By Sringatin & MICROLAB MICROLAB Collective’s latest book, What We Carry, Under the Same Sky, features essays, poems, photographs and drawings by Indonesian migrant workers, reflecting on their life journeys from their home villages in Indonesia to Hong Kong. This collaborative effort involved not only migrant workers but also academics who helped sharpen their writing, […]

The leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party said Friday she hopes to maintain engagement with the United States on the island’s defense capabilities, speaking on a two-week US visit aimed at growing trust with Washington. Addressing reporters in the US capital, Kuomintang chairwoman Cheng Li-wun said the party has expressed support for Taiwan’s defense capabilities […]

The Hong Kong government has granted 1,000 restaurants the city’s first permits to allow dogs into their premises starting on July 9. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said on Friday that it “conducted an open balloting today and allocated 1,000 quotas for allowing dogs to enter food premises according to the ballot result.” […]

Foreign spies are fitting turtles and fish with sensors to create underwater maps of China’s coastline, Beijing warned Friday in apparent reference to its Western competitors. In a social media post ominously titled “Under the deep blue, undercurrents are surging”, the Ministry of State Security said international spy agencies are using “new types of espionage […]

A viral stress-relief “Natasha” doll trending on Chinese social media has been deemed “absolutely diabolical” by members of Hong Kong’s Black community. Resembling a small child, the most popular version is dark-skinned and features exaggerated racial characteristics. Buyers have filmed themselves beating, stretching, boiling and stomping on the toy. “No design is created, marketed, and […]

By Montira Rungjirajittranon Two Chinese Uyghur men were sentenced to death Thursday for carrying out a 2015 attack on a Bangkok shrine that killed 20 people, a long-awaited verdict in Thailand’s deadliest bombing case. A Bangkok court convicted Yusufu Mieraili and Bilal Mohammed of premeditated and attempted murder for their role in planting a bomb […]

US authorities on Wednesday seized 13 internet domains they suspect were used by Chinese agents to obtain classified information from Americans with security clearances. Last week, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance — composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and New Zealand — issued a rare warning that Chinese military intelligence services […]

Seven people and two firms that oversaw renovation works at Wang Fuk Court, the site of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, have been charged with manslaughter and a slew of other offences. Three directors and employees at the two companies were among those formally charged by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) […]

The leaders of North Korea and China adopted a “far-reaching blueprint” for bilateral ties during Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Pyongyang, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said on Wednesday. China’s president made a rare visit to diplomatically isolated North Korea on Monday after hosting a series of world leaders, including US President Donald […]

Hong Kong’s top decision-making body has proposed a flat 2 per cent pay rise for civil servants across all salary bands this year, lower than the suggested rates for middle-tier and senior government staff. Secretary for Civil Service Ingrid Yeung said on Tuesday that the chief executive and the Executive Council (ExCo) made the offer, […]

Hong Kong’s top leader has defended a management firm’s delay in holding a meeting with owners displaced by the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire, saying those procedures must be carried out “in accordance with the law.” Chief Executive John Lee said at a Tuesday press conference that Hop On Management “has always given people the […]

Funds raised for a Hong Kong hairstylist who died from nasopharyngeal cancer in April will be donated to NGO Cancer Information, as per his wishes. A fundraising initiative for Pitt Cheung raised over HK$555,000 for his specialist treatment, leaving a balance of over HK$140,000 after his passing in April. The fundraiser said that Cheung had […]

Taiwan said Monday that China’s maritime operation in waters to the east of the island democracy was “provocative” and “expansionism in disguise”. Chinese ships are conducting a “law enforcement operation” in response to talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a boundary in waters to the east of Taiwan, Chinese state media said Saturday. […]

A new UN study has named Hong Kong’s data centres as some of the most carbon-intensive in the world, blaming the city’s heavy dependence on a fossil-fuel-powered energy grid. The report, titled “Environmental Cost of AI’s Energy Use,” examined the global carbon, land and water impacts of the infrastructure powering AI, saying that by 2030, […]

Taiwan’s coast guard said Sunday it has deployed vessels “to respond appropriately” to a Chinese operation in waters east of the island democracy, which it said “violates international law”. It comes after Chinese state media reported Saturday that the “law enforcement operation” was in response to talks between Japan and the Philippines to draw a […]

