Hong Kong

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Bad News for Dissidents in Hong Kong
Bad News for
Dissidents in
Hong Kong

Bad News for Dissidents in Hong Kong

New law gives government sweeping powers to stifle dissent

(Newser) - Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously approved a new national security law Tuesday that grants the government more power to quash dissent, reports the AP , widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019. The Safeguarding National Security Bill will expand the authorities' ability...

Hong Kong Introduces Harsh 'National Security' Bill

Some residents could face life sentences under law seen as crackdown on dissent

(Newser) - Hong Kong unveiled a proposed law on Friday that threatens life imprisonment for residents who "endanger national security," deepening worries about erosion of the city's freedoms four years after Beijing imposed a similar law that all but wiped out public dissent. More, from the AP :
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Taylor Swift, Singapore Cut Deal and Neighbors Aren't Happy

Enter the growing industry of event tourism

(Newser) - We know Taylor Swift concerts generate billions in consumer spending . And now we know countries are willing to pay big for the advantage, at the cost of their neighbors missing out. Earlier this week, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong confirmed the country's tourism board paid an undisclosed sum—...

Only One Person on Costly Video Call Wasn't a Deepfake

Unnamed company out $25M after worker in Hong Kong falls for elaborate scam

(Newser) - A financial worker sent $25 million to fraudsters after falling victim to a scam that made impressive but alarming use of deepfake technology. The worker initially feared a phishing scam upon receiving an email, purportedly from the UK-based chief financial officer of the unnamed multinational company, explaining the need for...

Angry Fans Chant 'Refund!' as Messi Sits Match Out

Tickets for the Hong Kong friendly soared to $625

(Newser) - Even Hong Kong's government weighed in Sunday when Lionel Messi remained on the bench during a pre-season friendly soccer match between his Inter Miami team and Hong Kong's team. Hong Kong Stadium's 40,000 seats sold out for the event, which ended in a win for Inter...

Amazon Series Set in Hong Kong Can't Be Seen There

'Expats,' starring Nicole Kidman, includes brief scene from protest rally

(Newser) - Nicole Kidman's latest project is set in Hong Kong, but people who live there are blocked from seeing it, prompting speculation about censorship in a city where civil liberties are shrinking fast. The first two episodes of Expats, a six-episode drama about expatriate women, were released on Amazon Prime...

'World's Most Deeply Indebted Developer' Ordered to Liquidate

China Evergrande has more than $300B in liabilities and can't repay its debts, per judge

(Newser) - A court in Hong Kong on Monday ordered China Evergrande to be liquidated, in a decision that marks a milestone in China's efforts to resolve a property industry crisis that has rattled financial markets and dragged the entire economy down, per the AP . Here's what happened and what...

In Hong Kong and Beyond, All Eyes on Jimmy Lai's Trial

Landmark national security trial opened Monday

(Newser) - A landmark national security trial opened Monday in Hong Kong for prominent activist and publisher Jimmy Lai, who faces a possible life sentence if convicted under a law imposed by Beijing to crush dissidents. Lai, 76, was arrested in August 2020 during a crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement...

Hong Kong Voter Turnout 'Humiliating' for Government

With pro-democracy candidates shut out, turnout hits record low of 28%

(Newser) - Voter turnout plunged below 30% in Hong Kong's first district council elections since new rules introduced under Beijing's guidance effectively shut out all pro-democracy candidates, setting a record low since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. According to official data on Monday, 27.5%...

Disney Is Going Big With Park Expansions

'Frozen' attraction opens in Hong Kong as part of a $60B expansion over a decade

(Newser) - Hong Kong's Disneyland opened its first Frozen-themed attraction on Monday, with thousands of eager visitors turning up to experience the new rides, some lining up for hours to get an early start. Based on Disney's wildly popular Frozen animated film, the new section of the park features landscapes...

US Lawmaker Gets Good News After Hong Kong Gun Arrest

Case against Washington state's Jeff Wilson dismissed

(Newser) - A Hong Kong court dismissed a gun charge Monday against a Washington state senator who had been arrested after he carried a gun into the Chinese territory in what he called an "honest mistake." Principal Magistrate Don So approved the arrangement for a bind-over order rather than a...

Want to Live Where the Cool Kids Are? Try Here

'Time Out' does a global neighborhood ranking

(Newser) - In every city, locals know where the hot spots are: the best eateries, the hippest watering holes, the most happening cultural events. Time Out has posted its sixth annual roundup of the coolest neighborhoods in the world, based on input from more than 12,000 city dwellers and input from...

Cocaine in Wheelchair Could Get Man Life Sentence

Hong Kong customs agents found 24 pounds of suspected cocaine in wheelchair cushions

(Newser) - Authorities in Hong Kong say an airline passenger's wheelchair was packed with enough suspected cocaine to get him a potential life sentence. The South China Morning Post reports that the 51-year-old passenger, who has mobility issues, flew with the motorized wheelchair as one of his items of checked baggage....

Cops: 10-Year-Old Skipped School to Rob Luxury Store

Boy is youngest member of gang that allegedly raided watch store in Hong Kong

(Newser) - A 10-year-old boy in Hong Kong is one of four people arrested over a robbery at a luxury watch store. Police say 20 watches worth a total of almost $500,000 in US dollars were stolen in the Monday robbery in Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui district, RTHK reports. A...

Hong Kong Flooded by Heaviest Rain on Record
Record Rainfall
Floods Hong Kong

Record Rainfall Floods Hong Kong

More than 6 inches fell in a single hour

(Newser) - Heavy rain in Hong Kong and southern China overnight flooded city streets and some subway stations, with hundreds evacuated and two deaths reported in Hong Kong. Hong Kong authorities said during a joint news conference Friday that the extreme weather was expected to last until at least midnight, with widespread...

French Daredevil Falls to Death in Hong Kong

Remi Lucidi, 30, had knocked on 68th-floor window for help

(Newser) - A French climber was killed last week, apparently in a fall from the 68th floor of a skyscraper in Hong Kong, according to police and local media reports. Remi Lucidi, who used the name Remi Enigma in chronicling his daredevil exploits on Instagram , was last seen knocking on the window...

Hong Kong Leader: Pro-Democracy Activists Will Be 'Pursued for Life'

US, UK governments slam threat to activists now living overseas

(Newser) - Hong Kong's leader said Tuesday said eight pro-democracy activists who now live in the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia will be pursued for life for alleged national security offenses, dismissing criticism that the move was a dangerous precedent. Chief Executive John Lee expressed his support for the police'...

Hong Kongers Hold First Protest in Years

Strict rules included cap on numbers, numbered tags for all marchers

(Newser) - Dozens of people on Sunday joined Hong Kong's first authorized protest since the lifting of major COVID-19 restrictions under unprecedentedly strict rules, including wearing a numbered badge around their necks. The rules set out by the police, who cited security reasons, came as the financial hub was promoting its...

Winnie the Pooh Slasher Film Pulled From HK Cinemas

Censorship may be to blame

(Newser) - Public screenings of a slasher film that features Winnie the Pooh were scrapped abruptly in Hong Kong on Tuesday, sparking discussions over increasing censorship in the city. Film distributor VII Pillars Entertainment announced on Facebook that the release of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey on Thursday had been canceled...

Hong Kong Lifts Mask Mandate After 959 Days

Chief executive says city is 'resuming normalcy'

(Newser) - Hong Kongers traveling to work Wednesday morning might see something unusual—each other's unmasked faces. Chief Executive John Lee said Tuesday that as of the next day, the city would no longer require masks to be worn on public transport or in outdoor and indoor public areas, the New ...

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