The central government has greenlighted yachts from Hong Kong and Macau to enter nine mainland Chinese cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) without customs guarantees and with temporary ship registrations.

The State Council said on Friday that the pilot scheme came into effect the same day.

The nine cities are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, and Zhaoqing.

The State Council also said it had “temporarily adjusted” two maritime ordinances to relax restrictions for Hong Kong and Macau yachts travelling to the Greater Bay Area.

The Hong Kong government said on Saturday that it welcomed the new policy.

“Under the new policy, the exemption [from] the requirement for a guarantee will significantly reduce the financial burden” on yacht owners, it said in a statement.

It also praised the simplified registration scheme, which allows Hong Kong and Macau yachts to obtain temporary national ship registration from mainland China “without affecting their original ship registration.”

Owners of Hong Kong and Macau yachts previously had to pay hefty customs guarantees and undergo complex registration procedures before entering mainland ports.

According to the Saturday statement, the Hong Kong Marine Department will “continuously review and refine the facilitation measures for the northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong and southbound travel for yachts from the Chinese Mainland to foster a healthy, sustainable and competitive environment for the development of the local yacht economy.”

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee first proposed boosting the local yacht economy in his 2025 Policy Address in September.

The following month, the government announced new initiatives, including providing 600 additional yacht berths at the former Lamma Quarry, expanding the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter and the Hung Hom Station waterfront projects, and a planned yacht bay at Airport City.

The driver of a Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) double-decker has been arrested after the bus collided with a maintenance vehicle on Tsing Kwai Highway on Monday, injuring 22 people. The driver was among the injured.

Police said on Monday they arrested the driver, 39, on suspicion of dangerous driving after the collision left 21 bus passengers mildly injured. The driver also sustained injuries to his neck, waist, and legs.

The KMB route 960 bus was seen in dashcam footage travelling towards New Territories before appearing to ram into a stationary maintenance vehicle, which was fitted with flashing arrow signs.

The bus continued to roll forward and came to a halt only after it hit a second maintenance vehicle. A member of the maintenance team on the highway was seen running for safety moments after the first collision.

The front of the bus sustained major damage, trapping the driver in his cabin. He was later rescued and sent to hospital in a conscious state, according to the police.

KMB said the incident took place at roughly 2pm on Monday near Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park. The bus was travelling towards Tuen Mun at that time.

“The driver has been suspended from his duties and the KMB will cooperate with police investigation,” the company told HKFP.

Passengers said there were about 10 people on the lower deck at the time of the collision, which threw many off balance and onto the ground, according to local media reports.

Check-in counters at Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 2 will open at the end of the month, with 15 airlines – including HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines – moving to the new location in phases.

The departure hall at Terminal 2, which will open on May 27, will be home to eight aisles totalling 160 check-in counters, Airport Authority Hong Kong said in a press release on Friday.

Three Hong Kong carriers – HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines – will have their check-in services gradually moved to Terminal 2.

Starting from May 27, those flying Hong Kong Airlines will have to check in at the new terminal, local media reported earlier. Greater Bay Airlines and HK Express passengers will start checking in at Terminal 2 on June 3 and June 10, respectively.

The other affected airlines include AirAsia, Vietjet Air, Bangkok Airways and Cebu Pacific Air.

Airport Authority Hong Kong said 29 airport bus routes would have an additional Terminal 2 departures stop, while those arriving by taxi or car can alight at the kerbside outside the new terminal.

The new terminal will also be connected to Car Park 3 via a covered walkway.

Passengers for all of the airlines will still have to board their flights at Terminal 1, which they can access via the Automated People Mover trains after checking in.

Four restaurants will be in operation at Terminal 2, according to a restaurant listing on the airport’s website, including chains Luckin Coffee and Tong Kee Bao Dim.

Terminal 2 has been closed since 2019 to facilitate the airport’s upgrade to a three-runway system.

A Malaysia Airlines flight burst a tyre on Monday after aborting take-off at Hong Kong International Airport due to “technical issues,” but no injuries were reported.

The Airport Authority (AA) said the tyre burst occurred at around 9.18am on Monday.

