Hongkongers appeared to be more generous with their spending as they prepared for winter solstice gatherings on Saturday, but wet market stall-holders remained cautious about their business. The day, in Chinese tradition, is typically celebrated with family, when people gather for a meal at home or at a restaurant. People at wet markets were lookin…

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said on Saturday that a proposal to bring back the mechanism for voluntary reporting of unauthorised building works in village houses in the New Territories doesn't equate to granting them amnesty. The previous reporting period lasted for eight months in 2012. Property owners who reported unauthorised build…

A paediatrician on Saturday has urged the public not to lower their guard this flu season, urging Hongkongers to get vaccinated for what could be a severe winter flu season. Mike Kwan, from the University of Hong Kong's Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, said infection numbers are expected to spike in January. Kwan said the SAR's fl…

The chairman of Ocean Park said on Saturday that thousands of visitors have flocked daily to see An An and Ke Ke, the pair of pandas gifted by the central government, since their public debut earlier this month. Paulo Pong also told a Commercial Radio Programme that he's optimistic that December visitor numbers will show a significant increase. “We…

The Hospital Authority (HA) on Friday said it will beef up manpower and bed capacity to guard against a potential surge in patients during the upcoming holiday period. This came as the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reported a mild increase in both Covid and influenza cases, with the numbers expected to rise further in January. The HA said it w…

Thirty-nine people were arrested this week on suspicion of staging traffic accidents to try to defraud the government out of money granted to injured victims, police said on Friday. The suspects, aged between 19 and 48, are suspected of making false claims worth a total of HK$2 million in relation to 33 allegedly fake accidents. "Earlier this year,…

A spending bill backed by Donald Trump failed in the US House of Representatives on Thursday as dozens of Republicans defied the president-elect, leaving Congress with no clear plan to avert a fast-approaching government shutdown that could disrupt Christmas travel. The vote laid bare fault lines in Trump's Republican Party that could surface again…

President Xi Jinping on Friday directed Macau to diversify its economy as one of his four “hopes” for its new administration, after swearing in the SAR’s new Chief Executive, Sam Hou-fai. The president expressed confidence the SAR will open up new horizons for development and keep creating new glories. In a speech marking the 25th anniversary of Ma…

The Transport Department on Friday said it will implement a smart highway system at Ting Kau Bridge by the end of this month. It said the system has the ability to detect traffic accidents, and make appropriate arrangements to ensure a smooth traffic flow. Speaking on an RTHK programme, Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Strategic Studies) Leung…

Sam Hou-fai was on Friday sworn in as Macau's chief executive in an inauguration ceremony officiated by President Xi Jinping. The new Macau CE's oath was administered by the president. In his inauguration speech, Sam said he “felt honoured of taking the great responsibility” of being the SAR’s leader. He vowed to lead the new administration to unit…

A flag-raising ceremony was held in Macau on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SAR. The national anthem was played at the ceremony as the national flag and the Macau regional flag were raised. Incoming Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai and director of Beijing's liaison office in Macau Zheng Xincong attended the…

President Xi Jinping has called on Macau to better integrate into the country's strategic development and continue to strive for more, saying the SAR has what it takes to "fly high". Stating his three expectations on Thursday, the president urged the city to align with the motherland's developments; to gather people who safeguard One Country, Two S…

MTR passengers will get the chance to travel on panda-themed trains from Thursday, as part of a wider campaign to welcome the city’s four new pandas. The corporation is one of the many businesses joining the “Come and Enjoy a Pandastic Hong Kong” campaign, organised by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Ocean Park. …

President Xi Jinping visited the Macau University of Science and Technology on Thursday morning on the second day of his trip marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SAR. Xi’s motorcade arrived at the university before 10am amid tight security. The president toured two state-level laboratories at the university, one in traditional …

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Thursday said the local property market showed signs of stabilising with transactions increasing steadily and prices rising marginally after the US Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates in September. With another quarter of a percentage point cut overnight, the Fed has cut interest rates by an acc…