News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 7:26 PM
A Hong Kong woman who has accused her former school teacher of sexually assaulting her over a period of nearly five years has told the court she initially feared reporting the case because it would cause him serious repercussions. The defendant, Cheng Hon-sze, 32, appeared in court on Thursday where he pleaded not guilty to nine counts of indecent assault involving his former student. The alleged offences took place between November 2019 and June 2024, when she was aged between 14 and 19 years...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 5:42 PM
The People’s Bank of China, Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Bank Indonesia signed an agreement on Thursday to create a framework for bilateral transactions between Indonesia and Hong Kong. The parties aimed to implement a currency transaction framework for the direct exchange and settlement of Indonesian rupiah and Chinese yuan in cross-border trade and investment activities among companies and institutions in Indonesia and Hong Kong, according to an HKMA statement. This initiative was...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Hong Kong’s new legislation allowing certain criminal cases to be handled under national security procedures is expected to be used only rarely, with the city leader typically issuing such certification before trial, security and justice officials have said. A Legislative Council subcommittee completed its scrutiny of the Safeguarding National Security (Procedural Matters) Regulation during a meeting on Thursday that lasted around two hours. The regulation empowers the chief executive to define...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 3:01 PM
An upgraded border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is expected to open next month, allowing travellers to complete immigration in just five minutes, according to authorities. The redeveloped Huanggang Port Building will be the first link between the two cities to adopt the “collaborative inspection and joint clearance” model. The South China Morning Post looks at the details of the checkpoint and what travellers can expect from the streamlined process. 1. How does it differ from the Lok...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Rocket launches in Kazakhstan are being pitched to Hong Kong travellers, as some Central Asian travel operators make their debut at the city’s flagship travel expo ahead of new direct flights to the region. Six Kazakhstan-based operators set up booths under the theme “Visit Almaty” at the 40th International Travel Expo, the annual event running from June 11 to 14 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Despite the conflict in the Middle East affecting global tourism, the 2026 edition...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 12:15 PM
We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Where did Tokyo restaurant Sézanne’s 3 Michelin stars go? Tokyo’s Sézanne restaurant, which once held the No 1 spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, has been quietly stripped of its three Michelin stars ahead of the guide’s next update in autumn 2026. The change follows the high-profile departure of its opening chef,...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Hong Kong’s business community has signed six agreements with Kazakhstan to support the development of the country’s new hi-tech and economic hub, as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu positions the city as the project’s gateway to global capital and the mainland Chinese market. The memorandums of understanding (MOUs), unveiled at an investment round table on Thursday, centre on the development of Alatau City, the Central Asian country’s flagship future-city project, and focus on innovation and...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 10:20 AM
Hong Kong customs has arrested six people over the alleged smuggling and online sale of counterfeit Fifa World Cup merchandise, with an estimated market value of HK$156 million (US$20 million). The Customs and Excise Department said on Thursday it had uncovered 29 suspected smuggling cases and five online sales cases involving World Cup merchandise in an operation code-named “Clean Sheet”. The operation, which ran from May 26 to Wednesday, led to the seizure of around 230,000 suspected...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Hong Kong has become the top listing choice for tech firms amid the rise of Asia in global innovation, according to Bonnie Chan Yiting, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX). The tech listings boom has prompted the city’s exchange to review its listing regime to better accommodate high growth and pre-profit technology and biotech firms seeking access to international funds. The comments come as the city’s capital markets maintain momentum despite recent fluctuations, with over HK$166...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 8:46 AM
The Hong Kong government should expand its planned mandate for driver-monitoring systems on public buses to other modes of transport and upgrade road infrastructure as part of a multipronged strategy to reduce traffic accidents, industry leaders have said. The remarks followed authorities revealing in the Legislative Council on Wednesday that they planned to leverage technology to boost road safety. The Transport Department is set to study the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of extending...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 7:12 AM
Through the invitation of a good friend, I had the privilege last Saturday of attending a charity movie screening held by SideBySide, a non-profit social service organisation. The film chosen for the event was We’re Nothing At All, a recently released social drama by veteran director and screenwriter Herman Yau Lai-to. While widely known for his more commercial titles, Yau is never afraid of tackling societal issues in his films. Local cinephiles will no doubt remember his previous works, such...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 6:00 AM
Our report that China’s landmark Pinglu Canal is set for trial operations in September was one of the most read the week it was published. Interestingly, most of those who read the report were from the United States, followed by Malaysia, Singapore, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong. The report had three times as many Singaporean readers as local ones. I find this disparity concerning and not for reasons of editorial vanity. While the Pinglu Canal is a global story – representing one of the...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 11, 2026 at 5:30 AM
A Kazakhstan-based commercial bank backed by China Citic Bank is seeking to collaborate with Hong Kong financial institutions and investors to develop new financing channels for the Central Asian country through the city’s thriving offshore renminbi market. Murat Baisynov, chairman of Altyn Bank, told the South China Morning Post that three clients of the Almaty-headquartered lender were currently exploring the issuance of dim sum bonds in Hong Kong, a trend he expected to continue. “Hong Kong...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 10, 2026 at 8:16 PM
Winning consortiums bidding for core land parcels at an innovation hub near Hong Kong’s border must post a HK$100 million (US$12.7 million) construction bond and meet a tight 30-month development deadline, according to tender documents obtained by the South China Morning Post. Industry leaders said the requirements, which deviated from those in conventional government land sales, suggested that the government was targeting “well-capitalised” bidders to eliminate the risk of stalled construction...
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BBC News
June 10, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The Wang Fuk Court blaze last year was the deadliest that Hong Kong had seen in 70 years, killing 168 people.
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BBC News
June 10, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The Wang Fuk Court blaze last year was the deadliest that Hong Kong had seen in 70 years, killing 168 people.
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News - South China Morning Post
June 10, 2026 at 5:54 PM
A planned marine park in waters surrounding Sharp Island in Sai Kung will cover most coral reefs, Hong Kong authorities have said, allaying a green group’s concerns about insufficient protection of ecologically sensitive areas. Janet Lee Ka-wai, senior marine conservation officer at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, also said on Wednesday that underwater mapping technology had been used to assess coral coverage and identify ecological sites. Major coral spots identified in...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 10, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Hong Kong customs officers have arrested a 39-year-old truck driver on suspicion of smuggling and seized goods worth HK$10 million (US$1.27 million), including weight-loss injections and fish maw. The Customs and Excise Department said on Wednesday that a medium goods vehicle was intercepted at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge crossing on June 4. The vehicle, bound for Macau, was declared to be carrying wine, garments, health supplements and cameras, but X-ray imaging revealed discrepancies,...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 10, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Hong Kong authorities have charged seven individuals and two companies with 25 offences, including manslaughter, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of public justice and tax evasion, in connection with the city’s deadliest blaze in recent history. The defendants appeared at West Kowloon Court on Wednesday to face charges brought by police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), the first to be laid against those deemed responsible for the...
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News - South China Morning Post
June 10, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Hong Kong has recorded an uptick in Mpox cases after an outbreak linked to a gay-friendly sauna and fitness club in Mong Kok, prompting health authorities to launch a targeted vaccination outreach programme for high-risk groups. The Centre for Health Protection has contacted more than 300 people who visited the venue since May for medical surveillance and urged anyone who visited during that period to call its dedicated hotline for advice. The centre is conducting an epidemiological...
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