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BUSINESSAug 3Hong Kong’s Chinese bond futures are a major step for the global yuanOn August 3, five-year Chinese treasury bond futures began trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Market attention has focused on the new product, but its real significance emerges when set against the deep shifts under way in the international monetary system. History offers a clear lesson: no currency has graduated from a trade settlement currency to a genuine investment and reserve currency on the strength of trade flows alone. Behind every reserve currency stands a government bond market...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 3A Better Tomorrow at 40: how John Woo blockbuster changed Hong Kong cinema – SCMP archiveForty years ago, John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow was released. The action film is considered to be a turning point in Hong Kong cinema with directors like Quentin Tarantino citing it as an inspiration. In this On This Day article, we look at SCMP’s archive coverage of this modern-day classic. A Better Tomorrow was released on August 2, 1986. Due to its popularity, it ran in theatres for 61 days – unheard of at the time – and was Hong Kong’s No 1 movie that year grossing over HK$34.6 million. It...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 3Former Hong Kong prison officer jailed for 3 years over brutal attack on inmateA former Hong Kong prison officer has been sentenced to three years in jail for severely wounding an inmate by repeatedly thrusting a stick into the victim’s rectum after the defendant was sprinkled with baby powder during a game of bingo. District Court Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che on Monday handed down the punishment to Tam Lik-chung, a former Correctional Services Department assistant officer, saying the defendant had committed “a very serious” crime by leading the assault and instructing other...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 3AECOM unveils new Hong Kong workplace designed for innovation , collaboration , and wellbeingAECOM has revealed a new workplace in Hong Kong, emphasizing design for innovation, collaboration, and employee wellbeing. This development reflects the company's focus on modern work environments.humanresourcesonline.net · Singapore
WORLDAug 3Triathlete death sparks calls for AI monitoring, GPS tracking at Hong Kong racesHong Kong sporting event organisers should use technology to better track and monitor athletes, lawmakers have urged after a triathlete went missing at sea in Tai Po and was later found dead. The death of the participant in the city’s Summer Triathlon Challenge on Sunday has raised concerns over whether safety measures for such races are sufficient, especially amid unstable weather. “Since technology has advanced, can the GPS be optimised? In many past races, participants used GPS to log...South China Morning Post
DISASTERAug 3Hong Kong to face brighter but hotter weather this week after days of heavy rainHong Kong can expect sunnier but very hot weather later this week, the city’s forecaster has said, as residents woke to an amber rainstorm warning for the second consecutive morning. The Hong Kong Observatory on Monday issued the amber rainstorm warning signal at 6.40am, following a similar alert on Sunday morning that remained in place for more than six hours. The warning was cancelled at 8.45am. The forecaster said heavy showers had brought more than 30mm (1.2 inches) of rainfall to many...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 3Global institutional investors eager to trade Chinese bond futures in Hong Kong, HKEX saysInternational asset managers, pension funds and insurance companies have shown strong interest in offshore China government bond futures, which are set to start trading in Hong Kong for the first time on Monday, according to senior stock exchange executives. The new 5-year China government bond futures contracts will have a size of 500,000 yuan (US$74,051). Bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has set a low minimum margin ratio so that investors only need to invest 7,980 yuan...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 2India approves just 1 Chinese FDI proposal worth ₹1 crore in FY26; 13 from Hong KongOverall, the government has approved 63 FDI (foreign direct investment) proposals worth ₹10,292.67 crore, or $1.18 billion, during April 2025-March 2026, according to the DPIIT dataThe Hindu
POLITICSAug 2Legco-executive dialogue must deliver more than novelty for Hong KongExploring new channels for connection is important for enhancing communication. That seems to be one of the major themes of the first “new style Legco dialogue” with Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, held last week after lawmakers returned from their study trip to Beijing. Legislative Council members were clearly eager to share ideas with Lee, beginning with suggesting that the city’s 1823 public inquiry and complaint hotline be revamped and modelled after Beijing’s 12345 complaints...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 2Hong Kong, CSRC deepen financial ties ahead of first yuan bond futures launchHong Kong’s leader has met the head of mainland China’s securities regulator to discuss deepening links between the two financial markets ahead of the launch of the city’s first yuan-denominated bond futures. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Sunday evening that he met China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) chairman Wu Qing at Government House in Central to exchange views on deepening mutual access between the financial markets in Hong Kong and the mainland. The high-level meeting...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 2‘Pets are meant to be spoiled’: Hong Kong cat owners spend big at feline expoWith 14 cats and a dog at home, Hong Kong couple Mr and Mrs Cheung spend more than HK$10,000 (US$1,275) a month on their beloved pets. “Pets are meant to be spoiled rotten,” said Mrs Cheung, a pet groomer in her thirties who visited the cat expo in Wan Chai on Sunday with her husband and four Maine Coon cats. The cats were dressed up and carried in a HK$4,000 stroller made in Japan. She said the four cats enjoyed going out, but were “a bit emotional today” because of the attention they received...South China Morning Post
HEALTHAug 2How can Hong Kong retirees ease the pain of rising healthcare costs?Retiree Philip Kong says he realised Hong Kong’s healthcare system needed a wake-up call when he discovered that receiving treatment for his prostate condition in neighbouring Shenzhen could potentially cut his medical bill by nearly 90 per cent. The 75-year-old was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate earlier this year and set to pay HK$210,000 (US$26,780) for a scheduled surgery at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital – until a family friend, who is a urologist, suggested another option. The...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 2Why Hong Kong’s elites must become risk-takers againHong Kong is drafting its first‑ever five‑year plan, a historic blueprint to chart long‑term development. Much has been said about reforms and paradigm shifts, but far less attention has been paid to the true architects of this journey: Hong Kong’s elites. Their choices will determine whether the city reinvents itself as an innovation hub or slides into stagnation. For decades, Hong Kong’s movers and shakers maximised returns from finance, trade and real estate. But as the global economy pivots...South China Morning Post