Australian lawyer Samuel Monkivitch has received a fine and suspended 18-month jail term after pleading guilty to charges relating to a dine-and-dash spree across the territory. Monkivitch appeared on Friday at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts after dining at five-star hotels in Hong Kong without paying. He was previously fined HK$3,000 over similar charges. In the […]

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea next week, state media said Friday, his first trip abroad this year after hosting a series of leaders as Beijing asserts itself as a global diplomatic superpower. State broadcaster CCTV said Xi would visit from June 8 to 9 at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim […]

Hong Kong’s competition watchdog has announced that it is considering criminalising bid-rigging, proposing a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment. Barrister Jat Sew-tong, chairperson of the Competition Commission, announced on Friday plans to amend the Competition Ordinance to criminalise bid-rigging, local media reported. The commission hopes to table the amendment by the end of this […]

The landmark trial of Tiananmen vigil activists neared its conclusion in May, with both defendants and prosecutors delivering their closing submissions. The government allocated more money to the national security fund and lashed out at Reporters Without Borders (RSF) after the NGO once again placed Hong Kong low on its annual press freedom index. Trial […]

By Catherine Lai Activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung once led thousands of Hong Kongers in candlelight vigils every June 4 to remember China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. This year, the pair are facing up to 10 years in jail after their trial under a Beijing-imposed national security law, during which they sought to defend the […]

Hong Kong scholar Joseph Li has had to rethink the design of his courses almost every semester over the past few years, as powerful AI chatbots disrupt how teachers teach and students learn. His discipline – an emerging academic field called “public humanities,” which integrates cultural theories with a focus on community-building – is novel […]

By Emily Wang Beijing cleaner Lin Meiqiong found her work a little easier the day she was paired with an unlikely new colleague — a tall, wheeled robot with AI-powered tidying skills. The 56-year-old and her white-and-silver partner, fitted with cameras and two mechanical claws, are part of a new human-robot cleaning service offered by […]

A 63-year-old Ocean Park mechanical technician died after collapsing at work on Friday. Police told HKFP that they received a report at 9:08am after the man, surnamed Luk, was found unconscious outside a staff restroom before starting his duties. Paramedics discovered him with serious head and shoulder injuries. He was certified dead at 10:33am at […]

Hong Kong police have arrested 16 people for allegedly using bogus medical certificates to fraudulently withdraw over HK$4.3 million from their retirement savings funds. Police said on Thursday that a syndicate had forged medical certificates to allow claimants to falsely claim they were totally incapacitated or suffered from a terminal illness to withdraw their Mandatory […]

Two Hong Kong officials have condemned “groundless accusations” against a recent update to the city’s homegrown national security law, which empowers the chief executive to certify any criminal case as a national security offence. Secretary for Security Chris Tang told the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Thursday afternoon that he noticed some people had misunderstood or […]

Allowing vehicles from Guangdong province to enter Hong Kong’s South Lantau must be approached with “caution,” Hong Kong’s transport chief has told lawmakers. At a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said that authorities would have to consult local residents and the district council, citing recent cases of vehicles […]

A deadly blaze engulfed seven residential towers at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on November 26, 2025, killing 168 people. The names the victims were released on June 10, 2026 by the judiciary, and are listed below as they appeared in a court document.

A Hong Kong court has convicted a former law student of rioting during the 2019 protests and unrest after the government successfully appealed against her acquittal, leading to a retrial. Alice Tong, 26, was found guilty of rioting on Tuesday, nearly seven years after she was arrested in Wan Chai on August 31, 2019, according […]

The Hong Kong government has announced a series of special offers and freebies covering transport, culture, retail and dining as part of the celebrations to mark the 29th anniversary of the Handover. During Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day on July 1, residents can enjoy free rides on all trams, whilst the MTR will […]

A Hong Kong basketball coach has been released on bail after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a student on a school court, an incident captured in a viral online video. Yung Kam-wah was released early Tuesday morning, TVB reported. The 54-year-old was arrested on Monday on suspicion of common assault after an online video […]

