After winning legislative backing for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer basketball betting – an initiative aimed at drawing punters away from illegal online bookmakers and capturing additional tax revenue – the government has now paused the roll-out.
Officials say the rise of prediction markets has altered the landscape and warrants closer examination. So, what is it about prediction markets that unsettles officials?
Prediction markets are online platforms where the menu stretches far beyond...
After winning legislative backing for the Hong Kong Jockey Club to offer basketball betting – an initiative aimed at drawing punters away from illegal online bookmakers and capturing additional tax revenue – the government has now paused the roll-out.
Officials say the rise of prediction markets has altered the landscape and warrants closer examination. So, what is it about prediction markets that unsettles officials?
Prediction markets are online platforms where the menu stretches far beyond...
Hong Kong photographer Gareth Brown has spent the past 19 years working on a personal project called “Bodies in Motion, Bodies at Rest” – using dance to showcase the city’s unique spots.
Hong Kong Dance Company dancer Debby Chuang at a derelict industrial building in Tsing Yi, reputedly a major paint factory operated by Swire in post-war Hong Kong. Photo: Gareth Brown.
For what he called a “very personal passion project,” he photographed ballerinas, contemporary and traditional dancers, a
Hong Kong photographer Gareth Brown has spent the past 19 years working on a personal project called “Bodies in Motion, Bodies at Rest” – using dance to showcase the city’s unique spots.
Hong Kong Dance Company dancer Debby Chuang at a derelict industrial building in Tsing Yi, reputedly a major paint factory operated by Swire in post-war Hong Kong. Photo: Gareth Brown.
For what he called a “very personal passion project,” he photographed ballerinas, contemporary and traditional dancers, as well as artistic swimmers and aerialists, against the backdrop of heritage buildings, natural landscapes, and modern infrastructure.
Dance artist Sudhee Liao at Pun Uk, a Meixian Hakka mansion in Yuen Long, dating back to 1934. The building was built by Hakka businessman Pun Kwan-min, who contributed financially to the 1911 Revolution to overthrow the Qing dynasty. In 1938, future Chinese premier Zhou Enlai stayed at Pun Uk. The mansion has a Grade II listing, and though seemingly sound, the structure has been left derelict for many years. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Aquatic performers Nora Cho, Grace Pang, Carmen Leung, Michelle Pang, and Chan Hoi-lam – members of the Hong Kong artistic swim team – at a river pool in Sheung Luk Stream, Sai Kung. The photo was taken before the deeper pools became popular with social media influencers and daredevil tombstoners. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Suku Limbu and Sajna Gurung, from the Hong Kong Nepalese Dance Group, at the Hindu Temple in Burma Lines, the former Queen’s Hill Army Camp in Fanling. The abandoned temple is a visually striking architectural gem. Designed as a place of worship for the Gurkhas of the British army, its hexagonal shape is reminiscent of a lotus blossom. Photo: Gareth Brown.
“Over the years, I’ve kept the works mostly to myself, dance and heritage friends,” said Brown, who is originally from the UK.
Having amassed a large collection, “I’m attempting to bring it to the attention of a wider audience.”
Contemporary dancer-choreographer Abby Chan at the Kam Tin Tree House, where the roots of a massive banyan tree have intertwined with the remains of an ancient study hall. It is located in Kam Tin, a historic traditional village famous for its many temples. Photo: Gareth Brown.Former Hong Kong Ballet star Irene Lo, now associate director of the Hong Kong Academy of Ballet, at the House of Convenience, or Fong Pin Yuen in Cantonese, on the outskirts of Tai O, Lantau Island. The facility was established by a Buddhist woman named Yip Sin-hoi in 1934 for seriously ill and dying patients to pass their final days. Photo: Gareth Brown.
The photographer said he usually found locations of interest – “culturally, historically, or they just look good” – and then chose dancers who best fitted the spot.
For example, at a river pool in Sheung Luk Stream, Sai Kung, he worked with members of the Hong Kong artistic swim team. At an abandoned Gurkha Hindu temple in Burma Lines, he collaborated with traditional dancers from the Nepalese community. An aerialist posed at a wall tree of the former Tung Chi College on Ship Street, which has since been demolished.
