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SCI & TECHAug 30Reusable rocket milestone opens a door for Hong Kong’s space ambitionsOn the morning of August 19, LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Area. After deploying its second stage and payload into orbit, the rocket’s first stage touched down softly at a recovery site in Gansu province using deployable landing legs. It was China’s first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster that had just completed an orbital mission – a feat previously achieved only by SpaceX. Just over a month earlier,...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 30Long queues mark final day as Hong Kong bookstore closes after raidAn independent Hong Kong bookstore has shut its doors six weeks after a national security police raid, drawing long queues of customers on its final day following four years in business. Readers wound down the dim staircase of a Prince Edward tenement building on Sunday afternoon, with some waiting up to 45 minutes to enter the third-floor bookstore, Have a Nice Stay. The closure followed a mid-July operation by national security officers, who raided the shop alongside nearby Greenfield...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 30Hong Kong gives 45 Wang Fuk Court holdouts final call on buyout schemeHong Kong authorities are making a final push to persuade 45 holdout homeowners at fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court to join a government buyout scheme before Monday afternoon’s deadline. As of noon on Sunday, 1,939 of the estate’s 1,984 flat owners – or 97.7 per cent – had submitted acceptance letters, while 77.7 per cent had signed formal sale and purchase agreements, according to the government. This leaves about 45 homeowners, or 2.3 per cent, who have yet to accept the government’s buy-back offer...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 30‘Stuck’: Canada ends Hong Kong migration pathway, some turn to US and UKThe closure of Canada’s “lifeboat” migration scheme for Hongkongers has left some applicants who are struggling to meet permanent residency requirements in limbo, prompting others to consider alternative destinations such as the US and Britain. Hong Kong-based immigration agents made this observation on Sunday after Ottawa announced on Friday that its dedicated pathways for Hongkongers would stop accepting new applications on Monday. Applications submitted before the deadline will continue to be...South China Morning Post
DISASTERAug 29Hong Kong school opens at new Tai Po campus after deadly Wang Fuk Court blazeNearly 600 pupils and their teachers at a Hong Kong primary school closed after the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze will be reunited at a newly renovated campus in Tai Po, ending months spent across two temporary sites. Tai Po Baptist Public School, formerly located near Wang Fuk Court, opened its new premises at Fu Shin Estate on Saturday, with pupils, teachers and parents expressing relief at finally having a settled place to reunite. The campus was formerly home to CCC Kei Ching Primary School,...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 23Hong Kong rules out Wang Fuk Court buy-back extension as 100 owners hesitateAbout 100 homeowners, or 5 per cent, at fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong have yet to accept the government’s buy-back offer with a week left before the deadline, Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun has said, stressing that the acquisition scheme will not be extended. “The deadline is a very serious timeline … it will not be extended, nor will better terms and a higher acquisition price suddenly be offered … I hope [the homeowners] will understand and take the appropriate...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 21Opatra London and Hong Kong distributor suspend local operations after arrestsThe British headquarters and Hong Kong distributor of beauty product company Opatra London have suspended local operations after allegations of aggressive sales tactics triggered the arrest of local senior staff and a raid on a corporate secretarial office in Sheung Wan. In a statement issued on Friday, Opatra London continued to distance itself from the local distributor, which it said owned and operated the local stores independently. The office of the local company, Sayles Retail, was raided...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 19Hong Kong considering euthanising large dog after fatal attacks on 2 petsThe owner of a large dog that mauled two smaller pets to death in Yuen Long earlier this week has expressed “regret” over signing the animal to authorities and hopes to withdraw the surrender, according to the founder of a local animal rescue group. The new development followed a remark made by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) on Wednesday that the dog might be euthanised if its owner chose to surrender it, or, alternatively, have it formally classified as a “known...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 18US Democrats rebuke Trump for easing sanctions on Beijing, Hong Kong officialsSeveral top US Democratic lawmakers chided US President Donald Trump on Tuesday for easing sanctions recently on Chinese and Hong Kong officials who, they said, were “complicit in Beijing’s dismantling of Hong Kong’s autonomy”. “We write to express serious concern,” the four-page letter said. “It raises serious questions about the durability of US policy towards Hong Kong that we believe warrant a direct response from the administration.” On July 14, the US allowed its designation of Hong Kong...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 18Hong Kong customs arrests 10 over HK$56 million cannabis haul bound for Europe, AfricaHong Kong customs has arrested 10 people and seized suspected cannabis buds worth an estimated HK$56 million (US$7 million) in a month-long operation targeting a syndicate accused of smuggling the drug from Southeast Asia to Europe and Africa via the city. Code-named Fire Mesh, the operation ran from July 13 to Monday this week and resulted in the seizure of about 240kg (529lbs) of cannabis buds, the Customs and Excise Department said on Tuesday. “We targeted transit baggage from Southeast Asia...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 17Opatra London distances itself from Hong Kong firm over deceptive sales allegationsUK-based beauty chain Opatra London has distanced itself from a Hong Kong distributor accused of using “deceptive sales practices”, even after the local branch said it offered to refund about a quarter of a HK$60,000 (US$7,650) shopping bill on skincare products. The company said on Monday night that it deeply regretted if any customers had a “distressing experience associated with our brand”, and revealed it had initiated an independent review of the local distributor. The move came after local...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 17Global expats , entrepreneurs tap Hong Kong for solid career prospectsGlobal expatriates and entrepreneurs are reportedly utilizing Hong Kong for strong career prospects. This indicates a positive trend in the region's professional and entrepreneurial opportunities.theuknews.com · United Kingdom
