Hong Kong

The Hong Kong government’s attitude to the rule of law is interestingly ambiguous. It wishes to claim credit for being a law-abiding government, but it does not want to sacrifice for this purpose the achievement of other desires. This implicit conflict is nicely wrapped up in the matter of restaurant licences. In any sensible jurisdiction, […]

Hong Kong is famous for its tiny, cramped living spaces. Many flats lack balconies, making drying laundry a major challenge. As winter gives way to warmer months, many lower-income families hang their garments and bedding in outdoor public areas on sunny days. Some also take food items like dried tangerine peels, salted fish, and dried […]

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said that a French journalist was denied entry to Hong Kong in November, accusing the city’s authorities of “weaponising visas” against foreign media workers. Antoine Vedeilhe, who was shooting a documentary for French public broadcaster France Télévisions, was questioned upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport on November 2 last […]

A man has died after reportedly collapsing during a Hong Kong-bound Cathay Pacific flight from the UK. Police said they received a report at around 6.15am on Friday that a passenger had lost consciousness on an inbound flight. The man, 51, was declared dead at the scene after the aircraft landed at Hong Kong International […]

Hong Kong police have arrested five taxi drivers on suspicion of forging records to claim reimbursements from a ride-hailing platform that offered free rides to residents affected by the deadly Tai Po fire. The five men, aged 29 to 40, were apprehended in various districts on Monday for attempted fraud. The arrests followed a report […]

LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham has said he hopes the new Legislative Council (LegCo) members taking their seats in January will push for recognition of same-sex partnerships registered overseas, after a lawmaker proposed an alternative “contractual partner” system in lieu of a vetoed bill. Sham’s remarks on a Commercial Radio programme on Tuesday followed reverend and […]

Public hospitals in Hong Kong will implement new charges starting from January 1, with Accident and Emergency (A&E) fees more than doubling from HK$180 to HK$400. The new measures, first announced in March, aim to promote the “sustainable development” of the city’s public healthcare system to cope with challenges posed by an ageing population, the […]

An octogenarian Hong Kong taxi driver accused of being rude to a passenger and refusing to print a receipt last year has been found not guilty. Yen Ken-hoi, 83, appeared at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Monday to hear the verdict. He earlier denied charges of refusing or neglecting to issue a taxi fare receipt […]

Starting on New Year’s Day, Hong Kong will double its fine for smoking-related offences to HK$3,000 and ban smoking in certain areas, including at bus stops and taxi stands. The new rules are part of amendments to the city’s tobacco laws passed in September, aimed at discouraging smoking and promoting public education around tobacco use. […]