Prima ballerina Faye Leung, previously senior principal at Hong Kong Ballet, at Island Eastern Corridor, a prime example of the ambitious mass infrastructure projects that embody Hong Kong’s can-do spirit. The ballerina’s movements, full of power and grace, pay homage to this remarkable feat of modern engineering. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Joana Cambeses, an aerialist and acrobatic performer, hanging from a wall tree at the former Tung Chi College, on Ship Street in Wan Chai. The building has been redeveloped since the image was taken. Some of the most impressive wall trees could be found on Ship Street. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Contemporary dancer Sarah Xiao at the 33-metre historic granite edifice at Tai Tam Upper Reservoir Dam. Photo: Gareth Brown.
“If nothing else, the project is an interesting historical record of the [Hong Kong] dance industry, as well as locations that no longer exist or probably won’t exist for much longer,” Brown said.
The project gave him the chance to work with some of the city’s prominent dancers, such as Hong Kong Ballet principal dancer Yang Ruiqi, former Hong Kong Dance Company principal dancer Laura Pan, and dancer-choreographer Abby Chan.
Contemporary dancer-choreographer Flora Hon and actor-dancer Rick Cheung at Sunset Peak, Hong Kong’s third-highest peak, on Lantau Island. At the summit, there are 20 small concrete huts, constructed by missionaries in the 1920s. Legend has it that the huts served as a refuge from the sweltering heat and humidity of Hong Kong summers, as well as from the many spiritual distractions in the burgeoning city. Photo: Gareth Brown.Contemporary dancer Siobhan Dumigan braves cold temperatures at Cape D’Aguilar Battery, on the southernmost tip of Hong Kong Island. The World War II relic sits on a rocky outcrop in a hostile environment. Photo: Gareth Brown.
“I’ve been very lucky,” the photographer said of the collaborations.
At the heels of Brown’s solo exhibition at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club last year and another show at the Hong Kong Dance Awards ceremony last week, “Bodies in Motion, Bodies at Rest” is currently on display at The Corner Shop, a small gallery in Tsim Sha Tsui managed by the hotel Mondrian Hong Kong.
The exhibition will run until May 17.
Hong Kong Ballet principal dancer Yang Ruiqi at Plover Cove Reservoir in Tai Mei Tuk, the first freshwater coastal lake to be built in Hong Kong. The dam has a clean, futuristic aesthetic. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Laura Pan, former principal dancer at the Hong Kong Dance Company, at Shek Lo, an imposing abandoned colonial mansion in Fanling. The building – built in 1924 by Peter Tsui, founder of Wah Yan College – is a blend of Chinese and European architectural styles. Having been uninhabited since the 1980s, the Grade 1 historic structure has become a sanctuary for a large colony of bats. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Modern dancer-choreographer Lemon Doo and dance partner Tonia Wan at the Innovation Tower, designed by Zaha Hadid. The futuristic-looking building, located on the campus of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hung Hom, has fluid curves with an ethereal, otherworldly appearance. Photo: Gareth Brown.
Exhibition: “Bodies in Motion, Bodies at Rest” – Photography by Gareth Brown.
Dates: April 20 – May 17, 2026.
Opening Hours: 11am to 11pm.
Venue: The Corner Shop by Mondrian, 11A-11D Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Rice is central to global food security, and even small supply disruptions can ripple through countries, raising prices and straining household budgets.
Rice is central to global food security, and even small supply disruptions can ripple through countries, raising prices and straining household budgets.
In the second half of April, the public inquiry into the deadly Tai Po blaze heard from multiple government departments about authorities’ oversight during a major renovation at Wang Fuk Court before the tragedy unfolded.
Andy Yeung, director of fire services, testifies before an independent committee investigating the massive Tai Po fire in Hong Kong, on April 24, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
In the first 10 days of the hearings, residents gave damning testimony of how their complaints ab
In the second half of April, the public inquiry into the deadly Tai Po blaze heard from multiple government departments about authorities’ oversight during a major renovation at Wang Fuk Court before the tragedy unfolded.
Andy Yeung, director of fire services, testifies before an independent committee investigating the massive Tai Po fire in Hong Kong, on April 24, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
In the first 10 days of the hearings, residents gave damning testimony of how their complaints about potential fire hazards during the renovation had fallen on deaf ears. Departments passed around their complaints, and when officers did inspect the housing estate in Tai Po, they said they failed to find evidence of irregularities.
During the 11 days of hearings from April 13 to Friday, a number of high-ranking officials and frontline officers acknowledged that the ways departments handled residents’ complaints were “not good enough” and that things could have been “done better.”
Victor Dawes, the lead lawyer for the independent committee investigating the inferno, summed it up well last week.
