SCMP Hong Kong·Tuesday, December 16, 2025

SCMP Hong Kong - Tuesday, December 16, 2025

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Philippines’ Marcos lauds helper returning home after deadly Hong Kong fire

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr lauded domestic helper Rhodora Alcaraz as a hero for her role in saving her employer’s baby during Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades. Romulo Victor M Israel Jnr, the country’s top diplomat in Hong Kong, also told the Post that Alcaraz, a survivor of last month’s inferno at Wang Fuk Court, was facing a long physical recovery. The helper met President Marcos, together with his wife, Maria Louise Araneta-Marcos, when she arrived at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino

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Hong Kong’s Stablecoin Future: Faster, Safer, Cheaper Payments for Everyone

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] As Hong Kong advances toward regulated digital money, a new era of digital payments is taking shape. With the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) preparing for licensed, fully asset-backed HKD stablecoins as early as 2026, the city is moving beyond the volatility of “crypto” and into a future of where money moves instantly, securely and at lower cost. Stablecoins Are Not Crypto — They Are Digital Cash For many people,...

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Hong Kong engineer gets 5 years over HK$6 million laundering and bribery offences

A former Hong Kong government engineer was jailed for five years and three months on Tuesday for laundering HK$6.26 million (US$804,000) in illegal proceeds, having lived far beyond his legitimate income. The High Court heard that 60-year-old Zsa Sing-tak had also accepted a HK$40,000 bribe to favour engineering firms linked to a friend during tendering processes for various government building works, including the maintenance of drinking fountains at municipal premises. Defence lawyers said the

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Hong Kong customs seizes HK$256 million of suspected cocaine stashed in ship hull

Hong Kong customs has, for the first time, uncovered a drug smuggling operation involving an underwater compartment of a large cargo ship, resulting in the seizure of HK$256 million (US$32.9 million) worth of suspected cocaine. The operation last month, supported by intelligence from mainland China and underwater robots, also disrupted what investigators believed was an attempt to use the vessel as a huge drug storage site. Customs’ drug investigation bureau head Lau Yuk-lung said on Tuesday...

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Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly driving school bus under influence of drugs

Hong Kong police have arrested a school bus driver for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs after consuming marijuana, with one student on board at the time of the incident. Police on Tuesday said they had arrested the 23-year-old, surnamed Yau, after officers noticed the vehicle being driven erratically near the junction of Prince Edward Road East and Concorde Road in Kai Tak. Following a preliminary investigation, the driver failed a rapid oral saliva test and was subsequently...

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Hong Kong signs tax treaty with Norway, marking fourth such agreement this year

Hong Kong has signed a comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreement (CDTA) with Norway, marking its fourth such pact this year as the city steps up efforts to strengthen its appeal as an international business and investment hub. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu signed the agreement with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway in Beijing on Tuesday. Hui had visited Norway to discuss the matter in June. Under the agreement, Hong Kong residents who

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Xi Jinping offers ‘strong support’ for Hong Kong efforts after Lai trial: John Lee

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed his “strong support” for the Hong Kong government and the judiciary in exercising their duty to safeguard national security following the conviction of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in a landmark national security trial, the city’s leader has said. The president on Tuesday also called on Hong Kong to proactively align with the nation’s 15th five-year plan, offered his full recognition of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s work, and urged his...

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Hong Kong jobless rate unchanged at 3.8% on back of ‘solid’ economic expansion

Hong Kong’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 per cent over the past three months, although both the labour force and total employment fell slightly. Preliminary data released by the Census and Statistics Department on Tuesday showed that movements in the unemployment and underemployment rates in different sectors varied in the September to November period, but the changes were not large. The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.6 per cent. The jobless rate remains at its.

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31% of Hong Kong firms to boost hiring next quarter but AI threatens junior jobs

Nearly one-third of Hong Kong companies plan to increase hiring in the next three months, while professional, scientific and technical services are likely to cut staff, especially junior positions, amid the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence, a survey has found. Human resources solutions company ManpowerGroup Greater China released its findings on Tuesday, after surveying 506 Hong Kong businesses in November. The survey found that 31 per cent of businesses – particularly in...

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Worker unconscious with head injury after falling from scaffolding in Hong Kong

A construction worker lost consciousness after falling from scaffolding at a Hong Kong village house under renovation, amid a string of similar accidents over the past month. Police said they received a call at 10.13am on Tuesday about a 65-year-old male worker who had fallen at the house on Wun Yiu Road in Tai Po. Officers arrived to find the man unconscious with a head injury. He was sent to Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin for treatment. The worker had fallen from a scaffolding that was...

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