WORLDAug 23 more suspects arrested over murder of businessman in Hong Kong bar fightHong Kong police have arrested three more suspects in connection with the death of a 32-year-old entrepreneur in a bar fight on July 26. The arrests were made as part of an investigation into the murder of Issac Yeung at an upstairs bar on Cameron Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. Police have already arrested six men and three women, aged 24 to 46, in connection with the case. The force said on Sunday that the three latest arrests comprised a 40-year-old man apprehended on suspicion of murder and two more...South China Morning Post
DISASTERAug 2Search under way for triathlete, 59, who went missing in Hong Kong raceHong Kong emergency services are searching for a missing 59-year-old man who may have drowned after he entered the swim leg of a triathlon in the city amid an amber rainstorm warning. Police told the South China Morning Post that they received a report at 7.57am on Sunday that a male participant of the 2026 Summer Triathlon Challenge at Tai Mei Tuk Water Sports Centre in Tai Po had entered the water during the swimming segment of the race but failed to resurface. The SCMP learned that the...South China Morning Post
BUSINESSAug 2Hong Kong to raise annual GDP forecast after robust growth in first half of 2026Hong Kong authorities will raise the city’s full-year economic growth forecast after a stronger-than-expected performance in the first half of 2026, the finance chief has said, pledging to further promote the global use of the yuan after the coming debut of offshore Chinese government bond futures on the local stock exchange. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his weekly blog post on Sunday that the Census and Statistics Department would raise its gross domestic product (GDP) forecast...South China Morning Post
SCI & TECHAug 2Patrolling robot damaged after falling down staircase at Hong Kong airportHong Kong authorities are investigating an accident in which a patrolling robot fell down a staircase at the arrival hall of the Hong Kong International Airport and broke into pieces. The Airport Authority Hong Kong told the South China Morning Post on Sunday that the robot had tumbled down a staircase in Terminal One during a test run on Saturday, resulting in partial damage to the robot. It said no injuries were reported in the incident. Viral pictures circulating online showed a...South China Morning Post
DISASTERAug 2Public anger in Hong Kong over low signal during 2006 Typhoon Prapiroon – SCMP archiveThis article was first published on August 4, 2006. Observatory lashed over typhoon signal by Agnes Lam, Clifford Lo and Martin Wong The Observatory was under fire yesterday (August 3, 2006) for not hoisting a storm warning above the No 3 as Typhoon Prapiroon lashed some parts of the city with winds of up to 200km/h. Unions said workers had been put in danger as they had gone to work as required because a No 8 signal had not been hoisted, while the swirling winds toppled cargo, blew down trees,...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 2What Hong Kong’s districts can learn from Sham Shui Po’s governanceOld, dense and diverse, Sham Shui Po exemplifies many practical challenges associated with grass-roots governance in Hong Kong: ageing buildings, narrow alleys, low-income households, elderly residents living alone and routine issues that demand constant attention. As an ancient maxim states: “Government means rectitude. If you set a righteous example, who will dare to act otherwise?” My extensive community work in Sham Shui Po has shown that political success at the grass-roots level is seldom...South China Morning Post
HEALTHAug 2Shady lip service: experts warn against illicit beauty treatments in Hong KongBeauticians from outside Hong Kong are performing illegal cosmetic procedures such as botulinum toxin and filler injections in the city, with middlemen setting up online “secret societies” or chat groups for customers to share information, industry experts have revealed. A beauty industry expert and a plastic surgeon said they had seen or received reports of botched procedures by beauty practitioners allegedly from mainland China or overseas. The industry insider said these beauticians did not...South China Morning Post
DISASTERAug 1Hong Kong set for heavy showers, squally thunderstorms over next few daysHongkongers should brace for more bad weather over the next few days. The Hong Kong Observatory warned on Saturday that showers would be heavy at times with squally thunderstorms over the coast of southern China in the next couple of days under the influence of a broad trough of low pressure and an active southerly airstream. Meanwhile, authorities said they received six landslide reports between Friday and Saturday evening, as well as a report of damage to the facing of a retaining wall. The...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 1Hong Kong gauges public views on 50:50 split for public flats, subsidised sale homesHong Kong authorities are gauging public feedback on a possible shift in the supply ratio of public rental flats to subsidised sale homes to an even 50:50 split, the housing minister has said. Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin told a planning forum on Saturday that the total supply of public housing would reach 196,000 flats over the next five years. Under measures outlined in Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s 2024 policy address, the Housing Authority – Hong Kong’s biggest public...South China Morning Post
MILITARYAug 1Hong Kong garrison holds reception marking 99th anniversary of PLA’s foundingThe Hong Kong garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) celebrated the 99th anniversary of the military’s founding on Saturday with a reception at the barracks on Stonecutters Island, with a top officer pledging to expand its role in promoting patriotic and defence education across the city. Speaking at the reception at the Ngong Shuen Chau Barracks, garrison political commissar Rear Admiral Lai Ruxin said troops would resolutely obey the command of the Communist Party of China, while...South China Morning Post
POLITICSAug 1Hong Kong leader to hold town hall on Sunday to gather views on twin blueprintsHong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and his ministers will hold the first district consultation session to gather views on his coming policy address and the city’s inaugural five-year plan in Tuen Mun on Sunday. Only government-chosen residents and district representatives were invited to the exchange at the venue, sources said on Saturday. Lee would also only address media inquiries after the next district session to be held the following Sunday, they added. While the city leader has...South China Morning Post