20 h. ago Israel’s army urges Gaza City residents to move to ‘humanitarian zone’

The Israeli military said on Saturday that Palestinians in Gaza City, the enclave’s largest urban area, should leave for the south, warning that the military was operating throughout the city. Israeli forces have been carrying out an offensive on the suburbs of the northern city for weeks after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to capture it. Netanyahu says Gaza City is a Hamas stronghold and capturing it is necessary to defeat the Palestinian Islamist militants,...

Politics

50 h. ago Hong Kong’s top talent scheme succeeds if people are really staying

Since its launch late in 2022, the Top Talent Pass Scheme has become a central component of Hong Kong’s global competitiveness strategy. By July this year, the scheme had attracted close to 140,000 applications. Of these, around 110,000 were approved, resulting in more than 90,000 new arrivals to the city. This influx of skilled residents is a sign that Hong Kong remains a strong magnet for talent. However, as former chief executive Leung Chun-ying and other commentators have warned, the real...

Politics

50 h. ago Success of Hong Kong’s top talent scheme must go deeper than numbers

Since its launch late in 2022, the Top Talent Pass Scheme has become a central component of Hong Kong’s global competitiveness strategy. By July this year, the scheme had attracted close to 140,000 applications. Of these, around 110,000 were approved, resulting in more than 90,000 new arrivals to the city. This influx of skilled residents is a sign that Hong Kong remains a strong magnet for talent. However, as former chief executive Leung Chun-ying and other commentators have warned, the real...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Let us make an even greater Hong Kong contribution’: John Lee at Beijing parade

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has led 360 representatives from Hong Kong – the city’s largest-ever delegation – in attending a military parade in Beijing to mark China’s victory over Japan in World War II, while other senior officials, students and residents observed commemorative events held locally. The parade also saw former city leader Leung Chun-ying seated at the main podium of Tiananmen Square’s gate tower. Leung, a state leader, now serves as a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s...

Politics

4 d. ago All signs point to a recovery firmly taking hold in Hong Kong’s housing market

Hong Kong’s home sales remained above the 5,000 level for the sixth consecutive month in August, further strengthening the view that the city’s residential property market may have bottomed out. A total of 5,291 homes were transacted last month, according to data from the Land Registry on Tuesday, continuing a run above 5,000 that started in March. While the volume fell 8.2 per cent compared with 5,766 in July, it was nearly 45 per cent higher than a year ago. In the first eight months of the...

Economics

4 d. ago Thousands of reservists report for duty as Israel begins new Gaza offensive

Tens of thousands of reservists started to report for duty on Tuesday ahead of a new Israeli offensive in Gaza City, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to speed up, despite warnings from senior ranks. Israeli Army Radio said that some 40,000 would report for duty on Tuesday for the Gaza City offensive, as the military prepares logistically for their intake. Israel’s security cabinet, chaired by Netanyahu, approved a plan last month to expand the campaign in Gaza with the aim of taking...

Politics

7 d. ago Hong Kong’s John Lee to lead delegation to Beijing for military parade

Hong Kong’s chief executive will lead a delegation to Beijing next week to attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, and has pledged to install commemorative plaques at various local sites to deepen residents’ understanding of the city’s wartime history. John Lee Ka-chiu on Saturday also continued his community visits ahead of his policy address next month, expressing concern over recent family tragedies while recognising the work of care teams. Lee said...

Events

8 d. ago Conservation caw: Hong Kong’s first bird call contest raises ecological awareness

From the rhythmic calls of the Asian koel to the melodic tones of the Asian barred owlet, Hong Kong’s first-ever bird call competition has showcased residents’ surprising talent for mimicking their feathered neighbours while highlighting the city’s rich yet often overlooked biodiversity. Inspired by the popularity of bird call imitation contests abroad, four young ecologists decided to bring the concept to the city in April, creating a Hong Kong edition with the broader aim of promoting...

Events

2 w. ago 205 prosecutions launched over subpar steel work at CK Asset Hong Kong project

Hong Kong building authorities have initiated 205 prosecutions against six people and two companies over alleged subpar steel reinforcement work at a CK Asset Holdings residential project after the city’s anti-corruption agency earlier uncovered suspected bribery in exchange for lax supervision. The Buildings Department said on Friday that it had received a report last August alleging that steel reinforcements of some structural elements at a construction site on Anderson Road had not been...

Politics

2 w. ago Hang Seng Bank’s CEO buys Tai Hang flat as city’s home prices rise

The executive director and CEO of Hang Seng Bank has bought a home in Hong Kong’s Tai Hang district, joining a growing coterie of financiers on the hunt for high-value residential property that has helped to drive the city’s lived-in home prices to a five-month high. A lived-in flat measuring 1,193 sq ft (110.8 square metres) at Flora Garden was handed over on Wednesday to Diana Ferreira Cesar, according to the Land Registry. The unit was transacted for HK$26.6 million (US$3.4 million), or...

Economics

2 w. ago In major escalation, Israel begins new Gaza City offensive, amid ceasefire calls

Israel hammered Gaza City and its outskirts overnight, residents said on Thursday, after the defence ministry approved an expanded offensive to target the remaining Hamas strongholds in the strip. The newly approved plan authorises the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists, deepening fears the campaign will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory. “We are not waiting. We have begun the preliminary actions, and already now, IDF (army) troops are holding the...

Politics

2 w. ago Swire Properties set to start selling its largest residential project in 20 years

Swire Properties, one of Hong Kong’s largest developers, is set to start selling homes in its 850-unit, three-tower project on Hong Kong Island, its largest residential development in 20 years. The company, one of the city’s largest commercial landlords, said it would unveil the price list for the flats, which range from one to three bedrooms with areas from 400 sq ft to 1,400 sq ft, in the coming days. The project is developed jointly by Swire Properties and China Motor Bus Company. The launch...

Politics

3 w. ago Storm Podul: Hong Kong to lower black rainstorm signal to red, warns of flooding

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has issued a black rain warning signal as Tropical Storm Podul skirts the city, with residents being warned of flooding and education authorities cancelling classes of all-day schools. The Hong Kong Observatory raised the signal at 7.50am on Thursday and said it...

Events

3 w. ago Trump mulls new tariffs, China builds space debris device: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump may hit China with punitive tariffs over purchases of Russian oil US Vice-President J.D. Vance said that President Donald Trump is “thinking” about slapping new tariffs on imports from China in response to the country’s purchases of Russian oil. 2. China condemns Israel’s Gaza City takeover plan, urges 2-state solution China has condemned Israel’s...

Politics

3 w. ago Gen Z’s passion for live performances drives nighttime consumption in Shanghai

Young people’s passion for live performances is redefining the concept of “Night Shanghai” as they spend their nights immersed in theatres, where they socialise with friends or collect show-related items. “I haven’t seen another city where you can walk just a few steps in the city centre and find a theatre,” said 22-year-old Shanghai resident Cindy Huang. Spending around 300 yuan (US$41.77) per show, the university student allocates nearly 80 per cent of her living expenses to attending three to...

Politics

3 w. ago Hongkongers warned of elevated chikungunya fever risk as cases rise across Asia

Hong Kong health authorities have warned of a heightened risk of possible chikungunya fever transmissions in the city as more Asian travel destinations popular among residents have also recorded local cases of the mosquito-borne disease. Director of Health Dr Ronald Lam Man-kin on Sunday also highlighted the challenges of preventing the disease from spreading, pointing to its “significantly” shorter incubation period in mosquitoes, which allowed the virus to replicate more quickly. Lam’s warning...

Events