SCMP Hong Kong·Monday, January 5, 2026

SCMP Hong Kong - Monday, January 5, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Wang Fuk Court owners’ group mounts defence against ‘smear campaign’ in Hong Kong

The owners’ committee of the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Hong Kong has rejected accusations of poor transparency and accountability as a “baseless smear campaign”, issuing a lengthy report ahead of a legal process to dissolve the group. In a 183-page report issued on Monday to fellow owners of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, the group also disclosed that it had paid about HK$180 million (US$23 million) to the contractors for repair and renovation work. The group added that it helped...

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Glass observatory deck along Hong Kong Island promenade draws tens of thousands

A new glass walkway in a recently opened section of the promenade in Hong Kong’s Eastern district has drawn tens of thousands of people in its first week, with the daily peak reaching 16,000, according to authorities. The glass observatory deck, which offers visitors a view of the harbour beneath, was part of the final 1.1km (0.68-mile) North Point section of the East Coast Boardwalk. The section opened on December 29, completing the 13km promenade after 16 years of planning and...

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Hong Kong McDonald’s serves up 3% pay rise for some staff amid menu price increase

Some restaurant management staff at McDonald’s in Hong Kong have been given an average pay rise of 3 per cent, the fast-food chain said on Monday, as it also announced price increases for some menu items. The pay rise took effect on January 1, with employees with excellent performance eligible for increases of up to 5 per cent. The fast-food chain also said that 12,000 of its frontline and office staff have each received a HK$500 (US$64) red packet, partly in celebration of the franchise’s 50th.

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1,200 dogs allowed to travel on Hong Kong’s major rail lines for fundraiser event

Up to 1,200 dogs will be allowed to ride on most major rail lines in Hong Kong on March 1 for an animal protection charity’s annual flagship fundraising event, marking a historic first for the local train network. The Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) said on Monday that the arrangement was for Dogathon 2026, scheduled to take place at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. The event is expected to attract more than 3,000 people to join a 5km (3.1-mile) walk with their dogs

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Hong Kong home sales hit 6-month high in December on demand for affordable units

Hong Kong’s residential property market closed 2025 on a strong note, with transactions climbing to a six-month high in December, fuelled by demand for low-priced units even as values fell. A total of 5,883 deals were completed last month, up 5.3 per cent month on month and an increase of 43.4 per cent year on year, according to Land Registry data released on Monday. Overall deal value reached HK$51.2 billion (US$6.6 billion), a decline of nearly 1 per cent from November, but 57.3 per cent...

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Hong Kong issues cold weather warning as temperatures set to dip to 11 degrees

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The Hong Kong Observatory has issued its second cold weather warning of 2026, saying temperatures will drop to around 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) on Tuesday and lower in rural areas. The forecaster also said the cold weather would persist for a few days as it issued the warning at

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Hong Kong drops charges against surgeon ruled unfit to face fatal botox trial

Hong Kong prosecutors have dropped 21 charges against a 93-year-old plastic surgeon over a fatal botox injection in 2018, citing an earlier court ruling that he was unfit to stand trial because of dementia. Dr Franklin Li Wang-pong, who was released unconditionally by the High Court last year over the unlawful killing of a top banker, was separately indicted for allegedly misleading police and failing to maintain a register of dangerous drugs at his clinic after the botched procedure came to...

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6.5% of shark fins sold in Hong Kong are protected, higher than reported: study

An extensive study of 16,000 shark fin samples taken from Hong Kong retail markets has found that 6.5 per cent of them were from globally protected species, surpassing the figure officially declared by local authorities under an international agreement. The study, published in Science Advances on Monday, also revealed a disparity: the volume of critically endangered oceanic whitetip shark fins sold in the city was 70 times higher than what officials reported under the Convention on International

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Hong Kong marine scientists discover 2 new coral species in city’s southeastern waters

Researchers from Baptist University have discovered two new coral species in Hong Kong’s southeastern waters, underscoring the area’s biodiversity despite being close to urban territory. The university revealed on Monday that a team of its marine scientists had identified two new soft coral species – previously unknown worldwide – in rocky reefs off Sung Kong Island, located about 5km (3 miles) southeast of Hong Kong Island’s Shek O Beach. One of them, Paraminabea inflata, a yellow or orange...

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Warning over proxy harvesting in Hong Kong amid renovation corruption crackdown

Hong Kong homeowners should be vigilant against handing over their voting rights to strangers, a property management professional and a legislator have warned, saying proxy harvesting remains a rampant threat to building safety amid a major corruption crackdown. The warning was made on Monday amid heightened scrutiny of building management after the fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court that claimed 161 lives in November. Last week, 21 people were arrested in an operation by the city’s anti-corruption

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