SCMP Hong Kong·Monday, January 12, 2026

SCMP Hong Kong - Monday, January 12, 2026

10 stories~15 min

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Stories Covered

Jimmy Lai trial: Hong Kong lawyers for publisher, activists seek reduced jail time

Lawyers for a former newspaper publisher and two activists have called for less than 10 years’ imprisonment for their roles in attempts to instigate sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland China, saying they deserve additional reductions in securing Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s conviction in his national security trial. Arguments over appropriate sentences for the former media boss and eight other defendants began on Monday at West Kowloon Court. Aside from Lai, the rest pleaded guilty before his...

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Hong Kong judges doubtful if Jimmy Lai’s health justifies sentence reduction

Three Hong Kong judges who found Jimmy Lai Chee-ying guilty in his national security trial have raised doubts about whether the former media boss is entitled to a reduced sentence on grounds of his health and arrangements in prison, as records showed he was in a stable condition and had requested solitary confinement of his own free will. The High Court justices on Monday began hearing arguments on the length of the sentences to be handed down to the Apple Daily founder and eight others. The...

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Court lifts anonymity order for Hong Kong barrister accused of molestation

A Hong Kong court has lifted a temporary anonymity order and ruled that a barrister cannot keep his identity hidden in criminal proceedings over allegations that he twice molested a former pupil nine years ago. Eastern Court’s Principal Magistrate David Cheung Chi-wai ruled the media could report the name of the defendant, Simon So Shun-yan, who was accused of molesting the pupil at a flat in Sai Ying Pun on August 30, 2017. The 32-year-old barrister represented himself at a hearing on Monday...

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Man fights for life after jumping from Hong Kong flat following gas blast

A Hong Kong man is fighting for his life in hospital after jumping from his first-floor flat following a gas explosion that ripped through his home and blew out a window frame. Police said the man, 42, plunged to the ground after the blast around 6.40pm on Monday at an ageing residential building at 43 Pak Tai Street in To Kwa Wan. He remained conscious and was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, where he was listed as being in a critical condition on Monday night. A twisted metal...

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Hong Kong marathon sets record with 1 in 4 of 74,000 runners from outside city

About a quarter of the runners for the coming Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon are from outside the city, a record for the annual race, the organiser has said. Authorities also warned that road closures for Sunday’s marathon will affect services along 269 bus and 40 minibus routes, and called on residents to plan their trips in advance. The Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates, which organises the event, said on Monday that among the 74,000 people set to take part this year,

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Hong Kong property: Citi lifts forecast after Morgan Stanley’s upgrade

Major financial institutions, including Citi and Bank of America, are increasingly optimistic about Hong Kong’s residential property market this year, as lower mortgage rates and strong leasing demand change buying behaviour. Citi raised its home price forecast to 8 per cent this year, up from 3 per cent in October, citing a faster-than-expected rebound last year. “[There will be] further acceleration in 2027 under a multi-year upcycle,” said Griffin Chan, an analyst at Citi Research, on Friday.

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Producers at Hong Kong toy fair bet on AI-powered plushies to double sales

Dog and cat plushies powered by artificial intelligence (AI) could help double sales this year, manufacturers at Asia’s largest toy fair in Hong Kong have said, while some buyers have expressed concerns about using the technology in play items for children. These hi-tech dolls were among the highlights at the 52nd edition of the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, which runs alongside several other trade shows until Thursday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Vegas Yeung,...

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3 homeowners at Hong Kong’s Redhill Peninsula fined for illegal building works

Three homeowners at Hong Kong’s luxury Redhill Peninsula housing estate have received fines totalling HK$275,000 (US$35,270) for carrying out illegal building works on their properties. The Buildings Department said on Monday that the fines were handed down by Eastern Court last week after the owners of three detached houses pleaded guilty to undertaking unauthorised work. They were found to have knowingly undertaken building works without prior approval or consent from the department, which...

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New Hong Kong Legco president sets up group of coordinators to improve efficiency

Hong Kong’s new Legislative Council president has formed a group of lawmakers to act as coordinators in a bid to make the body more efficient and effective. Legco president Starry Lee Wai-king said on Monday that the 12-member group would have fellow lawmakers Ronick Chan Chun-ying, who represents the finance sector, and Stanley Ng Chau-pei of the Federation of Trade Unions as its “chief coordinators”. In a Facebook post, Lee said she met fellow legislators on Monday morning and briefed them on.

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Hong Kong’s Tai Kwun names Philip Tinari its new head of art

Tai Kwun has named Philip Tinari as its head of art, bringing one of mainland China’s most high-profile art personalities to the Hong Kong cultural institution. He replaces Pi Li, who will be leaving Tai Kwun next month to help launch a new art museum in Shenzhen. The American-born long-time Beijing resident will also take on the role of deputy director, working with Timothy Calnin, director of Tai Kwun Arts, across all artistic disciplines, including performing arts and heritage programmes at..

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