Tourism chief Kevin Yeung has warned visitors that a pyrotechnic display scheduled for May 1 may be cancelled because of bad weather. The show, hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, is set to be held across Victoria Harbour to kick off a campaign of regular fireworks displays aimed at boosting tourism. But according to the Observatory's forecast, …

The central government on Sunday announced measures to facilitate visits by mainland business representatives and skilled workers to Hong Kong. According to the National Immigration Administration, mainland residents holding Business Visit Endorsements will be permitted to stay in Hong Kong for up to 14 days, starting from May 6. Mainlanders who wi…

Unionists have defended the need for the city to have a minimum wage and called for "reasonable and objective" discussion on the issue, after a lawmaker suggested scrapping the basic hourly rate. The Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) said the statutory minimum wage, which is currently at HK$40, is essential to protecting employees, in response to co…

Concern groups on Sunday said proposed jail sentences for people who fail to report child abuse should be kept in place. According to the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Bill currently making it way through the Legislative Council, professionals such as social workers, teachers and doctors are required to report suspected cases of serious child …

Five people were killed and 33 others injured by a tornado that hit Guangzhou on Saturday afternoon. The tornado hit Zhongluotan town in the city's Baiyun district at around 3pm. Videos posted online showed a mid-afternoon sky darkened by storm clouds and debris swirling up into the air. Social media images also showed damaged cars and uprooted tre…

Police Commissioner Raymond Siu on Saturday said security cameras, installed in Mong Kok this month, have helped officers detect two serious crimes. Their installation was the first stage of a government plan to install about 2,000 CCTV cameras across Hong Kong this year. Speaking to reporters after attending an event, Siu said the surveillance cam…

Financial Services Minister Christopher Hui on Saturday said a recent move by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) to provide more mainland business for Hong Kong is an opportunity for the SAR's financial sector. The measures, announced earlier this month, include opening up more Hong Kong-based exchange-traded funds for mainland inves…

The Housing Secretary Winnie Ho on Saturday said the operating costs for light public flats should not be compared with traditional public housing units, as the government prepares to take applications for the first of the flats. Responding to a question on an RTHK radio show, she said the new flats have a different set of facilities so an exact co…

Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan on Saturday said the public was adapting quickly to the plastic-free scheme. The first phase of the plastic cutlery ban started on Monday, and restaurants are now barred from selling and using plastic utensils, but plastic containers are still allowed for takeaways. He told a radio programme that authorities had v…

Police on Friday said they arrested 61 people, including five minors, in the past month for allegedly selling drugs online. It said the suspects, aged between 14 and 59, are suspected of involvement in 43 cases. Officers said they seized 128 kilogrammes of drugs, including cannabis buds, cocaine and magic mushrooms, as well as electronic cigarette …

The police on Friday said they arrested a man on suspicion of possessing firearms without a licence. Officers found 18 guns, 11 knives, and four daggers at a self-storage facility in Sha Tin, and arrested the 67-year-old suspect on Wednesday. Speaking at a press briefing, Superintendent Cheung Ting-fung said the man had previously held licences for…

Chief Executive John Lee said cooperation between Hong Kong and Shanghai was entering a new phase as the CE met with the city's mayor for a major conference on Friday. Speaking at the sixth plenary session of the Hong Kong-Shanghai Co-operation Conference, Lee said the two cities would sign 20 cooperation documents and reach consensus on 65 project…

Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for talks across a range of complex issues. The top US diplomat is due to spend several hours with Wang across closed-door meetings at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and a working lunch as the two sides try to maintain progress in ties. As the pair settled into their openin…