GLOBEALERT
Sign in

Feed

Open sources, classified and cross-checked. 25+ stories.

AllConflictMilitaryPoliticsBusinessSci & TechCyberDisasterHealthWorld
24h3 days7 days30 daysAll·All regionsNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeBalticsMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaSouth AsiaEast AsiaOceania
POLITICS2h agoHong Kong homeowners prompt government rethink on proxy vote proposalsHong Kong homeowners’ resistance to proposals to limit proxy votes and restrict meeting attendance to relatives has prompted authorities to study alternatives to resolve estate management issues behind the deadly Tai Po fire. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Tuesday, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau revealed the findings of its month-long public consultation on amendments to the Buildings Management Ordinance, part of proposed reforms after the Wang Fuk Court fire that killed...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4h agoHow Hong Kong can turn 30,000 youth placements into lasting careersHong Kong will launch a 30,000-place youth employment and internship programme in the first quarter of 2027. Before applications open, the government should decide what it is buying: a temporary increase in headcount or a durable increase in professional capability. The distinction matters because the entry-level labour market is already changing. According to an annual survey by Baptist University, the starting-pay advantage of bachelor’s degree holders over sub-degree graduates narrowed by 17...South China Morning Post
POLITICS7h ago2½ years’ jail for Hong Kong district councillor who had sex with 13-year-old girl in 2011A Hong Kong district councillor has been sentenced to two years and six months in jail for having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl 15 years ago, with a judge noting he had shown no remorse towards a victim he claimed to have loved. District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi on Tuesday noted that Sei Chun-hing, a 39-year-old Yuen Long District Council member, was aware of the “red line” of sex with a minor when they started dating in October 2010. At the time, she was 13 and Sei 23. Chan...South China Morning Post
POLITICS8h agoBeijing removes Hong Kong housing chief Winnie Ho after Tai Po fire resignationBeijing has formally removed Hong Kong’s housing chief, Winnie Ho Wing-yin, from her post, after she resigned last week to take political responsibility for the deadly Tai Po fire. According to the state-run Xinhua News Agency, the State Council removed Ho from office on Tuesday on the recommendation of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. The announcement gave no reason for the decision and did not name a successor. In a government statement, Lee said Ho had indicated she would “shoulder the...South China Morning Post
POLITICS9h agoHong Kong will ‘rethink playbook’, offer stability amid global shifts: John LeeHong Kong is rewriting its economic playbook amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), and is pivoting towards commodity trading, fintech and green finance, the city’s leader has said, while pledging to provide stability for investors. Addressing the annual Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit on Tuesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said the city’s first five-year plan was a long-term road map that provided market...South China Morning Post
POLITICS15h agoLong delays for Hong Kong court cases demand urgent actionJustice delayed, it is often said, is justice denied. If that is true, many court users in Hong Kong are being failed by the system. Those involved in criminal cases at the Court of First Instance must wait 358 days on average for the hearing, the judiciary revealed last week. The figure for the District Court is 354 days, way above the court’s 100-day target. This is a cause of concern. The glacial process has prompted the Law Society to call for drastic measures. Justin Yuen Hoi-ying, chairman...South China Morning Post
POLITICS23h ago3 former Hong Kong leaders head funeral committee for educator Ng Hon-munFuneral proceedings for Ng Hon-mun, an influential pro-Beijing educator and long-serving Hong Kong deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC), will begin on Wednesday, with three former city leaders heading the funeral committee. Ng died peacefully on October 18, aged 100. His wake will be held at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point from 5pm on Wednesday, followed by a memorial gathering at 7pm. A public memorial service will take place at 10am on Thursday, according to an obituary seen by...South China Morning Post
POLITICS1d agoHong Kong’s first national security law convict among 4 released early, sources sayThe first person convicted in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed national security law and three others jailed in related high-profile cases have been released early, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said Tong Ying-kit, who was sentenced in July 2021 to nine years in prison for inciting secession and engaging in terrorist activities, had been granted early release. The news emerged three years after Tong expressed regret in an official television documentary produced by the...South China Morning Post
POLITICS1d agoBeijing urges Hong Kong to bring in more governance talent with integrity, competenceBeijing’s office overseeing Hong Kong affairs has called on the city to improve its systems for nurturing, appointing and managing governance talent as a way to bring in more personnel with integrity and competence into the governing team. In a commentary, the theoretical study group of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) stressed that the city would only enjoy more room to open up and develop when national security was firmly safeguarded. It urged greater attention to...South China Morning Post
POLITICS1d agoMalvinas and the mirror of Hong Kong: when Thatcher had to yieldLa primera tarea comienza en el continente. Necesitamos un país que ofrezca oportunidades de asociación y pueda mantener compromisos a través de sucesivos gobiernos.Clarín
POLITICS2d agoClarify crime thresholds and immunity in bid-rigging law: Hong Kong Bar AssociationThe Hong Kong Bar Association has called on the government to clearly define criminal thresholds and resolve whistle-blower immunity rules under its plan to outlaw bid-rigging following the deadly Tai Po inferno. A task force formed by the association, which represents the city’s barristers, spent 10 months reviewing four key areas of law and released a 140-page report on Sunday in the hope of providing direction to address the shortcomings that led to the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze last...South China Morning Post
POLITICS2d agoHigh Court redevelopment plan ‘not workable’, Hong Kong Bar Association warnsThe Hong Kong Bar Association has warned that a proposed phased redevelopment of the High Court, which could span more than a decade, is “not workable” and risks deterring legal practitioners from joining the bench. The association, the professional body for barristers, urged the government to consider faster alternatives, such as repurposing the existing District Court building. In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post on Sunday, association chairman Jose-Antonio Maurellet SC...South China Morning Post
