Hong Kong basketball coach arrested over viral video of him slapping student

News - South China Morning Post June 9, 2026 at 7:01 AM

A veteran Hong Kong basketball coach has been arrested on suspicion of common assault after he was seen in a video slapping a young player, the South China Morning Post has learned. A source said that Yung Kam-wah was arrested on Monday and released on bail early on Tuesday, adding that he must report to police in July. In reply to queries from the SCMP, police said on Tuesday that a 54-year-old man had been arrested for alleged common assault the previous day and had been released on bail...

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China turns African port into tourist spot, students rethink Hong Kong: 5 weekend reads

South China Morning Post June 8, 2026 at 9:29 AM

We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China is transforming historic African slave port into waterfront tourism magnet 2. The new Panama? Why Nicaragua could be next front in US-China influence battle 3. Is the dream over? Mainland students rethink Hong Kong over costs and cultural fit 4. How Chinese drink chains are testing the...

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Hong Kong seeks to define scope of national security cases ‘as soon as possible’

South China Morning Post June 8, 2026 at 6:50 AM

The Hong Kong government has sought to clarify what constitutes national security cases in a new round of proposed subsidiary legislation. Security and justice authorities submitted the proposed amendments under the city’s national security laws to the Legislative Council on Monday. The proposal introduces a classification mechanism for “other offences endangering national security”, under which any case accompanied by a certificate from the chief executive confirming it involved national...

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Teachers behaving badly should prompt reflection in Hong Kong

South China Morning Post June 8, 2026 at 6:30 AM

Educators have received quite a bit of unwanted attention lately. First came a Hong Kong school principal losing his temper during a study trip in Singapore over parking a coach bus. The man was caught on camera hurling abusive language at security guards in the presence of a busload of students. That lapse of judgment was met with a stern response. The principal eventually tendered his resignation and apologised, admitting his error and trying to use it as his last lesson to his students. The...

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Hong Kong tycoon bets China will overtake US economy ‘in next decade or so’

South China Morning Post June 8, 2026 at 5:30 AM

Hong Kong property tycoon Gordon Wu Ying-sheung has predicted that China will overtake the US as the world’s largest economy in the next decade or so, propelled by rapid technological advances while Washington is weighed down by massive defence expenditure and national debt. Yet the 90-year-old founder and chairman of Hopewell Holdings, who rarely speaks to the press, said Hong Kong should look past geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington to build closer ties with the United States,...

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Hong Kong police warn World Cup fans against using overseas betting sites

South China Morning Post June 8, 2026 at 4:00 AM

Hong Kong police have warned football fans that using overseas betting websites could breach local gambling laws even if the platforms claim to be legally registered abroad, as authorities prepare for a predicted surge in wagering over the Fifa World Cup that begins on June 11. Police issued the warning after Fifa named its first prediction market partner for the World Cup. The force stressed that anyone in Hong Kong who placed bets with a local or overseas bookmaker outside authorised channels...

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2 drivers hurt as Audi flies across central divider in Hong Kong road crash

South China Morning Post June 7, 2026 at 9:10 PM

A driver escaped serious injury in Hong Kong after a car vaulted over the central divider on Tuen Mun Road and slammed into his seven-seater vehicle. Police said the seven-seater was travelling in the fast lane towards Yuen Long near the Gold Coast in Tuen Mun when the driver of an Audi SUV on the opposite carriageway suddenly lost control at about 9.20pm on Sunday. The Audi flew across the central divider, knocked down a lamp post and landed near the seven-seater in a scene reminiscent of a...

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Scammers posing as police cheat 42 mainland students in Hong Kong out of millions

South China Morning Post June 7, 2026 at 8:00 PM

More than 40 mainland students studying in Hong Kong fell victim to scammers impersonating Chinese law enforcement officers in the first quarter of this year, police said on Sunday, with the biggest case involving over HK$8 million (US$1.02 million). Among the 42 cases, one victim was tricked into staging her own “abduction” after being lured to Thailand, despite having attended anti-scam courses at her university. Hong Kong police said students from across the border accounted for a quarter of...

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Smoking is down but why are more Hong Kong women getting lung cancer?

South China Morning Post June 7, 2026 at 4:00 PM

In the second of a six-part Health Matters wellness series on cancer in Hong Kong, Elizabeth Cheung examines the rise of lung cancer among women, the risk factors beyond smoking and growing calls for earlier detection. Rates of new lung cancer cases among Hong Kong women have risen by 20 per cent in the past two decades despite their smoking less than men, a South China Morning Post review has found, prompting calls for citywide screenings to catch the disease earlier. Experts said genetic...

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Hong Kong to open first convenience store operated by humanoid robot in AI push

South China Morning Post June 7, 2026 at 3:37 PM

Hong Kong will soon open its first convenience store operated by a humanoid robot as part of the city’s push to integrate AI into everyday life and deepen residents’ understanding of the technology, the finance chief has said. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also revealed on Sunday that a high-level government committee dedicated to AI development in Hong Kong had been formed and would hold its first meeting this month. The 24-hour convenience store was located on the waterfront in Hung Hom...

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Hong Kong should adopt the ‘Hefei model’ in the Northern Metropolis

South China Morning Post June 7, 2026 at 1:30 PM

The arrival of Yuan Gujie, the new deputy director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, has sparked widespread speculation. Her legal background and experience in Guangdong province suggest that her posting carries a clear agenda: to promote deeper integration between Hong Kong and other Greater Bay Area cities. One thing is clear: if the Northern Metropolis is to accelerate, Hong Kong’s existing legal framework and development model may prove inadequate. A fundamental overhaul is urgently...

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