Page 2 - Hong Kong

Hong Kong high-rise fire puts spotlight on bamboo scaffolding safety

While the exact cause of the deadly inferno that swept across a Hong Kong apartment complex remains unknown, questions have been raised about the role of the bamboo scaffolding that enveloped the buildings at the time of the fire. The blaze, which has left at least 94 dead, has focused attention on the use of the ancient construction technique dating back over 1,000 years. Bamboo poles lashed together using wire and other strong materials are often found at construction sites in Southeast Asia. Hong Kong is one of the few major cities where such scaffolding is a common sight. Officials said Wednesday's fire started on the external scaffolding of a 32-story tower in the suburb of Tai Po, spread to the inside of the building and then to six other towers, likely aided by windy conditions. Officials are investigating why the scaffolding and other construction materials used in renovations to the outsides of the buildings caught fire. Bamboo is a fast-growing plant that forms tall, hol

55 killed, 279 missing in one of Hong Kong's deadliest fires: All we know

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the fire spread across seven of the eight high-rise apartment buildings in a housing complex in Tai Po district, a suburb in the New Territories

36 dead so far in massive fire engulfs Hong Kong high-rise complex

Thirteen people were killed in a fire that spread across multiple high-rise apartment buildings in a Hong Kong housing complex, the city's fire services said Wednesday. Nine people were declared dead on the scene and four others who were sent to the hospital were later confirmed dead, authorities told reporters. About 700 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters. The raging fire sent up a column of flames and thick smoke as it spread on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting that had been set up around the exterior of the housing complex in Tai Po district, in the New Territories. Video from the scene showed at least five buildings close to each other ablaze, with bright flames and smoke shooting out of many of the apartments' windows as night fell. Lo Hiu-fung, a Taipo District Council member, told local TV station TVB earlier Wednesday that most of the residents trapped in the fire were believed to be elderly people. The blaze started mid afternoon and after nightf

India's exports to Hong Kong rise by a fifth in Apr-Oct as demand rises

Hong Kong is among India's top 10 export destinations, accounting for close to 2 per cent of the country's total outbound shipments

World's best hotels: This is India's only five-star in the top 50 list

The World's 50 Best Hotels list is based on the opinions of over 800 industry insiders and analysts and published by William Reed, with no input from sponsors or employees

Trump to press Xi Jinping for release of Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai

More than 30 lawmakers signed a letter headed by Scott, a US senator from Florida, asking Trump to raise the issue of Lai, noting that Lai is suffering from deteriorating health

Hong Kong runway to reopen after crash, won't be used regularly for now

Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday were preparing to reopen the runway where a cargo aircraft crashed a day ago, but said it would remain out of regular use until wreckage from the accident was fully cleared. The Boeing 747 flown by Turkey-based ACT Airlines flight from Dubai skidded off to the left after landing in the early hours of Monday and collided with a patrol car, causing both to fall into the sea. Two workers in the car were found dead, while four crew members on the plane had no apparent injuries. Repairs to the runway and damaged fencing have been completed, Steven Yiu, the airport authority's executive director for airport operations, told Radio Television Hong Kong. He added that that investigators had collected initial evidence at the scene. But Yiu said the plane's cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have not yet been retrieved. Authorities were aiming to put the runway on standby status, which means that it can be used for landings but will not be ...

Two confirmed dead as cargo aircraft skids off Hong Kong runway into sea

A cargo aircraft skidded off a Hong Kong runway into the sea when landing early Monday, killing two people. The flight, arriving from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was landing at Hong Kong International Airport around 3.50 am, according to Hong Kong's airport authority. Four crew members on the plane were rescued and taken to hospital. Initial reports from police said two people in an airport ground vehicle were dead. The north runway of Hong Kong's airport, one of Asia's busiest, where the aircraft skidded off runway, has been closed, authorities said. Two other runways at the airport continue to operate. The Boeing 747 freighter is a Turkish air cargo carrier AirACT aircraft flying for Emirates SkyCargo, with the flight number EK9788. It was flying from Al Maktoum International Airport. Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department said in a statement that it was following up with the airline and other parties involved in the crash.

