One in three Hong Kong kindergarten pupils spends at least an hour a day on social media, with more than 80 per cent of parent-child disputes linked to excessive screen time, a survey has found. The Hong Kong Institute of Family Education released the findings on Wednesday showing recreational scree
Hong Kong’s securities market regulator has defended a HK$1 billion (US$128 million) settlement with an accounting firm at the centre of an auditing scandal involving developer China Evergrande Group, saying it has unfettered powers to enforce discipline and a duty to protect the interests of indepe
The Pakistani government challenged on Wednesday a Supreme Court order to move jailed former prime minister Imran Khan to a private hospital, a petition filed with the court showed. The move could dash the hopes of Khan’s party and family, who have been calling for him to be given access to healthc
At China’s annual World Robot Conference (WRC) that kicked off on Wednesday, the hall was filled with humanoid robots wowing visitors with feats of dexterity: from playing table tennis to performing drum solos. These eye-catching displays have helped China’s robotics industry win global attention –
Taiwan’s first test of a locally developed satellite launch vehicle failed on Wednesday after the rocket veered off course, terrifying nearby villagers who mistook it for an incoming missile. The rocket was launched at around 6am local time from the Jiupeng missile testing base in southern Pingtung
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies announced on Wednesday that they were investigating senior officials in President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, a day after the country’s recently fired defence minister called for national elections despite the ongoing fight against Russia’s invasion. The political
Malaysia faces a growing risk of miscalculation near its state of Sabah as US-China rivalry drives more military activities into the waters around Borneo, its defence minister has warned, bolstering the government’s push for higher spending on its armed forces. The concern is particularly acute for
The Hong Kong Observatory has said it will consider issuing the No 1 standby typhoon signal over the weekend, as it tracks a low-pressure system that could approach the city and bring stormy weather. The forecaster said on Wednesday that the area of low pressure over the northern part of the South C
China has approved the construction of a marine environmental observation station to monitor an area that includes the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a persistent flashpoint in tensions with the Philippines in the South China Sea. The Zhongsha Islands Marine Ecological and Environmental Field Observati
Qatar Airways has set up its new regional cargo office in Hong Kong, with the city’s transport minister using the occasion to reveal a local airline would soon announce the launch of direct flights to Central Asia. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan dropped the hint, but did not name t
A 48-year-old man has been sentenced to 22 years in jail after he repeatedly raped his daughter over a period of 10 years, starting when the victim was only 14. Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court Eric Kwok jailed the man, identified as Y.S., on Tuesday, The Witness reported. K
A Hong Kong court has dismissed a father’s “inappropriate” application for a writ of habeas corpus for his infant son Danny, who was born unassisted at home and has been kept in government custody. When granted, a writ of habeas corpus – meaning “to have the body” – would for
The owner of a large dog suspected of mauling two smaller dogs to death in Yuen Long has been arrested. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said in a statement on Tuesday night that it had arrested the owner of the dog earlier that day and collected a statement regarding th
A Hong Kong court has ordered the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily to pay HK$1.5 million in damages to a couple that sued the outlet for defamation over articles published in 2019. The defamation suit was lodged by listed company China Innovation Investment Limited, its chairperson Xi
Authorities are aiming to revamp a heat stress warning system by the end of the month after it was deemed inadequate by former Observatory chiefs amid a historic heatwave. Labour and welfare chief Chris Sun said on Tuesday that the government would look into whether the warning system could be bette
Hongkong Post has announced it will stop offering permanent civil service contracts to new staff in a bid to cut costs, as its chief has projected a continued decline in mail traffic. The embattled postal service will instead offer two-year contracts to new staff, including mail carriers and postal
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has said it may prosecute the owner of a large dog suspected of mauling two smaller pet dogs to death in separate incidents. The Hong Kong Police Force received reports from two pet owners on Monday afternoon about the incidents in Yuen L
Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji was mourned on Tuesday with lowered flags and social media commemorations, ahead of a funeral for the reforming trailblazer who died last week at 97. Known for his decisive restructuring of the Chinese economy during a five-year premiership starting in 1998, Zhu has
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has fenced off a “Democracy Wall” bulletin board that has been left largely empty for years as it converts it into a digital display. The wall, located outside the main library, was boarded up on Friday, media outlets reported. A notice was placed on the
More than one in 10 Hong Kong primary and secondary school students have engaged in self-harm, a survey has found, with almost half saying school was their main source of stress. Researchers behind the study, conducted by the Junior Chamber International Lion Rock and the Hong Kong Family Mediation