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH79, bound for Kuala Lumpur, aborted taking off from the airport’s South Runway due to “technical issues,” the AA said.

“During deceleration, a tyre burst, and the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the taxiway.”

Following established procedures, the authority said, it arranged for a tow truck to remove the aircraft from the taxiway. “No injuries were reported,” it added.

Malaysia Airlines confirmed that the plane “discontinued take-off following a tyre-related issue.”

“The aircraft was safely brought to a stop in accordance with standard operating procedures. All passengers and crew are safe,” the company told HKFP in an emailed reply.

Photos circulating on social media show the burst tyre and several fire engines standing by next to the aircraft. One photo posted to Facebook shows an airport personnel member checking the burst tyre.

MH79 was originally scheduled to depart at 8.45am and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 12.45pm. Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 shows that MH79 did not take off and returned to the ramp at the airport.

Malaysia Airlines said it “deeply regrets” the incident and that it was working on rebooking passengers on alternative flights or carriers.

Following the incident, the airport’s South Runway was closed for a routine inspection, the AA said. “Meanwhile, other flights used the Centre Runway for take-off and airport operations were largely normal.”

The South Runway reopened shortly after 10am on Monday, the authority added.

Allowing vehicles from Guangdong province to enter Hong Kong’s South Lantau must be approached with “caution,” Hong Kong’s transport chief has told lawmakers.

At a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said that authorities would have to consult local residents and the district council, citing recent cases of vehicles from Guangdong illegally entering the restricted scenic roads on rural South Lantau.

Addressing a question from lawmaker and rural leader Kenneth Lau, Chan said: “Regarding reviews of quotas and other potential improvements for self-drive tours on Lantau going forward, we will cautiously and carefully monitor the situation. We will also consult and explore options with local residents and the Islands District Council.”

Vehicles under the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme have been operating smoothly, and testing centres in Guangdong have provided drivers with information on Hong Kong’s traffic rules, she added.

Under the southbound travel scheme, which took effect in December, up to 100 private cars from Guangdong province are permitted daily to drive into Hong Kong’s urban areas via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and stay for a maximum of three days.

The transport minister had previously touted the scheme as a boon for Hong Kong’s economy, driving tourism and trade while enhancing “integration” for citizens in both regions.

The government launched the Driving on Lantau Island Scheme in 2016, allowing a daily quota of 25 private cars to access closed roads to Ngong Ping, Tai O, Cheung Sha and Mui Wo on weekdays. The second phase was launched in 2022, with the daily quota increased from 25 to 50.

Under the scheme, some 12,000 quotas are available for allocation each year, with all of them filled.

Citing official figures, Chan said that the Transport Department received about 84,000 applications in 2023 and about 30,000 in each of the subsequent two years. She attributed the high number from three years ago to pandemic-related travel restrictions that limited residents to local tourism.

Responding to a suggestion by lawmaker Chan Hok-fung to extend South Lantau permits from one day to two or three days, the transport minister said the authorities would look into extending the permit period to include weekends.

But she added that any quota extensions must balance tourism development and local residents’ traffic concerns.

One Hong Kong hiker has died, and another one survived after being rescued from a Japanese mountain, according to media reports.

Japanese TV Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting (CBC) reported on Tuesday afternoon that two men, believed to be Chinese nationals, were stranded on Mount Okuhotaka, Japan’s third-highest peak, resulting in one fatality.

According to CBC, Japanese police received a report on Sunday that a 22-year-old man, who lived in Tokyo, and a 30-year-old man were stuck on Mount Okuhotaka – the highest peak of the Hida Mountains – in Gifu Prefecture due to poor weather conditions.

The two were reportedly trapped at a 3,163-metre rocky ridge known as “Gendarme,” located west of the Mount Okuhotaka summit.

Earlier search and rescue operations were called off due to persistent bad weather, CBC reported. “A search operation by a Nagano Prefecture disaster relief helicopter began this morning, and both individuals were recovered by 3pm,” it said.

The 30-year-old was sent to hospital in a conscious state and survived, but the 22-year-old was pronounced dead.