A Hong Kong government proposal that will allow the city’s leader to certify criminal acts as national security offences is intended to “make the law clear,” Chief Executive John Lee has said. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lee said the new subsidiary legislation for Hong Kong’s homegrown national security law, the Safeguarding National […]

Hong Kong authorities are exploring the introduction of a real-name reservation system for a popular hiking trail in Sai Kung to curb overtourism. Speaking at a Legislative Council (LegCo) panel meeting on Monday, Dianne Wong, under secretary for environment and ecology, said the registration system could prevent excessive arrivals at the Po Pin Chau section […]

China’s President Xi Jinping hailed an “invincible friendship” with Pyongyang on arrival in North Korea on Monday, his first trip abroad this year after hosting back-to-back summits in Beijing. China, Washington’s chief geopolitical rival, has been North Korea’s main trading partner by far for decades and a key source of diplomatic and economic support for […]

The Hong Kong government has proposed to the legislature that the chief executive have the power to certify any criminal case as a national security case, which has a binding effect on the courts. New subsidiary legislation under Article 23 – Hong Kong’s homegrown national security ordinance will empower the city’s leader to define “other […]

History, it is said, does not repeat itself, but sometimes it rhymes. This may explain the sense of déjà vu that crept over me when I read about the case of Mr Raymond Wong – a 55-year-old construction worker, not the former newsman of the same name – who appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates Court a […]

Though Hong Kong has overtaken Switzerland as the number one in cross-border wealth management, rather than enter panic mode, Swiss banks seem unruffled — feeling it bolsters the case against looming tighter banking regulations. Hong Kong is now the world’s largest cross-border booking centre thanks to inflows from mainland China, strong initial public offering activity, […]

The Department of Justice (DoJ) has sought to overturn former pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting’s acquittal on a charge of perverting the course of justice related to an incident during the 2019 protests and unrest. Government prosecutors told the Court of Appeal on Thursday that Lam had the intent to pervert the course of justice by […]

Chinese spies are posing as job recruiters to trick staff in western governments into disclosing sensitive information, the Five Eyes alliance of security agencies has warned. China’s military intelligence services advertise false jobs such as foreign policy or defence analysts on platforms including LinkedIn, the spy agencies of Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada and […]

The US consulate in Hong Kong displayed commemorative candles in its windows on the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown on Thursday, while other diplomatic missions paid tribute with social media posts. The annual move is often blasted by local and Chinese authorities, and has been cited by Beijing as “evidence” of foreign interference in a 6,300-word “fact […]

China accused the United States on Thursday of distorting facts and smearing its political system, after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said censorship could not “erase” the memory of Beijing’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. On June 4 that year, the Chinese government sent troops and tanks to crush protests calling for political reform in and around […]

By Daniel Lawler The world’s largest whale graveyard has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean by Chinese scientists, who found that the vast expanse of both new and ancient carcasses supports huge communities of deep-sea life. It is also the deepest and oldest known whale graveyard on Earth, according to research published […]

Hong Kong’s welfare minister has defended what he called the “professional judgement” of medical and social workers following the death of a girl shortly after her mother’s. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun spoke to reporters on Thursday following a double tragedy involving a 12-year-old girl and her 48-year-old mother, who both fell to […]

China said Friday it was holding an American citizen accused of espionage, identifying the man as a political analyst at a policy think tank focusing on neighbouring Myanmar. Min Zin — a founder of the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar (ISP-M) — “has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures”, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin […]

The Philippines defence minister was defiant on Friday after Beijing sanctioned him for what it termed “irresponsible remarks” as the two nations grapple over the disputed South China Sea. Gilberto Teodoro as well as his spouse and child will be banned from entering China’s mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, an unnamed foreign ministry spokesperson said […]

Hong Kong Customs has arrested six men and seized suspected counterfeit football products worth HK$156 million ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, including “highly authentic-looking” player-edition jerseys. Around 230,000 suspected fake items were seized in an operation codenamed “Clean Sheet,” which ran from May 26 to Wednesday, authorities said on Thursday – hours before […]

