Tag Archives: Hong Kong

The incumbent president of Hong Kong’s legislature has announced that he will not seek re-election in December’s poll, citing family considerations, his age and personal reasons for his retirement. Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, 74, who has chaired the Legislative Council for nine years, said on Monday that he hoped his early announcement would give capable candidates sufficient time to prepare for …

Hong Kong’s Ocean Park has modified a controversial Halloween installation after public concerns over its possible association with the Abby Choi murder case, with the park’s chairman calling it “a lesson learned”. Chairman Paulo Pong Kin-yee said on Monday that the park had adjusted its haunted house installation after the media preview and before the public opening to ensure visitors …

Afghanistan’s Taliban government released an American citizen from detention on Sunday, a week after freeing an elderly British couple. In a statement the country’s foreign ministry identified the detainee as Amir Amiri and said he had been handed over to Adam Boehler, Washington’s special envoy on hostages. Boehler made a rare visit to Kabul earlier this month to discuss the …

US President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday about reaching a deal to end the war in Gaza, saying there is “a real chance for greatness in the Middle East”, ahead of talks on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump did not provide specific details of a prospective ceasefire-for-hostages agreement in Gaza, but Vice-President J.D. Vance said that …

The world’s first methanol-powered car carrier vessel made its maiden voyage from Hong Kong on Sunday, as the city moves towards becoming a green maritime fuel bunkering centre. Commissioned by the China Merchants Group and built in the southeastern province of Jiangsu, the vessel is named after Hong Kong and flew the city’s flag as it set sail from Tsing …

The latest edition of Hong Kong’s largest annual LGBTQ carnival will be held online after organisers were unable to secure a venue at the West Kowloon Cultural District. In an Instagram post on Saturday, organisers of Pink Dot HK 2025 said that this year’s event would be held as an online concert, with Cantopop stars Marife Yau Yin-tung, also known …

Hong Kong’s environment minister has said strong public opposition led to the continued suspension of the government’s long-delayed waste-charging scheme, but has stressed that the volume of rubbish being disposed of has fallen over the years. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan on Saturday defended the government’s decision to shelve the waste-charging scheme indefinitely. He said multiple surveys showed …

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 Observatory has warned of windy weather and swells for the rest of the weekend under the effects of a typhoon in the South China Sea …

Obtaining a visa to enter mainland China often requires filling out pages of paperwork, paying more than US$100, and waiting days for the documents to be processed. But for a growing number of visitors, some hurdles have been lowered or removed entirely as Beijing continues to relax visa-free entry rules to attract more foreign visitors and boost the nation’s tourism …

Successful bidders for four elevated mass transit projects in Hong Kong, including proposed infrastructure in Kai Tak, will be granted property development rights in the surrounding areas to help provide long-term funding support. The Executive Council, the city’s key decision-making body, on Friday approved the granting of property development rights at nominal premiums for three sites in Kai Tak related …