Some Threads users said on Monday that two Hong Kong residents were stranded in the Hida Mountains, also known as the Northern Japan Alps, the city’s local media said on Tuesday.

The Hong Kong Immigration Department told local media on Monday that it had received requests for assistance regarding the incident.

The department told HKFP on Tuesday that it had sent staff to accompany the victims’ families to Japan to provide assistance.

The streets of Shau Kei Wan turned into a sea of colour last Sunday as local communities celebrated the Tam Kung Festival with a vibrant street procession in honour of the Taoist maritime deity.

Lion and dragon dance troupes, martial artists and acrobats paraded along Shau Kei Wan Main Street East, from the Factory Street Playground to the historic Tam Kung Temple near the waterfront.

With 2026 being the Year of the Horse, some performers also paid tribute to the zodiac animal.

Tourists and residents flocked to the narrow streets of the eastern neighbourhood to watch the lively performances and tried to touch the dragon for good luck.

The celebration of Tam Kung’s birthday culminated at the 101-year-old temple, with worshippers burning incense and paper offerings for the sea deity, believed to have the power to control the weather and heal the sick.

The birthday of Tam Kung falls on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, coinciding with Buddha’s Birthday. The festival is a remnant of Shau Kei Wan’s history as a fishing village.

According to folklore, Tam Kung was born in today’s Huizhou county during the Yuan dynasty, and at the age of 12 attained Taoist enlightenment and discovered the secret of eternal youth.

A traveller has been sentenced to six weeks in prison and fined HK$1,800 after attempting to smuggle cigarettes under his stockings while crossing the border from mainland China.

The 49-year-old man received his sentence at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on Thursday, one day after he was intercepted at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point.

Customs officers seized 1,181 sticks of illicit cigarettes from the traveller, with an estimated market value of about HK$4,800, the Customs and Excise Department said in a statement on Thursday.

Around HK$3,900 in duties would have been charged on that amount of cigarettes, the statement added.

Customs also released a photo appearing to show cigarette packs wrapped around a man’s lower legs underneath his stockings.

The man was arrested on suspicion of contravening the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance and sentenced “for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers,” the statement said.

The department welcomed the ruling, saying: “The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.”

The Hong Kong government has announced a series of special offers and freebies covering transport, culture, retail and dining as part of the celebrations to mark the 29th anniversary of the Handover.

During Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day on July 1, residents can enjoy free rides on all trams, whilst the MTR will give away 71,000 domestic single rides in a lucky draw.

Holders of child or student Octopus cards, as well as senior citizens’ JoyYou cards, will enjoy special Airport Express offers. Several ferry routes will be free of charge, with vouchers to be distributed in advance, according to a Tuesday government press release.

Several fee-charging facilities of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Wetland Park will offer free admission. Designated exhibitions at M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum will also be free.

Ticket offers will also be provided by The Peak Tram, Ngong Ping 360, Ocean Park Hong Kong and Tai Kwun.

Free guided tours, dining, consumption and accommodation offers will be on offer from mid-June to early July. Moreover, over 1,000 restaurants and merchants are expected to provide dining offers, alongside government-run public markets.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Jockey Club will hold the Hong Kong Reunification Raceday at Sha Tin Racecourse on July 1. Both the Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourses will be free to enter.

“The Government thanks various sectors for actively responding to its call by launching special offers and activities to celebrate with the public the HKSAR’s 29th anniversary,” the statement said.

Traditionally a day of mass protest, the last July 1 pro-democracy march was held in 2019, before the enactment of the security law a year later.

Full details of this year’s offers and events can be found at www.hksar29.gov.hk, with more announcements to come.

A Lantau-bound Sun Ferry vessel ran aground near Hei Ling Chau in the early hours of Monday, prompting an evacuation of passengers and crew.

A spokesperson for the Fire Service Department (FSD) told HKFP on Monday that 34 people were on board, including 29 passengers and five crew members. No injuries were reported.

The incident happened at around 12.55am on Monday, when the First Ferry VI vessel, sailing the Central to Mui Wo route, ran aground and collided into the Hei Ling Chau typhoon shelter breakwater.

