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FEHD orders Langham Place to tackle rodent problem by August 6 or face prosecution

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has issued a statutory notice to the management of Langham Place in Mong Kok, requiring them to eliminate rodent conditions by August 6 or face prosecution, after a video showed a rat running along a handrail in the shopping centre.

Customs seizes $7.9m drugs at airport, 2 passengers arrested

Hong Kong Customs arrested two passengers at Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday after seizing about 18 kilograms of suspected ketamine and 3 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds worth a total of about HK$7.9 million, authorities said.

Cassette gas stove explodes at Telford Plaza restaurant, no injuries

A cassette gas stove exploded at a Tao Heung restaurant in Telford Plaza on Thursday night, causing panic among diners but leaving no one injured, police said.

Man City stars Foden, teammates draw crowds to Hung Hom harbourfront kit launch

Manchester City stars Phil Foden, Abdukodir Khusanov and Ryan McAidoo drew a huge crowd to the new Hung Hom harbourfront on Thursday for the global launch of the club's new 26/27 away kit, with Foden praising the passion of Hong Kong fans.

World/China News

3 Aeon Mall staff rumoured dead after returning for car keys in Japan quake, new dashcam footage shows

New dashcam footage has emerged showing the moment a massive explosion tore through Aeon Mall Kumamoto about 50 minutes after Tuesday's 7.1-magnitude earthquake, with debris striking nearby power lines and sending sparks flying.

China's He Lifeng raises trade restriction concerns in call with Bessent and Greer, Xinhua reports

China's Vice Premier He Lifeng had a video call on Thursday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer during which he raised concerns about recent U.S. restrictions on trade, China's state agency Xinhua reported.

UEFA to boycott World Cup and FIFA tournaments over stake sale plans

European soccer's governing body UEFA and its 55 member nations on Thursday voted to boycott all FIFA tournaments in what could be a knockout blow to the global soccer organisation's proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to external investors.

'What, a new one?' Elderly man's reaction leaves UK PM Burnham red-faced on care home visit

New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was left embarrassed during a visit to a north London care home on Wednesday when an elderly resident reacted with disbelief at meeting yet another new leader.

Finance

Wall Street ends sharply higher, lifted by soaring Microsoft

Wall Street ended sharply higher on Thursday, with chip stocks jumping and Microsoft logging its biggest daily percentage gain in 18 years after the technology giant gave a stellar forecast that eased fears about massive spending on AI infrastructure.

Amazon beats cloud sales growth estimates; shares jump

Amazon.com AMZN.O beat market expectations for quarterly cloud sales growth on Thursday, calming prior fears among investors over hefty planned outlays for artificial intelligence development.

Editorial

Beyond headline rebound: converting Hong Kong's macro momentum into enduring capital depth

The recent wave of macroeconomic data presents an undeniable counter-narrative to persistent external skepticism regarding Hong Kong's economic trajectory. With first-quarter GDP accelerating by 5.9 percent – its fastest pace in five years – and external trade recording over 50 percent year-on-year export expansion in mid-2026, the city is demonstrating sharp operational resilience.

Opinion

Understanding the Northern Metropolis: a vision for HK's future | The Weekly Reformer | Roden Tong

Few initiatives have attracted as much public attention in recent years as the Northern Metropolis. It is often described in terms of land, housing, infrastructure and investment. Those are important parts of the picture, but they do not fully explain why the Northern Metropolis matters to Hong Kong.

Swiss dreams (are made of these) – Part I | The Stellar Cellar | Alice Wong

Tomorrow (August 1) marks the 735th anniversary of Switzerland. The date was chosen as the Swiss National Day in honor of the Federal Charter of 1291 when three Alpine cantons (Schwyz, Uri and Unterwalden) swore the oath of confederation. Today the federal republic is comprised of 26 cantons with four principal languages – German, French, Italian and Romansh. The country's multiculturalism is reflected not only in its languages, but also in the diversity of its wines.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