Hong Kong awoke to the chilliest morning of the season on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, as a powerful northeast monsoon swept across the region, causing temperatures to plummet and ushering in a noticeable shift toward cooler, drier autumnal weather. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) recorded a low of 13.2 degrees Celsius at its Tsim Sha…
By a near-unanimous legislative push, the U.S. Congress has compelled the Department of Justice to unveil its investigative materials concerning the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, signaling an imminent public reckoning. Following overwhelming approval in the House, the Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent on November 19, 2025, sending the legislation…
Australian law enforcement has issued an urgent warning to international students preparing to leave the country, alerting them that sophisticated criminal organizations are attempting to purchase access to their banking facilities and official identification documents for illicit purposes. The advisory, spearheaded by the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre (JPC3), confirms that…
Hong Kong residents should prepare for an abrupt dip in temperatures this week as a potent northeast monsoon sweeps across the region, prompting weather officials to issue a precautionary advisory. While the city anticipates a generally mild winter ahead, the coming days will serve as a stark reminder that cold snaps remain a fixture of…
China’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has rapidly progressed to active maritime training exercises, marking a significant milestone shortly after its official entry into service. Less than two weeks after its commissioning, the warship—China’s first indigenous carrier utilizing advanced electromagnetic catapult technology—began extensive, multi-subject drills alongside a coordinated naval task force, demonstrating…
A Hong Kong couple has received custodial sentences following the death of a 2.5-month-old infant in their care, a tragedy that emerged from nine days of sustained abuse documented extensively by home surveillance. The ruling, delivered in late 2025 by a High Court judge, saw the male defendant, Yip Chun-yin, 38, sentenced to seven years…
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly contemplating an unannounced visit to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine on December 26, a move that could significantly intensify diplomatic friction with China and South Korea. According to reports circulating within Japanese media outlets on November 18, the possible visit is being discussed among supporters within the ruling Liberal…
The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) is set to begin flat selections for the 2024 Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH 2024) on November 26, inviting eligible applicants in batches to pursue their first home. This annual initiative, dedicated to providing a clear pathway to homeownership for public rental housing (PRH) tenants, releases over…
Chief Executive John Lee engaged Professors Joseph E. Stiglitz and Michael Spence, recipients of the 2001 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, on November 18, 2025, in Hong Kong to discuss strategies for bolstering the city’s economy, technological innovation, and education sector. The high-level consultation, which included key government officials, took place ahead of the…
Hong Kong’s health authorities confirmed an imported case of chikungunya virus this week, underscoring the necessity of stringent mosquito-avoidance measures for international travelers amid ongoing global outbreaks. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) verified the case on November 18, bringing the cumulative total for the year to 64. The latest patient is a 26-year-old man…
A core infrastructure provider, Cloudflare, experienced a significant technical incident that briefly halted access to a range of high-profile digital platforms, including X (formerly Twitter), ChatGPT, and numerous news outlets on Tuesday. Services were quickly restored, but the event exposed the inherent fragility of the hyper-connected digital landscape and underscored the systemic risks associated with…
The excitement continues for lottery enthusiasts across Hong Kong as the highly anticipated Mark Six draw on Tuesday, November 18, concluded without a top-prize winner, driving the estimated jackpot for the next round significantly higher. While the grand prize eluded players in the 123rd draw this year, four lucky entrants secured substantial second-tier payouts, affirming…
Hong Kong authorities detained a 68-year-old man on Tuesday for allegedly publishing social media messages that encouraged citizens to boycott or submit invalid ballots in the forthcoming 2025 Legislative Council (LegCo) election. The arrest, conducted by the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force, highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to monitor online…
New data highlights the growing affluence in Hong Kong, with one in 14 adults now possessing net assets exceeding HK$10 million, influencing investment strategies and prioritizing legacy planning. Hong Kong’s millionaire population has expanded significantly, reaching approximately 395,000 individuals in 2025, according to findings released by Citibank Hong Kong’s “Hong Kong Millionaire Survey 2025.” This…
Hong Kong’s labor market demonstrated continued robustness late this year, as the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate slightly declined between the third and fourth quarters of 2025. Provisional data released by the Census and Statistics Department indicates the percentage of jobless fell from 3.9% in July–September 2025 to 3.8% in the rolling August–October period, signaling persistent…
President Xi Jinping has called for a national effort to advance the rule of law across all sectors of China, emphasizing the critical need to integrate Communist Party leadership, popular engagement, and law-based administration for modern governance. The directive, issued recently in Beijing, stresses that strengthening the legal framework is essential for achieving national rejuvenation…
MANILA — The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in Manila swiftly and firmly denied accusations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is a long-term drug user, labeling the claims as baseless and politically motivated. The allegations, publicly voiced by Senator Imee Marcos, the President’s sister, emerge as the administration intensifies investigations into alleged widespread corruption within lucrative…
Executive Council Convenor Regina Ip issued an open appeal on November 18, 2025, calling on Hong Kong residents to exercise their civic duty in the upcoming eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) election on December 7. The veteran public servant emphasized the importance of high voter turnout to support the recently improved electoral system, ensuring that capable…
Escalating diplomatic friction between Tokyo and Beijing following controversial remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has directly impacted cultural exchanges, leading to the indefinite postponement of two highly anticipated Japanese films in mainland China. Distributors pulled the releases after assessing heightened domestic market sentiment, underlining how geopolitical strains frequently bleed into commercial entertainment sectors.…
A bipartisan US government panel tasked with monitoring the US-China economic and security relationship has formally urged Congress to enact stricter legal oversight measures concerning Hong Kong’s financial and commercial interactions with the United States. In its newly released annual assessment, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) recommended legislative action to tighten controls…