“During this inquiry, it appears that all government departments agree that things were not ideal. I have lost count of how many times we have heard, ‘Not good enough,” he said in Cantonese.
Judge David Lok, the committee chair, also noted that the blaze had exposed a “grey area” in which government departments lacked clear communication and a demarcation of responsibility for specific fire hazards.
So far, witnesses from the Fire Services Department, the Labour Department, the Buildings Department, the Home Affairs Department, and the Urban Renewal Authority have testified before the committee. Here is the summary.
Fire department as ‘ultimate gatekeeper’
The Fire Services Department (FSD) has the highest number of witnesses among government departments so far, with a total of 14 officers – ranging from frontline commanders to the director of fire services, Andy Yeung.
In his testimony on April 24, Yeung – the first departmental chief to testify – touched on several issues relating to the FSD’s oversight of fire hazards arising from building renovation projects.
Yeung also corrected the accounts given by some of his senior subordinates who had earlier given testimony.
Judge David Lok (centre), chair of the independent committee tasked with investigating the Tai Po fire, at City Gallery, Central, on April 24, 2026. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
For example, Michael Yung, assistant director of fire safety at the FSD, told the committee on April 22 that fire hazards like non-fire-retardant scaffold netting, flammable foam boards and workers smoking on construction sites fell outside the department’s purview.
The FSD is only responsible for “active” fire safety measures, such as alarm systems, and lacks the expertise on construction work, Yung said, while risks concerning construction materials fall under the purview of the Buildings Department.
Yeung, the fire services chief, said otherwise. He agreed with Dawes when the lawyer suggested that the FSD should be the “ultimate gatekeeper” to eradicate fire risks.
Yeung said the FSD and the Buildings Department should complement each other when it comes to mitigating fire risks, citing the experience following the fatal mini-storage unit fire in 2016, which killed two firefighters.
At that time, there was no law regulating the size of and the distance between storage units, Yeung recalled.
After the 2016 blaze, the FSD and the Buildings Department worked together to develop the regulations, ensuring they aligned with fire safety, as well as other structural elements, such as lighting and ventilation.
The Fire Services Department brought Wednesday’s deadly Tai Po fire under control in the early hours of November 27, 2025. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Yeung said that, following the Tai Po fire, the two departments had conducted a review of several issues, such as wooden boards in emergency staircases – which served as temporary openings for workers to access bamboo scaffolding – and foam boards used to protect windows from falling debris.
He also said both departments could make prosecutions and that inter-departmental communication would be improved regarding enforcement.
Labour Department admits shortcomings
On April 21, three occupational safety officers from the Labour Department, including the chief officer of operations, Murphy Yuen, testified before the committee.
Lam Sau-ching, an occupational safety officer who had handled Wang Fuk Court residents’ complaints, said the department conducted a total of 17 inspections, none of which found evidence of workers smoking.
“When officers say the complaint could not be justified, they meant that during the inspection, they could not see evidence for the complaint,” Lam said in Cantonese.
Lee Shu-wun, a lawyer for the independent committee, said workers may have smoked even though the department did not find any evidence, to which Lam agreed.
Hong Kong’s Labour Department. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
Lam admitted that an e-mail response she wrote to a resident to address a complaint regarding the fire-retardant quality of scaffold netting “could be improved.” In the e-mail, Lam mistakenly said the Labour Department had no regulations on the fire-resistance quality of the nets.
She also admitted that the department did not check the issue dates on fire-retardancy certificates submitted by Prestige Construction & Engineering, the main contractor for Wang Fuk Court’s renovation.
Yuen, the chief officer of operations, said the Labour Department could have referred to a list of approved laboratories provided by the Housing Department to check the authenticity of certificates, but his department still relied on the contractor’s integrity.
“If some contractors are bent on tricking us, there is nothing we can do other than refer the case to law enforcement agencies,” he said in Cantonese.
Li Man-pong, a senior occupational safety officer, said the installation of wooden boards in emergency staircases did not breach labour safety regulations as it was to facilitate workers accessing bamboo scaffolding safely.
Judge Lok said Li’s account appeared to suggest a conflict of interest between workers and residents.
The committee had previously heard that the temporary openings allowed smoke to enter the emergency staircases, accelerating the spread inside the buildings and trapping residents.
Karen Cheung, assistant director of mandatory building inspection, said both access openings for workers and foam boards used to seal windows violate the city’s building construction regulations.
Not only did Cheung’s testimony differ from that of the Labour Department officers, her account also appeared to contradict a written submission by Andy Ku, a senior surveyor of the Housing Bureau’s Independent Checking Unit (ICU).
