Pearl River Delta

Regional airlines are struggling to ramp up flights to Hong Kong because of staff shortages at the airport, slowing the city's plan to recapture its travel hub status, industry insiders have said.

Hong Kong, which calls itself Asia's World City, once had one of the globe's busiest, and best-connected, airports.

After two years of separation from his wife in mainland China, Hong Kong resident Cheung Seng-bun made sure to be among the first in line following the reopening of border crossing points Sunday.

Every few generations, Hong Kong transforms itself, evolving from a swampy fishing village to 19th century colonial port, to capitalist outpost and factory after China's 1949 revolution, to 21st century financial center.

The heaviest rainfall in decades has triggered floods and landslides in southern China, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people, state media reported.

Hong Kong and Turkey have signed an agreement that would allow Turkish seafarers to work in Hong Kong-flagged ships, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure on Dec. 18. 

Turkey aims to get the highest share of employment in the developing ship fleets in the world with its increasing training capacity, it said.

Hong Kong authorities activated a newly created "serious response" level on Jan. 4 as fears spread about a mysterious infectious disease that may have been brought back by visitors to a mainland Chinese city.

Anti-government protesters paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for a fourth day on Nov. 14, forcing school closures and blocking highways and other transport links to disrupt the financial hub amid a marked escalation of violence.

Hong Kong has fallen into recession and is unlikely to achieve economic growth this year, according to City Financial Secretary Paul Chan, quoted by Reuters.
 

Hong Kong authorities on Oct. 23 withdrew an unpopular extradition bill that sparked months of chaotic protests that have since morphed into a campaign for greater democratic change.

Thousands of students formed human chains outside schools across Hong Kong on Monday to show solidarity to push for democratic reforms after violent weekend clashes in the semiautonomous Chinese territory.