A total of four FSD boats, two ambulances and 60 firefighters and ambulatory medics were deployed, the spokesperson said by phone.

A passenger who gave his name as Adam told HKFP that “all of a sudden, the ship rammed violently into something.”

He added, “The sound during the collision [was] frightening, and the deceleration was so sudden and aggressive that it threw me off the seat.”

He said that there was momentary panic among passengers, but things calmed down quickly as the crew came to check on them.

See also: Mui Wo-bound ferry caught in fishing net, stranded at sea for an hour

Passengers donned life jackets and were transported by rescue boat to Mui Wo, he said.

Five days after the incident, a spokesperson for Sun Ferry told HKFP that the captain responsible “is currently not on navigational duty and is on leave.” They added that an investigation was now underway.

A Hong Kong taxi driver has been arrested after a fatal traffic incident in Ngau Tau Kok that killed a woman and seriously injured four people.

A taxi driven by a 70-year-old man went out of control while he was driving downhill along Chun Wah Road and mounted the pavement and a sitting-out area on Choi Ha Road, knocking down two female pedestrians at 1.50pm on Wednesday, according to police.

One of the pedestrians, a 38-year-old woman, suffered serious leg injuries and was rushed to United Christian Hospital in an unconscious state and was later certified dead at 2.26pm on Wednesday.

The other female pedestrian, 31, also suffered leg injuries and was sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in an unconscious state.

The two passengers in the taxi were sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital with injuries. The 62-year-old male passenger sustained chest and leg injuries, while the 62-year-old female passenger suffered chest, back and neck injuries.

According to the government, as of 10.30am on Thursday, the second female pedestrian was in critical condition, and both passengers were in serious condition.

The taxi driver, who sustained chest injuries, was sent to United Christian Hospital in a conscious state.

He was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained, the police said. He was in stable condition as of 10.30am on Thursday.

The police are investigating the traffic accident and are urging witnesses to call 3661 0277.

Hong Kong is mulling tighter health checks for elderly taxi drivers, but progress has been slow.

Currently, all drivers – including taxi drivers – aged over 70 must provide the Transport Department with a medical examination certificate completed by a registered medical practitioner at least once every three years.

See also: Hong Kong taxi union hits back at lawmakers’ suggestions of mandatory retirement age for cabbies

The government proposed in 2023 that taxi drivers aged over 65 should conduct mandatory health checks every year.

The government is working on law amendments related to mandatory health checks for taxi drivers and plans to table the bill later this year, Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday.

Hong Kong International Airport is among the top polluting hubs in the world, a UK thinktank has found.

On Wednesday, new data from global affairs thinktank ODI Global ranked Hong Kong’s airport as the world’s sixth most polluting in terms of flight CO2 emissions, and second in Asia-Pacific.

The study, based on 2023 data from the International Council on Clean Transportation, concluded that the fossil-fuel dependent aviation sector would be the fifth-largest emitter if it were a country.

Hong Kong emitted 15.1 million tonnes of CO2, and saw 138,764 flights, in 2023.

Seoul was Asia-Pacific’s most polluting airport, responsible for 16.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2023. Dubai topped the global ranking with 23.2 million tonnes of CO2, followed by London’s Heathrow.

The research also showed that Hong Kong’s airport was a significant source of local pollutants – it ranks ninth in the world, emitting 4,572 tonnes of nitrogen oxides in 2023.

The thinktank warned against reliance on so-called “sustainable” aviation fuels to bring down emissions, citing “high production costs and price premiums, limited policy support, weak long-term offtake commitments, bankability challenges and constraints on feedstock availability and sustainability.”

It also said that jet fuel emissions are predicted to increase and eat up future carbon budget: “The sector’s own high-growth scenario projects passenger demand could increase by 3.3% annually, from 9.0 trillion revenue passenger-kilometers (RPKs) in 2024 to 21.9 trillion RPKs in 2050. Between now and 2050, aviation is projected to consume 15% of the remaining carbon budget associated with 1.7ºC of warming.”

HKFP has reached out to the Environmental Protection Department and the Airport Authority for comment.