Renovation workers still smoked despite estate management’s complaints to contractor, Tai Po fire inquiry hears
Cheng Tsz-ying, a property officer from ISS EastPoint Properties, which managed the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court, said her company had no control over renovation workers hired by the project’s main contractor, Prestige Construction & Engineering.
Hong Kong applies to seize Jimmy Lai’s ‘offence-related’ properties on national security grounds
The announcement comes a week after the government designated three companies linked to the media tycoon’s now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid “prohibited organisations” and removed them from the corporate registry.
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Electrician unknowingly deactivated all fire alarms months before fatal Tai Po blaze, inquiry hears
Electrician Law Kwok-shui told a colleague he was not licensed to deal with fire safety equipment, but was informed that he should just follow orders, he said during a public hearing.
Hong Kong businessman Jason Poon jailed for 1 month for contempt of court
Judge Queeny Au-yeung also ordered Hong Kong businessman Jason Poon to pay HK$262,000 in legal costs after he pleaded guilty to two counts of contempt last month.
Explainer: Hong Kong’s national security crackdown – month 68
In February, the city witnessed the sentencing of media mogul Jimmy Lai, the dismissal of appeals lodged by activists convicted in the “Hong Kong 47” case, as well as the jailing of wanted activist Anna Kwok’s father for handling her insurance policy.
‘A silent killer’: How Hong Kong’s elderly face deadly heat inside cramped cage homes
As soaring temperatures continue to break records, elderly Hongkongers living alone in poorly ventilated homes face a greater risk of worsening health conditions or even death. HKFP investigates how the climate emergency affects the city’s densest neighbourhoods.
Tai Po fire: Some survivors wary over resettlement plan after ‘ignored’ calls to rebuild on site
With on-site redevelopment ruled out, some Wang Fuk Court residents are sceptical of government flat buyouts, fearing they may get smaller units or face fresh mortgages for equivalent homes elsewhere. Surveyors, however, say the compensation is already generous.
In Pictures: Hong Kong protesters call for ceasefire ahead of Russia-Ukraine war’s 4th anniversary
Five members of activist group HK Anti-war Mobilization stood at the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade on Saturday, holding placards and shouting slogans condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “expansionist” war in Ukraine – before their protest was cut short by authorities.
Opinion
Lawyer’s paradoxical logic: Advance notice was ‘groundless’ and necessary
In the Tai Po fire inquiry hearing, government lawyer Jenkin Suen’s “line appears to be that there was no tip-off – but if there was, it was a legitimate bid to improve the inspection,” writes Tim Hamlett.
Hongkongers are suffering as oil prices spike. There’s a better way to help them.
“Instead of using government funds to subsidise the continued reliance of outdated technology, wouldn’t it make sense to use government funds to subsidise people away from fossil fuels?” writes Basel Kirmani.
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‘Gov’t should bear greatest responsibility’: Tai Po fire survivors recall futile whistle-blowing attempts
Wang Fuk Court residents told HKFP that, about a year before the deadly blaze, they filed reports with various authorities about suspected fire hazards – from scaffolding nets and foam boards to construction workers smoking on site – but their efforts went nowhere.
In Pictures: As eviction looms, Hong Kong farmer battles erratic weather for perfect Lunar New Year blooms
Farmer Leung Yat-shun, 73, has faced not only challenges from extreme weather leading up to the traditional Chinese festival but also the impending acquisition of his farm in San Tin due to the Northern Metropolis development.
Hong Kong Originals: From border farms to industrial kitchens, bringing locally made radish cakes for Spring Festival
In time for Lunar New Year, Blue Drop Urban Kitchen, located in a Kwun Tong industrial building, was busy producing radish cakes with ingredients sourced from local farms.
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