BUSINESSAug 17Global expats , entrepreneurs tap Hong Kong for solid career prospectsGlobal expatriates and entrepreneurs are reportedly choosing Hong Kong for promising career opportunities. This indicates Hong Kong's continued attractiveness as an international business hub.myanmarnews.net · Myanmar
CYBERAug 4Hong Kong warns of scam sites posing as Canada, UK and Thailand e-visa portalsHong Kong’s privacy watchdog has warned of suspected fraudulent e-visa application websites that request personal data from unsuspecting applicants, with victims suffering losses of up to HK$1,700 (US$216). The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said in a statement on Monday that it had received 16 inquiries or complaints over the past three months about the provision of personal data and fee payments to suspected fraudulent sites posing as e-visa application portals. “The...South China Morning Post
POLITICSJul 27Ex-Hong Kong opposition leader appeals UK order to leave as he seeks BN(O) routeFormer Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi-wai has appealed against the UK government’s decision to grant him only seven days’ temporary admission, requiring him to leave the country by Wednesday, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source said on Monday that Wu had written to the British Home Office asking it to reconsider the decision and could potentially seek a judicial review if the appeal is rejected. “A letter has been sent to the Home Office telling them they have made a mistake...South China Morning Post
WORLDJul 26Hong Kong artist channels Leslie Cheung film Farewell My Concubine for intimate live showA Hong Kong artist is channeling the Leslie Cheung film 'Farewell My Concubine' for an intimate live show. This details a cultural event.scmp.com · China
WORLDJul 23Herzog & de Meuron makes second donation to Hong Kong’s M+ museumInternational architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, which built Hong Kong’s M+ museum and the National Stadium in Beijing, has donated a second collection of models, sketches and drawings to the art institution in the West Kowloon Cultural District. The M+ said on Thursday that the more than 200 archival items follow an initial donation in 2023, when the architecture firm, headquartered in Switzerland, gave the museum a section model of the National Stadium. In addition to designing the stadium,...South China Morning Post
POLITICSJul 23Ex-Hong Kong opposition leader reportedly denied UK entry, faces deportationA former Hong Kong opposition leader has reportedly been denied entry to the United Kingdom and faces deportation back to the city after seeking residence using his British National (Overseas) passport, according to local media. The Times reported on Thursday that Wu Chi-wai was refused entry and told he would be deported, citing his friends. Wu had served a sentence of four years and five months in a landmark subversion case and was released from a Hong Kong prison in late June. If confirmed,...South China Morning Post
WORLDJul 20Hong Kong Palace Museum partners with Uzbek cultural centre for future projectsThe Hong Kong Palace Museum signed a deal with Uzbekistan’s Islamic Civilisation Centre on Monday to collaborate on future exhibitions, academic research and other projects. The signing ceremony on Monday also marked the first official reciprocal visit by a Central Asian cultural institution since Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led a delegation to the region last month. Dr Louis Ng Chi-wa, director of the Palace Museum and a member of the delegation, said the memorandum of understanding would...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSJul 19Wealthy European clients eye Hong Kong for family offices, says BNP ParibasBNP Paribas, France’s largest lender and the second-largest in Europe, has found that an increasing number of wealthy European clients are seeking to establish family offices in Hong Kong to capitalise on growing opportunities in the region, according to a banker from the lender. A growing number of wealthy mainland clients were also looking to invest in Europe, said Lemuel Lee, head of wealth management for BNP Paribas in Hong Kong. “The two-way capital flow between Europe and mainland China is...South China Morning Post
POLITICSJul 18As the UK discusses an EU return, Hong Kong offers lessonsThe recent resignation of Keir Starmer as Britain’s prime minister has reignited a debate over the United Kingdom’s post-Brexit identity – and talk of rejoining the European Union. Over the past decade, has Britain’s decision to exit the EU returned the UK to its splendid isolation – or merely a splendid squalor? It may seem a far-fetched idea but what if the UK were to become a special sovereignty within the EU? And in that case, what can post-Brexit Britain learn from Hong Kong, which has been...South China Morning Post
WORLDJul 15Hong Kong Book Fair: early birds slam chaotic queues to meet girl band CollarHundreds of eager visitors queued up overnight for the opening of the Hong Kong Book Fair on Wednesday, but some slammed organisers for chaotic crowd control measures. The primary draw for many in the overnight queue outside the Convention and Exhibition Centre was an autograph session with popular local Cantopop girl group Collar, but the queue system sparked heavy criticism. Among the frustrated early birds was Lucas Wong, a 15-year-old student who arrived at around 2am in the hopes of buying...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSJul 14Shein’s Donald Tang passing baton to CEO Sky Xu ahead of Hong Kong listing: ReutersA key figure at Shein is transferring leadership to the current CEO in anticipation of the company's Hong Kong stock listing. This indicates a significant internal transition and public market debut for the firm.Seeking Alpha Tech
BUSINESSJul 11UK VAT on private schools triggers record decline in Hong Kong studentsHong Kong student numbers at UK private schools experienced a record decline after Britain imposed a 20 per cent tax on fees last year, with enrolment falling by 17 per cent and new admissions down by 26 per cent. A consultant specialising in student recruitment for British private schools said enrolment had returned to levels seen before Hong Kong’s emigration wave, with parents becoming more selective as costs rose. According to an annual census by the United Kingdom’s Independent Schools...South China Morning Post