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Govt to issue 332 new private driving instructor licenses, applications open May 11

The Transport Department will issue 332 additional private driving instructor licenses, with applications opening on May 11 and closing on May 29. Examinations are scheduled to begin in July.

Golden Week visitors look beyond shopping to Hong Kong’s historic districts

As the Labour Day Golden Week approaches, the city's century-old stories are starting to outshine its designer malls, with visitors shifting toward in-depth tourism.

Audit report spurs call for tighter ferry safety and scheduling discipline

The government has been urged to strengthen safety oversight of aging ferries after an Audit Commission report revealed eight franchised ferries managed by a single operator have reached an average age of 63 years.  

Over 90pc of step stools fail safety tests; some break under pressure, the Consumer Council finds

A recent investigation by the Consumer Council has revealed significant safety hazards in common household step stools, with over 90 percent of tested models failing to fully comply with European safety standards. The tests uncovered widespread design flaws, and in the most serious cases, several stools broke or became permanently deformed during critical load-bearing tests.

Wang Fuk Court resident allowed to revisit flat after finding others’ belongings inside

A resident of Wang Fuk Court has been allowed to revisit his flat with assistance from government cleaning staff after discovering large amounts of rubbish and items belonging to others inside his unit.

Business Today

HK government books a $11.2 billion surplus for the year ended March

The Hong Kong government booked a surplus of HK$11.2 billion for the year ended March, according to the provisional financial results.

Hong Kong’s potential new private home supply drops to 101,000 in Q1, official data show

Hong Kong’s potential new private home supply in the coming few years dropped to nearly 100,000, official data showed.

FWD records a 7 percent rise in value of new business in Q1

FWD (1828) recorded a 7 percent rise in value of new business to US$314 million in the first quarter. 

MGM China adjusted EBITDAR drops 4 percent in Q1

Macau gaming giant MGM China (2282) posted a 4 percent drop in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and rent costs to US$$273 million in the first quarter.

World/China

Trump says US may cut troops in Germany as Iran row rages

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States is considering reducing the number of its troops in Germany, amid a row with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war.

Mamdani calls on King Charles to return Koh-i-Noor diamond

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for King Charles to "return" the prized Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British Empire took from the Indian subcontinent in the 1800s, on the third day of the monarch's state visit on Wednesday.

Myanmar commutes ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi's sentence again, lawyer says

Myanmar's detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been given a further one-sixth reduction in her sentence as part of an amnesty, a member of her legal team said on Thursday, the second such commutation in two weeks.

Trump holds rifle in AI generated picture with threats to Iran

President Donald Trump warned Tehran on Wednesday that it should "get smart soon" and capitulate to Washington's demands for tight controls on its nuclear programme, as a US naval blockade turned the screws on Iran's economy.