Stories tagged #public-safety

Tai Po fire report

Toxic online subcultures fuelling Asia’s school attacks

Recent school attacks across Malaysia have shone a light on a troubling trend of teenagers joining an online subculture that glamorises real-life killers, according to a prominent security analyst. Three violent incidents in Malaysian schools – in Kuching on October 21, Banting in July and Bandar...

Abby Choi’s ex-father-in-law pleads guilty to illegal disposal of her body in stark U-turn

The former father-in-law of slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung has made a U-turn midway through her murder trial and pleaded guilty to the illegal disposal of her body. As the High Court trial entered its fifth week before a nine-member jury, Kwong Kau made a stunning reversal on Friday...

France on alert as 70,000 police mobilised for Halloween protests

France’s interior minister has warned of a “very high risk of public disorder” and announced the deployment of around 70,000 police officers for a new wave of protests this weekend. France has been rocked by widespread anger over the rising cost of living and inequality, with nationwide...

‘Why did it take 11 months?’: apology too late for some Tai Po fire survivors

Hong Kong officials’ apology over the deadly Tai Po blaze nearly a year ago came too late, residents of the fire-ravaged estate have said, as they urged authorities to learn from the disaster and pursue long-term reforms. Several Wang Fuk Court residents also said on Thursday the resignation of...

Lula’s win aids China ties; Hong Kong official quits over Tai Po fire: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Win for Lula boosts China’s...

AI system to screen contractors by mid-2027 as part of sweeping Tai Po fire reforms

This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account. Hong Kong authorities will provide more details about reforms to tackle bid-rigging and enhance oversight of building maintenance projects, in response to the city’s deadliest fire in decades. The...

Will Tai Po fire reforms wipe out collusion in Hong Kong’s building maintenance industry?

A raft of reforms to overhaul Hong Kong’s building maintenance sector has been hailed as a bold first step in tackling bid-rigging and other deep-rooted problems, but observers said its success would depend on the determination and persistence to implement them to restore public trust. They said...