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has suspended a trainee doctor and a resident physician after their alleged professional misconduct went viral on social media. In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the HA said that it had noticed some social media posts discussing an intern doctor’s alleged professional misconduct at different hospitals. “The HA considers the […]

Two friends who restore classic buses in Hong Kong are being forced to abandon their HK$1 million plans to resurrect a vintage double-decker. Terrence, along with his blacksmith friend Chung, who works in the automotive industry, had hoped to restore an antique ⁠China Motor Bus Company (CMB) vehicle at their facility in the New Territories’ […]

China warned the European Union on Wednesday against sanctioning its companies, after Brussels proposed a fresh wave of measures over Beijing’s support for Russia in its war with Ukraine. The EU’s latest round of sanctions since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine seeks, among other aims, to complicate commercial activities by companies in third countries that allegedly support […]

A Hong Kong man who threw anti-government leaflets from his public housing flat has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to committing seditious acts. Raymond Wong appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to receive a 10-month jail sentence handed down by Chief Magistrate Victor So for two counts […]

By Kang Jin-kyu and Claire Lee President Xi Jinping concluded a visit to North Korea on Tuesday, after meetings with Kim Jong Un that the Chinese leader said reached an “important consensus” on building ties. AFP looks at what we know about the rare summit. What happened? Xi arrived in the North Korean capital Pyongyang […]

The United States issued an updated list on Monday of Chinese companies that it believes are aiding the country’s military — including e-commerce giant Alibaba, search engine provider Baidu and electric vehicle maker BYD. The US Defense Department unveiled the designations just weeks after President Donald Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, with […]

The deputy head of the Macau Public Security Police (PSP) is among 26 people arrested after the city’s Judiciary Police (PJ) smashed three prostitution rings last week, according to local media. Apart from PSP Deputy Commissioner Leong Heng Hong, 60, the PJ also nabbed two other serving PSP officers and two retired PJ officers, Macau […]

A Hong Kong couple arrested on suspicion of child neglect have said they were granted a birth certificate for their infant but will only be allowed to take him home once they are deemed “safe parents.” Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin, the parents of a two-month-old infant, Danny, collected the birth certificate from the Immigration […]

Hong Kong police have detained a man on suspicion of indecently assaulting a teenage girl on a double-decker bus, after the incident was caught on camera and went viral online. Police said over the weekend that the man, a 65-year-old hardware salesman surnamed Wu, was arrested on Friday night at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge boundary […]

On a sprawling promenade in West Kowloon, a gay choir lit up the stage with a chorus of harmonies. Children listened attentively at a storytelling session led by a drag queen dressed in pink from top to bottom. Around them, dozens of tents representing LGBTQ-friendly NGOs promoted their services and ran mini games.  These were […]

Hongkongers sweated through the hottest day of the year on Friday, with the Observatory (HKO) recording a maximum temperature of 34.6 degrees Celsius at its headquarters. The mercury neared 37 degrees Celsius in the northern part of the territory. Meanwhile, the Observatory noted 1,263 instances of cloud-to-ground lightening on Friday, and 4,859 cases of cloud-to-cloud […]

Hong Kong police have launched a two-week campaign to clamp down on jaywalking and inattentive driving following a surge in fatal traffic accidents over the first five months of this year. Police said on Friday that two law enforcement operations, codenamed “Clearview” and “Autobinder,” would run until June 19, targeting careless driving and reckless road […]

Hong Kong police took away seven people in Causeway Bay, where past public commemorations for China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown were once held, on Thursday, the 37th anniversary of the event. Police said late on Thursday that five men and two women, aged 17 to 79, were stopped by officers on suspicion of “disrupting order” near […]

A heavy police presence has been deployed at and around the former site of Hong Kong’s commemorative Tiananmen crackdown vigils. Large numbers of uniformed and plainclothes officers were seen in Victoria Park – where the Tiananmen vigils were held for decades – and around Causeway Bay on Thursday, the 37th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown. […]

A local couple arrested on suspicion of child neglect has been confirmed as the biological parents of an infant born with no medical records, according to local media. According to DNA test results, Tsang Wai-bong and Kwan Pui-sin are the parents of two-month-old Danny, local media reported on Thursday, citing unnamed government sources. The parents, […]