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Customs seizes $4.6m in illicit cigarettes and counterfeit goods at Sha Tau Kok shop, woman arrested

Hong Kong Customs seized about 720,000 suspected illicit cigarettes and about 2,700 suspected counterfeit items with a total estimated market value of about HK$4.6 million during a special enforcement operation in Chung Ying Street, Sha Tau Kok, on Wednesday. The suspected illicit cigarettes have a duty value of about HK$2.4 million.

Power outage hits Sha Kok Mei village in Sai Kung, about 100 households affected

A power outage hit Sha Kok Mei village in Sai Kung on Thursday night, disrupting electricity supply to multiple village houses and affecting about 100 households.

Customs seizes $1.7m in cannabis at HK airport, 2 mainland men arrested

Hong Kong Customs arrested two incoming mainland male passengers at Hong Kong International Airport on Thursday in separate drug trafficking cases, seizing about 8 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis buds with a total estimated market value of about HK$1.7 million.

World/China

(Video) Earthquake of magnitude 7 strikes China's Tibet, killing 16, Xinhua reports

An earthquake of magnitude 7 struck China's southwestern region of Tibet at around 10:33 p.m. (1433 GMT) on Thursday, killing 16 people and injuring 32 others, state news agency Xinhua reported, citing Nagqu City's emergency management bureau.

Putin says talks must focus on security for Russia, Ukraine and Europe overall

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that future talks on a settlement of the war in Ukraine should focus on security guarantees for both countries and an overall framework for security throughout Europe.

Hacking attempts surge as companies, governments rush to patch PHP flaws

Global firms and governments rushed on Thursday to patch critical flaws in the PHP programming language that underpins much of the internet, as cloud firms reported a surge of hacking attempts after the vulnerabilities were disclosed.

N Korea's Kim Yo Jong warns S Korea, says border loudspeakers to be ready within days

North Korea will place anti-South Korea loudspeakers on standby along the entire border within days and has put unspecified new countermeasures on alert, Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korea's leader, said on Thursday.

France's Macron tightens curbs on protests, blaming hard left for unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that "illegitimate" protests would be banned in the coming days and blamed "seditious" ultra-left groups and vandals for last weekend's riots and looting.

Taiwanese woman found dead in Mount Fuji hotel was daughter of air rescue chief, suspect linked to fraud group

A 38-year-old Taiwanese woman found dead at a hotel in Fujikawaguchiko, Yamanashi Prefecture, on October 19 has been identified as the daughter of Taiwan's National Airborne Service Corps chief, while the 27-year-old Taiwanese woman arrested at the scene has been linked to a fraud group, according to Taiwanese media.

Elon Musk invests about $1 billion in Skydance, CNBC reports

Elon Musk has invested about US$1 billion in Skydance, CNBC reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

International Criminal Court wins EU's 2026 Sakharov prize

The International Criminal Court and its officials won the EU's 2026 Sakharov human rights prize, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Thursday, less than two weeks after former ICC Judge Navi Pillay was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

France reports first human case of livestock virus Shamonda after patient dies

France on Thursday reported the first human case of the Shamonda virus usually found in livestock in a patient who later died, with authorities adding there was no risk to the general population at this stage.

Iran's Guards threaten to hit US bases in retaliation for Hormuz escorts

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Thursday threatened to strike American bases across the Middle East if the US military continues to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Market

S&P 500, Nasdaq end sharply lower as revived AI doubts ignite tech selloff

US stocks tumbled on Thursday and the Nasdaq posted its steepest daily drop since June as a batch of high-profile earnings reports ignited fresh fears about the AI spending race.

Merck/Moderna cancer vaccine cuts melanoma death or recurrence risk by 42%, shares fall

Moderna and Merck said on Thursday that their mRNA cancer vaccine when combined with Merck's widely used immunotherapy cut the risk of melanoma death or recurrence by 42% in a large trial, potentially paving the way for a new era of personalized treatment.

Editorial

OASES' latest partner signing marks a strategic leap, but even greater synergy awaits

Hong Kong's ambition to reinvent itself as a global innovation and technology hub achieved a significant milestone on October 22 with the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises welcoming 18 new partners. Spanning sectors like artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, life and health technology, fintech, and creative technology, several of these newly onboarded entities boast market valuations exceeding HK$100 billion. Crucially, the diverse origins of this cohort – with half hailing from the Chinese mainland and the rest globally – reaffirm Hong Kong's enduring proposition as a super-connector bridging East and West.

Opinion

Long live the kings (part I) | The Stellar Cellar | Alice Wong

Barolo: the king of wines, and the wine of kings.

This famous quote has a double meaning, pointing to the historical relevance of Barolo to the European royalties, as well as the overwhelming power of the wine.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