Hong Kong

China's Great Firewall Back Up

New York Times  |  Dec 16, 08 3:43 PM CST

(Newser) - China has quietly reinstated the web censorship lifted during its Olympics image cleanup, the New York Times reports today. As in the past, the tightening comes as growing unemployment raises the government’s fears of social unrest. The government defended its right to censor sites that violate Chinese secession laws, which apparently includes BBC, Voice of America, and several Hong Kong publications. More »

Panda Bites Hand, Er, Leg, That Feeds It

Associated Press  |  Dec 9, 08 7:33 AM CST

(Newser) - A giant panda bit the left leg of a Hong Kong zookeeper while he was laying bamboo leaves in the animal's pen, reports the AP. The keeper was recovering well after the panda attack, which was partially captured and posted on YouTube by a zoo visitor. The panda—a male whose name, An An, means "peace"—arrived in Hong Kong in 1999 as a gift from the Chinese mainland. More »

Rumors Spark Wild Run on Asian Bank

Financial Times (UK)  |  Sep 25, 08 6:24 AM CDT

(Newser) - Rumors that the Bank of East Asia was in trouble spread like wildfire through Hong Kong yesterday, causing a panicked mob to descend on the bank as thousands withdrew their life savings, the Financial Times reports. Police moved in to keep order as crowds demanded their money. BEA's tycoon chairman blamed "malicious rumors" for the panic and vowed to buy shares in the bank himself. More »

China Bans Tibetan Flags At Olympic Event

Associated Press  |  Jul 18, 08 7:59 AM CDT

(AP) - Tibetan flags will be banned from all Olympic equestrian events in Hong Kong under rules aimed at heading off political protests inside competition venues, organizers said today. While China has tightened visa restrictions to keep out protesters during the Olympics, activists could demonstrate in Hong Kong, which grants visa-free access to citizens of many Western countries. More »

Amid Selloff, Gold King Won't Flush His Throne

Wall Street Journal  |  Jul 7, 08 2:53 PM CDT

(Newser) - With gold prices hovering around $1,000 an ounce, one Hong Kong jeweler is melting down the shining palace he spent a decade building, unloading chandeliers and armored knights—everything but his 24-karat toilet, the Wall Street Journal reports. "I don't care if gold hits $10,000 an ounce," Lam Sai-wing says of the Lenin-inspired commode. "I'm not melting it down." More »

Hello, China: Meet Japan's New Envoy

Associated Press  |  May 19, 08 8:00 PM CDT

(Newser) - Hello Kitty has been tapped as Japan’s cultural envoy to China, the AP reports. Japan’s ministry of tourism chose the über-popular icon to represent the country in its drive to attract 10 million annual visitors to the islands. Last year, tourists from China and Hong Kong made up 16.5% of Japan's 8.35 million overseas visitors. More »

Torch Gets Huge Welcome in Hong Kong

BBC  |  May 2, 08 5:18 AM CDT

(Newser) - Thousands of people waving the Chinese flag cheered the Olympic torch on its relay through Hong Kong, shouting down scattered Tibetan protesters in their midst, the BBC reports. There were a few scuffles as the torch wound its way through the streets in the first leg of the torch relay to take place on Chinese soil. More »

Mia Farrow Quizzed at Hong Kong Airport

Associated Press  |  May 1, 08 5:01 AM CDT

(Newser) - Activist actress Mia Farrow was allowed into Hong Kong today after authorities questioned her and told her not to disrupt tomorrow's Olympic torch relay, AP reports. Farrow is an outspoken critic of China's policy on Darfur and plans a speech tomorrow night on the issue. Several activists have been barred from the former colony in recent days, and Farrow's visit was seen as another test of the city's freedoms. More »

Torch Back in China After Tumul