SCMP Hong Kong·Saturday, January 3, 2026

SCMP Hong Kong - Saturday, January 3, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Hong Kong firm sanctioned by US in Venezuela crackdown found to use bogus address

A Hong Kong-based company sanctioned by the United States for alleged links to Venezuelan oil exports registered a fictitious address in the city, the Post has found, leaving a namesake eyewear firm anxious about repercussions. The Trump administration stepped up its pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil exports earlier this week by sanctioning four companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, accusing them of ties to the Venezuelan oil sector and evading restrictions. The US Department.

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15 left hanging as Hong Kong Ocean Park’s ‘Wild Twister’ ride breaks down again

A high-speed ride at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park has malfunctioned for the second time in six months, again trapping thrill-seekers in mid-air. Fifteen people on the theme park’s “Wild Twister” ride were stranded for 19 minutes on Saturday afternoon. A park spokesman said a signal failure at 2.57pm automatically triggered the safety system to halt the ride. “Fifteen affected passengers all left the facility at 3.16pm, with no one injured,” the spokesman said. He said that staff had promptly reset...

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Hong Kong’s Route 6 set to fully open in 2026, transport chief Mable Chan says

A new route connecting Hong Kong’s Yau Ma Tei and Tseung Kwan O will fully open this year, the city’s transport chief has said. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said on Saturday that the route, on which construction began in 2017, would be fully connected by the end of the year following the completion of a Kowloon Bay tunnel section linking to the Tseung Kwan O-Lam Tin Tunnel. “We are striving to open the entire Route 6 within this year, which will slash travel time between

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Hongkongers urged to get flu shots as city braces for winter virus wave

Hong Kong health authorities have urged the public to get the latest seasonal influenza vaccine ahead of the next wave of the flu virus, as temperatures in the city dropped to their lowest so far this winter. The appeal by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on Saturday coincided with similar calls by an infectious disease specialist, who expressed concerns over the low vaccination rates in the population. The warnings came as temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui dropped

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HK$100 million Mark Six jackpot split between 1.5 winning units in Hong Kong

A Mark Six jackpot of HK$100 million (US$12.8 million) was split between 1.5 winning tickets on Saturday, with the Hong Kong lottery drawing more than HK$248 million in turnover. According to the Hong Kong Jockey Club, 1.5 winning units shared the jackpot, with one full unit taking home around HK$68 million in winnings. Fourteen tickets won the second prize, bringing each one HK$645,510. The numbers drawn were 2, 10, 13, 16, 20 and 21. The extra number was 14. The turnover for the New Year...

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Woman arrested for brandishing cleaver at Hong Kong restaurant staff, police

A woman has been arrested for brandishing a cleaver at restaurant staff and police officers after a dispute over a payment issue at a beef noodle shop in northern Hong Kong. Police said they received a report at around 12.15am on Saturday that a female customer at a Sheung Shui restaurant was in an emotional state, brandishing a knife and using it to threaten staff members. When officers arrived, the 32-year-old woman refused to cooperate and continued to wave the 30cm-long (12-inch) cleaver...

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Hong Kong remains a top countdown city as 200,000 visit on New Year’s Eve: minister

Visitor numbers on New Year’s Eve have shown that Hong Kong remains an attractive destination for countdowns, according to the tourism minister, with sector representatives underscoring the need to direct travellers to different parts of the city. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said on Saturday that close to 200,000 visitors arrived in Hong Kong on December 31 alone, contributing to a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in tourist figures between Christmas and the..

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Most patients at Hong Kong A&E departments unaware of evening clinics as alternative

Most patients visiting Hong Kong emergency departments at public hospitals at night for minor ailments were not aware they could go to evening clinics instead, although securing a booking was difficult and multiple calls were needed before a successful slot could be confirmed. With a new fees regime in public hospitals beginning on Thursday, authorities aimed to divert less urgent cases away from accident and emergency (A&E) departments, encouraging patients to visit public clinics for minor or.

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Operation Santa Claus: victory for rising Hong Kong tennis as players ace charity efforts

Up-and-coming Hong Kong tennis player Yandy Shek Cheuk-ying clinched her first title as a professional in her home city’s annual tournament as she and other top competitors helped raise money for charity. Shek was one of more than 1,700 entrants in the 77th edition of the CRC Open, which ended last month after five weeks of competition at the Chinese Recreation Club, Hong Kong (CRCHK) in Tai Hang, near Causeway Bay. Players once again helped raise money for the community by hitting aces during..

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Occupancy rate at Hong Kong tech park set to hit 90% in first quarter of 2026

The occupancy rate at the Hong Kong side of a new innovation and technology (I&T) hub co-developed by the city and Shenzhen is expected to hit 90 per cent in the first quarter of this year, a target previously set for the end of 2025. Kevin Choi Kit-ming, permanent secretary for innovation, technology and industry, said on Saturday that lease renewals would be based on certain key performance indicators (KPIs) set for firms, but authorities would avoid overly stringent standards and make...

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