Previous Columns

Hong Kong opened ride-hailing licence applications this week, confirming a taxi licence collapse from HK$7.66 million to HK$2.6 million that the Chief Executive already called irreversible.

The Sterling I's record-breaking sellout says more about a well-timed discount than about a housing market finding its footing again.

The public housing wait crept to 4.8 years, and the Housing Bureau called it a 'positive sign,' the same week the plan meant to fix it closed for submissions.

Hong Kong's government can flag a dangerous temperature within minutes but let a documented, nine-month neighbour dispute run to a fatal stabbing before it moved anyone.

Kai Tak proved Hong Kong can open a major venue cold; Huanggang's 10,000-person drill requirement says the border's caution is about blame, not safety.

Typhoon Noul took 29 hours, a grounded airline and a live Signal No.10 watch to rattle Hong Kong; a monkey shut the Tsuen Wan Line twice for free.

The same week officials vowed to end self-policed contractor checks after Tai Po, an 18-inch government pipe proved you don't need a contractor to defer maintenance.

Hong Kong only changes behaviour when a number forces it to, and this week's Very Hot Weather Warning proved it by sending six hikers to hospital.

Typhoon Bavi never touched Hong Kong, yet the city ate a weekend of cancelled flights and record heat, while the same World Cup fever fills a licensed Lan Kwai Fong screen and an illegal Tai Po betting den with identical money.

A confirmed injury at Clear Water Bay under Signal 1 conditions means the Observatory's undecided call on Signal 3 is already beside the point for anyone planning a weekend on the water.

Hong Kong's outdoor event calendar ran at full volume this weekend with no protocol to pause it, and a child died at a sports ground while thousands watched dragon boats on the harbour.

This weekend in Hong Kong, the free TST harbour carnival runs through the day and World Cup football on Now TV runs through the night.

Two unvaccinated infants are in Prince of Wales Hospital's paediatric ICU as authorities warn COVID transmission rises over the next two months; the family weekend opens regardless.

The Observatory's extreme heat warning means the public pool queue and the nearest air-conditioned mall are where this Saturday's outdoor plans actually end up.

Home prices logged an eleventh consecutive monthly gain; the public post office serving the same streets needs HK$4.6 billion from the government to avoid service cuts through next year.

Goldman's fifteen percent revision hits estate agent windows on the same Friday the civil service investigation regulation lands, handing two very different papers to two very different readers.