, China’s long and difficult struggle fighting fire  South China Morning Post

Events

12 h. ago Legco election hopefuls scale back campaigning in Hong Kong fire aftermath

Candidates started campaigning again this week for Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council election, but opted for a more subdued approach, including fewer street booths and volunteers, in the aftermath of last week’s deadly fire in Tai Po. Some Legco hopefuls also unveiled new policy platforms in the run-up to Sunday’s poll, such as calling for a thorough investigation into the fire and enhanced building safety oversight. As of Friday, two major political parties also said they were facing...

Politics

14 h. ago Some Hong Kong fire survivors reluctant to relive horror for judge

Some survivors of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have voiced concerns over reliving the tragedy and sharing personal information if they take part in an investigation ordered by the city’s leader, with psychologists calling for a balance between justice and compassion. A number of residents from Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court, which was engulfed in flames last week, told the Post they wanted a fair, just and open investigation that took the feelings and privacy of the survivors into...

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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...

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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...

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15 h. ago Hong Kong’s religious communities unite in prayer to mourn Tai Po fire victims

About 4,000 Muslims from Hong Kong gathered on Friday to pray for and offer condolences to the victims of the Tai Po fire, while other religious groups held prayer meetings to show spiritual support. The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong held a special prayer session at 1.30pm at Kowloon Mosque in Tsim Sha Tsui to pay respect to the victims. The blaze at Wang Fuk Court killed at least 159 people. Among them were nine Indonesian domestic helpers and one Filipino...

Events

17 h. ago Hong Kong fire: dead Indonesian helper found huddled with ward hailed as selfless

The last time Sugeng Widodo spoke to his wife, Indonesian domestic worker Sri Wahyuni, something did not feel right for him. It was around 1pm Hong Kong time on November 26, just a few hours before a devastating fire would rip through Wang Fuk Court in the city’s Tai Po district, killing at least 159 people. Wahyuni, 42, would be among the dead – her body found in a room on a fourth-floor flat at the estate, hugging her employer, a 93-year-old woman, according to Widodo, citing information...

Events

17 h. ago Tai Kwun art head Pi Li to step down for new role in Shenzhen

Veteran Chinese curator Pi Li will step down as head of art at Tai Kwun when his three-year contract expires in February 2026, the Hong Kong heritage and arts centre has confirmed. Pi declined a request for an interview, but sources have told the Post that he is going to play a leading role in the founding of a new art museum in Shenzhen. The 51-year-old moved to Hong Kong in 2012 to become the senior curator in charge of the Sigg Collection of Chinese art at M+ museum. Born in Wuhan, in...

Politics

18 h. ago Hong Kong Baptist University suspends student union amid fire

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has suspended the operation of its student union after removing messages from campus that mourned victims of the deadly Tai Po blaze and demanded justice. According to the union, they were informed by the university on Thursday night that their operations had been halted until further notice. The university did not specify whether the suspension was linked to the union’s recent posts about the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court on the campus bulletin board it...

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19 h. ago 500 Hong Kong primary pupils resume classes in university facilities after fire

About 500 primary school pupils of Tai Po Baptist Public School (TPBPS) have resumed classes in temporary classrooms set up on the premises of the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), with most students returning to their normal routines ten days after the deadly blaze in their district. EdUHK president John Lee Chi-kin said on Friday the university had offered its gymnasium and converted activity rooms into about 10 temporary classrooms, while a university psychologist shared that the...

Events

19 h. ago 500 pupils affected by Hong Kong fire resume classes at university this week

About 500 primary school pupils affected by the deadly fire in Tai Po started learning again this week in makeshift classrooms at a university in the same district, with the children settling back into normal study routines. John Lee Chi-kin, president of the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), said on Friday that the institution had converted its gymnasium and activity rooms into about 10 temporary classrooms to accommodate affected schools. The number of primary school pupils attending...

Events

21 h. ago Hong Kong developers push for smoking ban at construction sites after deadly fire

Major Hong Kong developers are considering a blanket ban on smoking for workers at all construction sites following the deadly Tai Po blaze that killed 159, with at least two already demanding that all their contractors impose the tough rule or step up penalties. The Real Estate Developers Association (REDA) told the Post on Friday that it was gathering views on the smoking ban from its members, including major developers such as Sino Land, Swire Properties, Sun Hung Kai and New World...

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25 h. ago Legco poll a chance for Hong Kong to show its resilience after Tai Po fire

Last week’s deadly fire has cast a heavy shadow over Hong Kong, reminding us of the fragility of life and the need for solidarity in hard times. The central government has responded swiftly with its full attention and support. Aid and sympathy have poured in from across China, underscoring that Hong Kong’s pain is shared. The cause of the fire must be investigated and learned from in due course, but for now the priority is resilience. The announcement that the Legislative Council election will...

Events

36 h. ago Hong Kong firefighters describe rescue efforts during Tai Po estate blaze

Firefighters have described the gruelling conditions they faced in their search for survivors of Hong Kong’s worst fire in more than seven decades, with rescuers climbing dozens of flights of stairs as they conserved oxygen to look for anyone alive on the higher floors. For some firefighters, the operation has left them with feelings of guilt and helplessness after they only found bodies. One said encountering the scattered corpses had given him nightmares that left him unable to sleep normally...

Events

36 h. ago Nightmares for days: Hong Kong firefighters open up about Tai Po blaze

Firefighters have described the gruelling conditions they faced in their search for survivors of Hong Kong’s worst fire in more than seven decades, with rescuers climbing dozens of flights of stairs as they conserved oxygen to look for anyone alive on the higher floors. For some firefighters, the operation has left them with feelings of guilt and helplessness after they only found bodies. One said encountering the scattered corpses had given him nightmares that left him unable to sleep normally...

Events

36 h. ago ‘Darkest corner’: firefighters haunted by Hong Kong blaze but vow to keep serving

Firefighters have described the gruelling conditions they faced in their search for survivors of Hong Kong’s worst fire in more than seven decades, with rescuers climbing dozens of flights of stairs as they conserved oxygen to look for anyone alive on the higher floors. For some firefighters, the operation has left them with feelings of guilt and helplessness after they only found bodies. One said encountering the scattered corpses had given him nightmares that left him unable to sleep normally...

Events

38 h. ago Give pupils, parents say on cancelling Christmas parties, Hong Kong schools told

Hong Kong education authorities have urged schools to seek a consensus with pupils and parents on whether to cancel Christmas celebrations following the Tai Po inferno, with some students expressing disappointment on social media about parties being called off. The Education Bureau’s clarification on Thursday followed a letter it sent last week asking schools to mourn the victims of the fire, which has now claimed 159 lives, and suspended festive celebratory activities from November 29 to...

Politics

38 h. ago Give pupils and parents say on axing Christmas parties, Hong Kong schools told

Hong Kong education authorities have urged schools to seek a consensus with pupils and parents on whether to cancel Christmas celebrations following the Tai Po inferno, with some students expressing disappointment on social media about parties being called off. The Education Bureau’s clarification on Thursday followed a letter it sent last week asking schools to mourn the victims of the fire, which has now claimed 159 lives, and suspended festive celebratory activities from November 29 to...

Politics

39 h. ago Hong Kong scaffold nets come down after deadly fire as residents get more help

Construction firms began removing scaffold netting from buildings across Hong Kong on Thursday to meet a three-day government-imposed deadline following the city’s deadliest blaze in decades. Authorities also doubled a living allowance for households at fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po and promised to help its residents with long-term housing issues. To meet Saturday’s deadline, contractors at more than 200 buildings under renovation started taking down scaffolding mesh to allay public...

Events