Air India Dreamliner faces a technical issue at Hong Kong airport

An Air India Dreamliner aircraft faced a technical issue at the Hong Kong airport on Thursday morning and underwent checks before being cleared to fly to Delhi. The Boeing 787-8 plane VT-ANO, which faced the issue on Thursday, is the same aircraft in which the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) was deployed seconds before landing at the Birmingham airport on October 4. "AI315 operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on 16 October was delayed due to a minor issue necessitating a reset of a component. "The aircraft underwent checks, took off after being cleared for operation and landed in Delhi," an airline spokesperson said in a statement to PTI. As per information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, AI315, operated by Boeing 787-8 aircraft VT-ANO, was scheduled to take off from the Hong Kong airport at around 8.50 am (local time) but was delayed and departed at about 11.30 am. The spokesperson also said that at Air India, the safety of passengers remains top priority. On October

HSBC to acquire Hang Seng unit for nearly $14 billion in Hong Kong bet

To keep its capital ratio within range, HSBC said it will refrain from buybacks for the next three quarters

Hong Kong's Bar Leone grabs top spot in World's 50 Best Bars list

Last year's winner, Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, dropped to No. 2, followed by Barcelona's Sips and Paradiso and London's Tayer + Elementary in third, fourth, and fifth places

Hong Kong, India lead strong year in equity capital markets with big IPOs

Hong Kong has benefited from Chinese companies rushing to raise money to fund their expansion, tapping renewed investor appetite for the world's second-largest economy

Typhoon hits Hong Kong, China after killing dozens in Taiwan, Philippines

Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest storms to hit Asia in years, whipped waves taller than lampposts onto Hong Kong promenades and turned seas rough on the southern Chinese coast after leaving deadly destruction in Taiwan and the Philippines. In Taiwan, 17 people died on Wednesday after floods submerged roads and carried away vehicles in one county, and 10 deaths were reported in the northern Philippines. More than 2 million people were relocated across Guangdong province, the southern Chinese economic powerhouse, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said. A weather station in Chuandao town recorded maximum gusts of 241 kph (about 150 mph) at noon, a high in Jiangmen city since record-keeping began. State broadcaster CCTV said the typhoon made landfall along the coast of Hailing Island in Yangjiang city at about 5 pm, packing maximum winds near the center of 144 kph (89 mph). Violent winds battered trees and buildings, with torrential rain lowering visibility, video from Xinhua ...

Hong Kong bankers book luxury hotels near offices for typhoon trading

Super Typhoon Ragasa marks the biggest test yet for a change implemented last year by the Hong Kong stock exchange to keep trading open during severe weather

Thousands evacuated in Hong Kong after discovery of large WWII-era bomb

Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Hong Kong overnight so experts could defuse a large US-made bomb left over from World War II that was discovered at a construction site. Police said the bomb was 1.5 metres in length and weighed about 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms). It was discovered by construction workers in Quarry Bay, a bustling residential and business district on the west side of Hong Kong Island. We have confirmed this object to be a bomb dating back to World War II, said Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a police official, speaking to reporters ahead of the operation. He said that because of the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal, approximately 1,900 households involving 6,000 individuals were "urged to evacuate swiftly. The operation to deactivate the bomb began late Friday and lasted until around 11:30 am on Saturday. No one was injured in the operation. Bombs left over from World War II are discovered from time to time in Hong Kong. The city was .

Asia Cup 2025 Group B points table: AFG, SL, BAN, HKC team standings

Sri Lanka remain with a perfect record in Group B with 2 wins from 2 against Bangladesh and Hong Kong.

Asia Cup 2025: Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong playing 11, timing, live streaming

Sri Lanka were dominant in their opening fixture, brushing aside Bangladesh with clinical performances in both departments.

Hong Kong pitches itself as local assembly base for Chinese EV makers

Hong Kong seeks growth through new industries after economic setbacks from political crackdowns, COVID isolation, and a property slump, weakening its status as a top financial hub

Hong Kong court hearing final arguments in Jimmy Lai's security trial

A Hong Kong court began hearing final arguments Monday in the landmark national security trial of former pro-democracy newspaper founder Jimmy Lai, who could be sentenced to up to life in prison if he is convicted. Lai, 77, was arrested in 2020 under a national security law imposed by Beijing following anti-government protests in 2019. He is being tried on charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to issue seditious publications. Lai founded Apple Daily, one of the local media outlets that was most critical against Hong Kong's government. His high-profile case which has already stretched nearly 150 days, far beyond the original estimate of 80 days is widely seen as a trial of press freedom and a test for judicial independence in the Asian financial hub. Prosecutors allege that Lai asked foreign countries, especially the United States, to take actions against Beijing under the guise of fighting for freedom and democracy. On

Evergrande delisting over $45 billion debt deepens China property crisis

The delisting comes as liquidators sifting through the books revealed that the developer's debt load now stands at about HK$350 billion ($45 billion), much bigger than previously disclosed