Security chief Chris Tang on Monday said senior Thai officials have promised to do all they could to secure the safe return of Hongkongers who were reportedly lured to Southeast Asia for illegal work. "The minister of justice gave great importance of our concern, and had responded positively. [Thai authorities] said they would do their utmost to he…

A prominent Chinese economist and national political advisor said China is likely to surpass the United States and become the world's largest economy in about five years, as he dismissed concerns of a second Trump administration's impact on the nation. The remarks came as Professor Justin Lin, former chief economist and senior vice president at the…

Eleven people on Monday were injured in a scaffolding collapse at a construction site in Kai Tak, with four in critical condition and one seriously hurt. Emergency personnel received reports of the incident on Shing Cheong Road at around 4pm. The bamboo structure, measuring 60 by 20 metres, was said to give way at the site where the New Acute Hospi…

The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department urged dim sum restaurants to reduce sodium content in their dishes after its survey revealed that a small decrease in salt would not affect its taste. The department conducted a test among 72 people to evaluate standard and reduced-sodium samples of two types of classic dim…

Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin will have to wait a little longer for the long-anticipated maiden orbital flight of its brand-new rocket after a launch attempt dragged on for hours before being canceled due to unspecified technical issues. The towering 98-metre rocket, dubbed New Glenn in honor of legendary astronaut John Glenn, was scheduled to lift off …

The mixer from a cement truck fell onto the road in Yau Ma Tei, although no injuries were reported. Police said the incident happened at about 3pm on Monday on Waterloo Road near Ferry Street. From a photo taken at the scene, the loading compartment was detached from the truck and lay across the road while the vehicle was stationary. Police have se…

Financial Secretary Paul Chan said on Monday that Hong Kong can offer professional services to companies seeking to diversify risk by moving their businesses to different places. At the annual Asian Financial Forum, the minister noted that many firms are realigning or restructuring their industrial and supply chains across different countries, part…

Vast crowds of Hindu pilgrims in India began bathing in sacred waters on Monday as the Kumbh Mela festival opened, with organisers expecting 400 million people -- the largest gathering of humanity. The millennia-old Kumbh Mela, a show of religious piety and ritual bathing -- and a logistical challenge of staggering proportions -- is held at the sit…

Governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) Pan Gongsheng on Monday said Beijing will significantly increase the proportion of its national foreign exchange reserves and asset allocation in Hong Kong, as part of efforts to boost the development of the city's financial markets. Speaking at the 18th annual Asian Financial Forum in the SAR, Pan also…

Security minister Chris Tang has confirmed that national security police are investigating whether pollster Robert Chung or his research organisation had provided assistance to an absconder. Sources earlier said Chung was taken away from his home on Monday morning, and brought to the Wong Chuk office of the Public Opinion Research Institute, of whi…

Chief Executive John Lee has told thousands of business leaders from around the world that Hong Kong is working towards developing itself into an international gold trading centre. Delivering his opening remarks at the Asian Financial Forum on Monday, Lee revealed that the SAR will build world-class gold storage facilities, and strengthen support s…

A hill fire which had been burning in Pat Heung since Saturday afternoon was largely put out after more than 20 hours. The Fire Services Department said Sunday that the Government Flying Service is also water bombing the site. The blaze near Kai Kung Leng, literally meaning Rooster Ridge, once stretched to 200 metres from one end to the other. Emer…

The head of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority has predicted that 2025 will be a year marked by uncertainties and many changes, while the SAR will be affected by policies set to be introduced by incoming US President Donald Trump. Authority chief executive Eddie Yue also admitted on Sunday the city cannot fully shield itself from unforeseen factors i…

Hong Kong experienced its coldest day so far this winter, with the observatory recording a minimum temperature of 11.5 degrees at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters on Saturday. The mercury dipped even lower in parts of the New Territories. Earlier, the forecaster warned of possible frost on Saturday morning, on high ground or in the northern part of t…

Customs chief Chan Tsz-tat stressed that safety takes priority for officers and they must hold themselves accountable for their actions. A 27-year-old motorcyclist was killed last week in Kowloon Bay, after his vehicle rammed into an iron pole, and a 40-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of tampering with a motor vehicle. Customs earlier …

Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau on Saturday said the government must inform parents about which schools are not offering on-site flu shots so they can plan to get their children vaccinated elsewhere. His comment came a day after the Department of Health named 168 schools that refused to take part in a voluntary on-campus vaccination programme. Speaki…

President Biden blasted Meta on Friday for scrapping fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram in the United States, calling the move "really shameful" after a global network warned of real-world harm if the tech giant expands its decision to other countries. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg triggered alarm on Tuesday when he announced the compan…