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FEHD steps up rodent control after rat sightings in Hung Hom and Kwai Fong

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said on Wednesday it has stepped up rodent control after online videos of rats in Hung Hom and Kwai Fong MTR station, with 77 rats caught near Baker Circle in the past two months.

Flooding hits Sha Tin and Tai Po as northeast monsoon coincides with astronomical high tide

Water levels in Hong Kong were slightly higher than normal on Wednesday night due to the northeast monsoon and an astronomical high tide, with photos and videos circulating online showing flooding in parts of Sha Tin and Tai Po.

Medical Council postpones Chow Tin-yu disciplinary hearing pending inquest

The Medical Council has postponed a disciplinary hearing into whether a Queen Mary Hospital anesthetist altered surgical records in the 2020 incident that left eight-year-old Chow Tin-yu in a vegetative state, pending a coroner's inquest.

Police appeal for information on missing man, 80, in Tai Po

Police appealed to the public on Wednesday for information on an 80-year-old man who went missing in Tai Po.

Man injured in knife attack in Tai Po, police hunt 4 suspects

A 41-year-old man was injured after being attacked by four men, two of them wielding knives, in Tai Po on Wednesday evening.

World/China

At least 68 people dead in Spain's second major train crash this year

At least 68 people died when two Spanish high-speed trains collided on Wednesday, with rescuers scouring the wreckage for more bodies after Spain's second fatal rail crash this year and Europe's deadliest since 2013.

Spain rail crash came after train ordered to go in error: minister

A rail collision in Spain that claimed at least 64 lives on Wednesday came after a train was ordered to go in "error" despite a technical failure that halted all services, the transport minister said.

Uganda arrests man accused of killing and eating 38 people

Ugandan security forces have arrested a man accused of killing and eating 38 people over a 15-year period, according to the country's military chief.

5.4-magnitude earthquake strikes northeastern Chiba, strong shaking felt in Tokyo

The Japan Meteorological Agency said a 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture at around 12.07am on Thursday local time (11.07pm Hong Kong time on Tuesday).

In first budget, UK's Healey tries to shelter households from economic storms

UK finance minister John Healey offered help on Wednesday to households buffetted by "global economic storms", easing the hit from rising energy bills and helping drivers with fuel costs in the first budget of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government.

Policeman kills knife attacker outside Israeli embassy in Serbia

An attacker with two knives wounded a policeman guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade overnight, before the officer shot the assailant dead, Serbia's outgoing interior minister said on Wednesday.

Market

Wall Street ends higher as Fed holds key rate steady, focus turns to earnings

US stock indexes advanced on Wednesday after the US Federal Reserve left its key policy rate unchanged, as widely expected, shifting the probability of a rate hike to its next monetary policy meeting in December.

Fed holds rates steady as it awaits 'accumulation of more information'

The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday, as expected, opting to delay any changes to borrowing costs until after next week's US midterm elections and awaiting further data on the path of inflation.

Fed's Warsh announces changes in how future FOMC meetings will go

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh said on Wednesday the central bank will begin setting aside one of its eight regularly scheduled policy meetings next year and two in 2028 to weigh major issues facing the institution and will not use them to consider changes in monetary policy.

Amazon cuts more jobs, in devices unit, after flurry of product rollouts

Amazon cut about 250 jobs on Wednesday in its devices and services unit after weeks of product rollouts including new Kindle e-readers and tablet computers.

Bank of Canada raises key interest rate, says another hike possible

The Bank of Canada on Wednesday hiked its key policy rate for the first time in more than three years and said further increases might be needed to prevent soaring energy costs from fueling broader inflation.

Editorial

HK's aviation edge: connecting five continents, collaborating with the Greater Bay Area

Rather than competing with regional airports, Hong Kong should deepen GBA collaboration to keep talent, goods and capital flowing – and its international city status thriving.

Opinion

The deep and enduring art of Arab friendship | Arabic Window | Amjad Refai

In the Arab world, friendship is far more than casual companionship; it is a profound, soulful bond deeply rooted in centuries of cultural heritage. Classical Arab philosophers once described true friendship as a "psychological blending" of minds, a sacred relationship built on the virtues of loyalty, secret-keeping, and the grace to overlook each other's flaws.

Off the Richter scale: Paris Art Week | La Vie en Rose | Joanne Chan

Paris Art Week commenced smoothly last Monday with MaSH, or Matignon Saint-Honoré, an equivalent to the Hong Kong Art Walk, following street protests on October 17. This block walk kicked off a week-long circuit where international collectors, curators, and patrons sequentially migrated to museum openings and satellite fairs orbiting Art Basel Paris.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