Hong Kong proposes recognizing same-sex partnerships formed overseas

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s government on Wednesday proposed a registration system that would recognize same-sex partnerships formed overseas, granting such couples more rights in the city.

In a document submitted to the legislature, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said the proposed system would allow registration for same-sex adult couples who have married, formed civil partnerships or civil unions overseas, provided these relationships were legally recognized in those jurisdictions and one of them is a Hong Kong resident.

After the registration, the couples would have rights including the ability to participate in medical decisions for their loved ones, provided consent is given. For mentally incapacitated adult patients, their partners can take part in the decisions as guardians.

They would also enjoy the right to handle after-death matters for their partners, including claiming the bodies and deciding whether their remains can be used for medical treatment, education or research.

Same-sex couples cannot get married or register for civil partnerships in Hong Kong. But authorities recognize same-sex marriages registered abroad for taxation and civil service benefits and other practical reasons, such as dependent visas.

Many of the government’s concessions were won through legal challenges and the city has seen growing social acceptance toward same-sex marriage in recent years.

The government proposal came in response to the top court's landmark ruling in 2023 in favor of a framework for recognizing same-sex couples' rights. The ruling did not grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples but was a partial victory for prominent pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham, who fought a five-year legal battle over the recognition of same-sex marriages registered overseas.

Sham, who was sentenced to over four years for his role in an unofficial primary under a Beijing-imposed national security law, was released from prison in May.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Sham said heterosexual couples were not required to register their marriages overseas to get the recognition locally and questioned why same-sex couples had to do so.

He also suggested that the government allow same-sex couples to enjoy equal prison visiting rights as heterosexual couples.

“I hope the government will listen to opinions from society and the community, and try to develop a solution that doesn’t exceed society’s acceptance level, while meeting the expectations of same-sex couples and avoiding legal challenges,” he said.

Jerome Yau, co-founder of non-governmental organization Hong Kong Marriage Equality, said the government document was “very conservative” and “far from acceptable.”

He said he failed to see the logic of only making those who are married or have formed partnerships overseas eligible for the measures.

“We believe that will create an obvious inequality in the sense of local same-sex couples who are not married overseas won't be eligible to register the relationships. I think that’s unfair, and potentially that will lead to further litigation,” he said, adding that he hoped the bill would come with more details.

The government is expected to table a bill in the legislature at a later date. Lawmakers will discuss the document on Thursday.

Some pro-Beijing legislators have spoken out against granting same-sex couples equal rights, upholding the traditional view that marriage should only be between men and women.

The government said its proposals were made after considering the city’s actual situation, adding that there are different views over the recognition of same sex partnerships and it would have to strike a balance to avoid dividing society.

FILE - Hong Kong's pro-democracy activist Jimmy Sham poses for photos after being released from prison in Hong Kong, Friday, May 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kanis Leung, file)

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”

Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)