The ICU oversees construction works at government-subsidised housing estates like Wang Fuk Court.
The blackened exterior of an apartment block in Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po, on November 27, 2025, with what appears to be styrofoam boards attached to the windows. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
According to Ku’s submission, Hong Kong’s laws do not regulate the use of foam boards because they are “temporary materials.” It is unclear if Ku will testify before the committee in person.
However, Cheung said using foam boards to cover windows extensively violated regulations as the laws stipulate that every unit of a residential building should have natural light and ventilation.
When asked by Dawes about her discrepancy with Ku regarding the regulations, Cheung said: “I think Mr Ku should be the one explaining this point.”
Cheung also said the Buildings Department would never inform contractors ahead of an inspection following a complaint. Officers would only seek the contractor’s assistance when they need to collect samples of construction materials for testing, she said.
The committee previously heard that the ICU had notified the consultant firm of Wang Fuk Court’s renovation project, Will Power Architects, about details of scaffold netting checks in advance.
Jenkin Suen, representing the government in the hearings, defended the ICU’s practice last month. He said at the time that inspections carried out by Buildings Department officers would also inform the inspected parties in advance.
Cheung declined to comment on the ICU’s practice. However, when pressed by Dawes, Cheung said: “This is not how we do things generally.”
Foam boards used to seal windows are visible in a Wang Fuk Court building in Tai Po after the deadly fire. File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.
In his written statement, Ku said that he consulted with Tse Kam-ming, a former senior building surveyor at the Buildings Department who was seconded to the ICU between 2023 and 2025, regarding foam boards used at Wang Fuk Court.
However, Tse told the committee that he had no recollection of giving any advice to Ku regarding the matter.
Tse called it “unacceptable” to dismiss foam board hazards, citing the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in the United Kingdom as a warning of the dangers posed by combustible cladding and foam.
Home Affairs Department on district councillors
Also testifying on Monday was Chan Hau-man, former Tai Po district officer at the Home Affairs Department, who spoke about district councillors.
Multiple residents had testified that Tai Po South District Councillor Peggy Wong, a member of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), had amassed proxy votes from residents and interfered with meetings about renovation matters.
Wong denied the allegations in a written submission to the committee, saying she had only voted on behalf of residents twice during a residents’ meeting that sought to oust a controversial owners’ committee. On both occasions, Wong voted against the motion.
Tai Po South District Councillor Peggy Wong, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), in 2024. Photo: Peggy Wong, via Facebook.
Chan said her department “respects” district councillors when it comes to estate affairs, as long as they do not violate any law.
A district councillor has their own “community network,” and authorities respect that they may have an opinion and provide advice to residents regarding renovation, Chan added.
While current regulations do not specify an upper limit on the number of proxy votes a person can acquire, the department is reviewing whether a cap is needed, she said.
Urban Renewal Authority on bid-rigging risks
On Thursday, the committee heard testimony from Matthew Chan, a case manager for the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), which oversaw tender applications for the renovation work at Wang Fuk Court, a government-subsidised housing estate.
He said that the semi-government department had not considered the risks of bid-rigging in the tendering process for the large-scale renovation at the estate.
After securing the contract at a low price, Will Power Architects was able to “rig” the tendering process in favour of Prestige Construction & Engineering, an affiliated contractor, and carried out “rubber-stamp” inspections.
When Dawes presented a 2016 Competition Commission report on the prevalence of bid-rigging in Hong Kong’s building maintenance industry, Chan said that the URA did not take such risks into account despite being aware of rampant collusive tendering.
The case manager also said that the URA “would not comment on [Will Powers’] professionalism,” as the authority trusted the consultant’s experience and would want to avoid appearing biased or intervening in the owners’ board’s affairs.
The URA receives more than 10,000 tenders every year and has no ability to scrutinise every application in detail, Chan said.
US President Donald Trump and the head of the Secret Service said on Thursday that the federal agent injured during the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner had not been hit by friendly fire, as authorities released a video of the incident.
Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, posted the footage on social media, saying it showed the suspect shooting the US Secret Service officer as he ran through security towards the gala packed with journalists,...
US President Donald Trump and the head of the Secret Service said on Thursday that the federal agent injured during the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner had not been hit by friendly fire, as authorities released a video of the incident.
Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, posted the footage on social media, saying it showed the suspect shooting the US Secret Service officer as he ran through security towards the gala packed with journalists,...
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