POLITICS3d agoHong Kong’s Deadly 2025 Fire: Accountability on Lee’s TermsA ministerial resignation, official apologies, and promises of reform leave a fundamental question unanswered: What power do Hong Kong citizens have to demand accountability beyond what their government is willing to offer?The Diplomat
POLITICS3d agoHong Kong development chief denies U-turn over agency to support homeownersHong Kong’s development chief has rejected accusations of a policy U-turn over the establishment of a dedicated agency to help flat owners with building repair tenders, insisting the agency’s planned remit differs fundamentally from one rejected a decade ago. Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho, in a press conference on Friday, elaborated on the scope of work of the Building Maintenance Support and Services Council, which will be established by the end of this year. She was asked if...South China Morning Post
POLITICS3d agoHong Kong ministers defend decision not to resign over deadly Tai Po fireMinisters have defended their decision not to step down over the deadly Tai Po fire, insisting they are putting Hong Kong’s well-being ahead of personal considerations. A senior official also hinted that a successor might not be named to replace Winnie Ho Wing-yin, who resigned as housing minister to take political accountability for the city’s deadliest disaster in decades. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun, who is now serving as acting housing minister, apologised alongside three...South China Morning Post
POLITICS3d agoHong Kong’s planned renovation body may be liable for poor oversight: ministerA planned renovation monitoring body could be held liable for poor oversight when recommending and keeping tabs on consultants and contractors, Hong Kong’s development chief Bernadette Linn Hon-ho has warned, as officials detailed broader reforms to curb malpractice during major building repairs. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun also gave assurances on Friday that a new department overseeing major renovation projects would adopt a fresh approach and provide training, despite being...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoSecurity chief vows his task force will root out bid-rigging in Hong KongHong Kong’s security chief has expressed confidence that a new joint task force led by him will eradicate the decades-long problem of bid-rigging, while denying that the reforms came too late after the deadly Tai Po fire. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung also said on Friday that law enforcement officers would attend meetings of owners’ corporations where the risk of bid-rigging was deemed high to gather frontline intelligence and intervene early. Authorities also hope to pass new...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoLula’s win aids China ties; Hong Kong official quits over Tai Po fire: SCMP’s 7 highlightsWe have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Win for Lula boosts China’s foothold and gives Brazil rare earths leverage Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s re-election preserves Beijing’s most critical foothold in Latin America, while positioning Brasilia to leverage...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoFrance’s protests, like Hong Kong’s in 2019, risk being defined by violenceNo protester sets out expecting a friend to be arrested, injured or caught in a confrontation with the police. Yet when that happens, the reasons for returning to the streets can change. People may return not only because of the cause that first brought them out, but because they believe a friend has been treated unjustly. That is how anger becomes personal, and how a protest can move towards a dangerous cycle of action and reaction. This is the risk confronting France. The student protests...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoWill Tai Po fire reforms wipe out collusion in Hong Kong’s building maintenance industry?A raft of reforms to overhaul Hong Kong’s building maintenance sector has been hailed as a bold first step in tackling bid-rigging and other deep-rooted problems, but observers said its success would depend on the determination and persistence to implement them to restore public trust. They said the reforms signalled a departure from the government’s long-standing reliance on the self-discipline of industry professionals, but highlighted a notable absence of measures to tackle falsified...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoHong Kong national security judge Alex Lee promoted to the Court of AppealA Hong Kong judge who has overseen high-profile national security trials, including the collusion case of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, has been promoted to the Court of Appeal. A Judiciary statement on Thursday said the chief executive had accepted the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission to appoint Court of First Instance judge Alex Lee Wan-tang to his new role, with his appointment taking effect on the day. Handpicked by the city leader to adjudicate...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoHong Kong’s John Lee apologises for Tai Po fire, unveils reforms as housing chief resignsHong Kong’s leader has apologised for last year’s deadly Tai Po fire, vowing extensive civil service and legislative reforms and an overhaul of government departments as his housing chief Winnie Ho Wing-yin resigned to offer political accountability. A grim-faced Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and seven other top officials bowed their heads in apology on Thursday at the start of a press briefing, the first time his administration had directly expressed regret since the blaze on November 26 at...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoHong Kong housing chief quits over Tai Po fire, accepts political responsibilityHong Kong’s housing chief has resigned to take political responsibility for the devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court, offering condolences to the families of the victims and expressing hope that those who perished may rest in peace. Winnie Ho Wing-yin said on Thursday that she submitted her resignation to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu the previous day, becoming the only minister-level official so far to resign over the fire. “As the secretary for housing, I’m willing to bear political...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoHong Kong to set up new body to oversee building renovations in regulatory overhaulHong Kong will establish a dedicated body to oversee building renovations as part of a wide-ranging overhaul that includes restructuring the Buildings Department and tightening regulation of contractors. The move was revealed on Thursday as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and his ministers offered a formal apology over the deadly blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last November. His administration was establishing a Building Maintenance Support and Services Council as part of the reforms, the...South China Morning Post
Older →