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$36,000 taken in suspected armed robbery at Wan Chai bank

About HK$36,000 was taken in a suspected armed robbery at a Bank of East Asia branch in Wan Chai on Friday afternoon, with police launching a manhunt for the suspect.

Lawmakers fear oil giants will pocket $1.8b diesel subsidy

The Hong Kong government is seeking HK$1.8 billion in funding for a proposed diesel subsidy for commercial sectors, but the plan was met with skepticism from legislators who fear the money will be absorbed by oil companies rather than benefiting businesses and consumers.

Fire official admits no extra inspections before Wang Fuk Court blaze despite renovation risks

A senior Fire Services Department official has admitted that no additional surprise inspections were carried out at Wang Fuk Court despite the heightened fire risks posed by large-scale building maintenance works, a hearing into the estate blaze heard on Friday.

Octopus launches 'Easy Ride' platform to streamline commutes

Octopus Cards Limited has announced the launch of "Easy Ride," a new integrated platform set to debut on April 22 that centralizes taxi bookings and electronic payments across Hong Kong.

European giants Bayern Munich and Aston Villa set for August Kai Tak showdown

Hong Kong is set to welcome top-tier European football once again, as German powerhouse Bayern Munich and English Premier League side Aston Villa prepare to face off at Kai Tak Stadium on August 7 as part of the Audi Football Summit 2026.

Business Today

Tung Chung site to tender next Friday: Lands Department

The Lands Department said on Friday that a site in Tung Chung will be disposed of by public tender, with the tender starting next Friday and closing on May 15.

HSBC and Anchorpoint Financial secure HK first stablecoin licences

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced on Friday that it has granted stablecoin issuer licences under the Stablecoins Ordinance to Anchorpoint Financial and The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation for issuing stablecoins in Hong Kong.

Bessent, Powell warned bank CEOs about Anthropic model risks, sources say

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with bank CEOs this week to warn of cyber risks posed by Anthropic’s latest AI model, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

Chinese startup ShengShu raises 2 billion yuan to advance artificial general intelligence

Chinese artificial intelligence startup ShengShu Technology has raised 2 billion yuan (HK$2.3 billion) in a funding round led by Alibaba Cloud, the company said on Friday, as competition intensifies in China’s AI sector.

World/China

China will not tolerate independence for Taiwan, Xi tells island's opposition leader

China will not tolerate independence for Taiwan, Xi tells island's opposition leader

Japan downgraded its assessment of China on Friday for the first time in a decade, marking a new blow to relations between the Asian superpowers.

EU and US near critical minerals deal to combat Chinese control, Bloomberg News reports

The European Union and Washington are closing in on an agreement to coordinate on producing and securing critical minerals, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.

Australia, Singapore leaders pledge closer energy ties to tackle global supply shock

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held talks in Singapore on Friday with counterpart Lawrence Wong, in which they vowed closer cooperation to ensure energy security in the face of disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict.