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New ecology rules drive cross-border collaboration An environmental expert says the country’s new Ecological and Environmental Code, which took effect on Saturday to mark National Ecology Day, opens up opportunities for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to deepen ecological partnerships. Passed by the National People's Congress in March, the legal framework is China’s second formal code, following the Civil Code enacted in 2020. Spanning five chapters with more than 1,200 articles, it covers key areas such as pollution control, ecological conservation, and green, low-carbon development. In addition, it regulates new types of pollution - such as light, electromagnetic radiation, organic chemicals, and pharmaceuticals - while requiring companies to file annual emissions reports and register pollution-related facilities. The code also turns the country’s “dual carbon” goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 from policy aspirations into statutory mandates. Yau Wing-kwong, founder and chief executive officer of the Environmental Association, noted that the code effectively consolidated over 30 existing national environment-related statutes. "It is really consolidating all these laws and making it easier for businesses and people to understand, and also easier to monitor and enforce,” he explained. Yau pointed out the code also opens up greater scope for collaboration between Hong Kong and cities in the GBA. "We have been building butterfly gardens in Hong Kong and also over the border with Shenzhen and even Macau. So the ecological corridor between butterflies or other species like birds and so on. They are already in practice,” he said. “But again, conservation, study and citizen science - and getting people involved - can be enhanced and go further.” Further cooperation, Yau noted, could also include research on renewable energy and waste recycling initiatives. Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 11:53:00

Privacy grouses surge to nearly 3,000 in first half The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data received nearly 3,000 complaints in the first half, a surge of more than 60 percent year on year. Commissioner Ada Chung said on Saturday the jump was mainly driven by AI adoption, with personal data being collected and used at speed and on a massive scale. “Because in the digital age, with the prevalence of social media platforms and the prevalence of the Internet, citizens are used to communicating through the social media platforms and they will provide all sorts of personal data to these platforms," she said after a Commercial Radio show. Chung also attributed the spike in complaints to heightened public awareness of the need for data protection. IT-related complaints, which came in at more than 800, accounted for a major portion of the grievances. Chung stressed that while many companies had put third parties in charge of their information systems, that did not mean they could let their guard down. “I do believe that the work can be contracted out,” Chung said. “However, the responsibility still lies with the data users; that means the company or the organisation itself still has the primary responsibility to safeguard the personal data in their possession.” Chung urged companies to also monitor the work of the contractors. Her office recently launched a data privacy and web security scan programme for schools, NGOs and SMEs to help them identify potential risks and vulnerabilities in data protection free of charge, as they usually lacked the resources to carry out such checks. She said the programme, scheduled to run until November 16, could be extended if demand from groups is overwhelming. Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 11:48:00

HK's first five-year plan to include green push: Cheuk Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk said on Saturday that Hong Kong is charting a greener future, and this will figure in its first five-year plan. Speaking at a symposium to mark National Ecology Day, he said the goal was to improve the environment and make Hong Kong a better place to live. "Hong Kong is currently drafting its first five-year plan. We will align it with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, advancing the goals of reducing carbon emissions and pollution, expanding green growth, improving ecological quality, and steadily transitioning towards a greener, more liveable Hong Kong," he said. He stressed that despite being a highly developed city, Hong Kong still has a rich natural ecosystem. He said it includes country parks that cover 40 per cent of the territory, over 580 bird species, and some 6,000 marine species. He added that the government has been protecting biodiversity through various policies. Cheuk noted that the government, together with more than 30 NGOs, has launched various offers and activities for National Ecology Day, including free access to facilities and free guided eco-tours. Speaking at the same event, Legco President Starry Lee said lawmakers are deeply concerned about environmental protection, sustainable development, and ecological issues. "Through the passage of bills, financial scrutiny, and the work of various committees, the Legislative Council has been closely following issues like air quality, waste reduction and recycling, marine protection, nature conservation, renewable energy, and green transport," she said. "Council members have also actively put forward suggestions and raised questions on green finance, low-carbon buildings, the circular economy, and climate change – helping the government to push forward work in these areas over the longer term." Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 11:38:00

UAE ship hit as Tehran says 'Hormuz to remain Iranian' United Arab Emirates' state-owned oil giant Adnoc said on Saturday another of its vessels came under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, the latest incident in the waterway at the centre of the US-Iran conflict. The attack came as Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi stressed that the strait "will remain Iranian", after US President Donald Trump said he would "soon" declare the waterway part of American territory. "The Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian," Gharibabadi said on X, adding that the route "will be opened and closed only at Iran's command". Tehran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait, a vital shipping route for global energy supplies, carrying out strikes on commercial ships since the war began in February. The Islamic republic has said it wants to charge users for passage, which Washington fiercely opposes. The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or Adnoc, "confirmed that one of its vessels was attacked while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on the evening of Friday," according to the official WAM news agency, but reported no injuries. The announcement came a day after the UAE accused Iran of attacking two vessels linked to Adnoc as they passed through the strait. Last week, Adnoc reported that three of its tankers had been attacked in the waterway, while the UAE foreign ministry separately announced an attack on another Adnoc tanker a day later. Continued attacks in the strait, which shippers were free to transit before the United States and Israel began attacking Iran in late February, led to the collapse of an April ceasefire between the Washington and Tehran. (AFP) Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 11:11:00

Koizumi faces Yasukuni visit fallout as PM stays away Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering to the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, a symbol of Japanese militarism and wartime aggression, on Saturday, local media reported. She made a "tamagushi" ritual offering to the war-linked shrine through senior officials of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on the occasion of the anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II, Kyodo News reported. Shinjiro Koizumi visited instead, public broadcaster NHK reported, marking the first visit by an incumbent Japanese defence minister since one of his predecessors, Minoru Kihara, did so in 2024. Yasukuni Shrine, located in central Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, honours 14 convicted Japanese Class-A war criminals from World War II. It has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbours. For a long time, visits and ritual offerings made by Japanese officials to the controversial shrine have consistently sparked criticism and opposition both at home and abroad, hurting the feelings of the people of China, South Korea and other countries and regions victimised by Japan's wartime aggression. Several senior lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party likewise paid visits to the controversial shrine on Saturday, the report said. (Xinhua) Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 10:23:00

Former Cambridge professor Jason Arday found dead Jason Arday, a former University of Cambridge professor who was at the centre of a plagiarism scandal, has died aged 41. Arday had resigned earlier this month as a professor of sociology of education following the accusations, which caused a furore in the world of academia. He was the university's youngest ever Black professor. He was found unresponsive by the ambulance service at a property in Battersea, south London. "Sadly, a 41-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by officers," the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. "At this time his death is being treated as unexpected, but is not believed to be suspicious. The case is being investigated by officers from the Met's Central South Command Unit," the police said. The University of Cambridge announced an investigation earlier this week into the circumstances of Arday's appointment to the Faculty of Education in 2022 and his time there since. A high-profile professor who appeared frequently in the media, Arday faced accusations this year that parts of his 2015 PhD thesis were plagiarised, which he denied. The allegations expanded to include apparent inconsistencies in Arday's other academic work, and questions over his claims about his career, personal life and medical conditions. "We are desperately saddened to hear this tragic news. Our heartfelt sympathies go to Jason Arday's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," Cambridge's Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice said in a statement. Britain's education secretary, Lucy Powell, said she was saddened to hear the news of Arday's death. His family said they were in shock. "The campaign of misinformation was too much for Jason, who was a gentle man and who always wanted to see the best in everyone," the family said in a statement provided by Arday's publisher, Simon & Schuster UK. "We won't comment further at this point beyond asking the press to leave us alone now, and to stop the campaign of harassment which has been waged against Jason and his family for too long." Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 09:31:00

Powerful quake strikes off Flores in Indonesia A strong 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Flores island in eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, sending thousands running in panic after authorities issued a tsunami warning. Residents in Nagekeo regency, the area closest to the epicentre, raced for higher ground as the sea retreated -- a possible sign of an approaching tsunami, AFP journalists saw. The warning was later lifted. The epicentre of the shallow quake was located off the north coast of the island, about 68 kilometres (42 miles) northwest of the coastal town of Ende, US and Indonesian authorities said. The initial jolt was followed by strong aftershocks in the same area, including one with a magnitude of 6.1. "Suddenly it started to shake and I panicked," 31-year-old hospital customer service official and Maumre resident, Lukas Lotar, told AFP. "Patients also fled the hospital, the jolt was big. I saw some walls were cracked," he said. A resident in Nagekeo, Yohanes Babo, 56, said he was at a market when the earth started shaking. "The shaking was strong. Thankfully, we were already outside the house," he told AFP. "People were panicking, running here and there. We're evacuating for the time being... and trying to get to the hills," he said, adding: "My family is safe. No one was harmed." Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned of the possibility of tsunami waves following the quake and urged people to get to higher ground. "We strongly urge our communities along the northern coast of Flores and in the southern parts, on the southern islands and across the southern region, to carry out self-evacuation immediately," Abdul Muhari, an official at the national disaster agency, BNPB, said. Residents should "move away from the shore, either by going more than two kilometres inland or by moving up into hilly areas more than 10 meters high," he told local broadcaster Kompas TV. BMKG earthquake and tsunami director Wijayanto said tsunami modelling suggested the potential for a tsunami in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara. An alert was issued for waves ranging from 0.5 metres to three metres (1.6 to 9.8 feet), but was later lifted. "We have ended (the tsunami warning) but we will keep monitoring the sea level," said Wijayanto, who like many Indonesians, goes by one name. Residents in the town of Maumere on Flores Island were evacuating to higher ground, an AFP correspondent saw. Images broadcast on Indonesian television showed hundreds of people in nearby Nagekeo regency evacuating the area from among the rubble of damaged buildings. Authorities have not reported any casualties, but said tsunami waves between 19 and 30 centimetres have been detected. Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 09:22:00

Bezos-linked consortium to buy Liverpool stake A consortium including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has reached a definitive agreement to buy a minority stake in Liverpool, the Premier League club's owners Fenway Sports Group said on Friday. A source familiar with the matter said the stake is about one-third. British media reports said the deal was worth more than £1.5 billion, which values the club at over £5 billion (US$7 billion). FSG, which bought Liverpool in 2010 for £300 million, will maintain the majority share and operational control of the club. The consortium, named 1892 Holdings, is led by former Queens Park Rangers chairman Amit Bhatia and also includes the Mittal Family Trusts, EE Capital and the K5 Sports fund, where Bezos is the lead investor. "As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special," FSG president Mike Gordon said in a statement. "Their experience and perspective will complement the strong foundation already in place, and we look forward to working together." Bhatia will become the club's new vice chairman and join the expanded board along with Elaine Saverin from EE Capital and Bryan Baum from K5 Sports. Bezos will not have a seat on the board, according to the source. "To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege," Bhatia said. "We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club's continued success for years to come.” Liverpool, who have been English champions a joint-record 20 times, finished fifth in the Premier League last season. They will start the new campaign at Newcastle United on August 23. Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 08:22:00

US stocks retreat from record high after weak data The US stock market edged back from its all-time high on Friday following the latest report on the economy to come in surprisingly weak, this time about how much shoppers are spending at retailers. Such data could keep interest rates low, which is something Wall Street loves, but it also raises the risk of a slowing economy when inflation is still high. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2 percent from its record set the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 107 points, or 0.2 percent, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.3 percent. The S&P 500 fell 13.23 points to 7,785.76, but still closed out a third straight winning week, its longest such streak since a nine-week run that ended in May. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 107.58 to 53,732.41, and the Nasdaq composite sank 73.87 to 26,729.16. Stocks gave up modest gains from early in the morning after oil prices swung higher. The price for a barrel of Brent crude rose 1.7 percent to US$88.52 as uncertainty continues about when the war with Iran will allow oil tankers to freely exit the Persian Gulf again. Also raising uncertainty was a report showing shoppers spent less at US retailers last month than the month before. That surprised economists, who were forecasting another month of growth. On the bright side for financial markets, such a pullback in spending could take pressure off inflation, which could encourage the Federal Reserve to hold off on hikes to interest rates. US consumers still appear to be getting more discouraged about the economy. A preliminary survey by the University of Michigan suggested sentiment among them is weakening by more than economists expected. The survey said drops occurred across the political spectrum and showed up particularly among older, lower-income and other groups who can be hurt most by inflation. On Wall Street, Reddit jumped 12.6 percent on the news that it will join the S&P 500 index on Tuesday. Applied Materials fell 5.1 percent even though the company, whose technology helps make semiconductors, reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. AI stocks in general have been swinging sharply on worries that their prices shot too high because of AI euphoria and that their strong growth in revenue may not be sustainable. (AP) Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 08:09:00

Trump says he will declare Hormuz as US territory US President Donald Trump on Friday said he would "soon" declare the Strait of Hormuz waterway part of US territory after defeating Iran. "After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated -- pretty soon I'll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States," he said with a chuckle during a political rally at a police academy in New York state. "It's true," he added. Trump, together with Israel, launched a war against Iran on February 28 with the stated aims of ending the country's nuclear programme and sparking a popular uprising. However, Iran struck back by establishing de facto control over much of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for large amounts of global energy and other commodity shipping. The United States remains locked in a stalemate with Iran over the strait, with Iran denying access to much of the civilian shipping and the US Navy mounting a blockade of Iranian ports in an attempt to cripple its economy. "We have the blockade. No ships get through unless we want them to," Trump the cheering crowd of supporters and police. Edited by Robert Kemp 2026-08-15 07:59:00

US retail sales weakest in over a year in July US retail sales declined unexpectedly in July, government estimates showed on Friday, marking their weakest showing in more than a year as consumers pulled back at auto dealers and online stores. Total sales were down 0.6 percent in July from the previous month, at US$763.6 billion, according to the US Department of Commerce. Excluding sales at auto dealers and gasoline stations, sales dipped 0.2 percent on a month-on-month basis. Analysts had expected a 0.1 percent uptick in sales for the month instead, and all eyes are on US consumer health as households grapple with inflation while drawing down on their savings. "American consumers are showing signs of fatigue. July retail sales were disappointing on all levels," said Navy Federal Credit Union chief economist Heather Long. Consumers likely brought forward their spending to capitalise on online sales events in June, Long said. But she warned: "Even with lower spending on gas in July, consumers weren't eager to spend elsewhere." Inflation has remained elevated in recent months, boosted by higher gasoline prices, after US-Israel strikes targeting Iran prompted Tehran to block most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is critical for global energy transit and the disruption has pushed prices up at US gasoline stations. But gasoline prices cooled in July, weighing on sales at the pump, even as costs remain higher than before the Middle East war started. Among major categories, retail sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers were down 1.8 percent from the prior month. Spending ticked down at grocery stores too, while hobby spending was flat. Sales at gasoline stations dropped by 0.9 percent, and those at online stores tumbled 2.2 percent. Still, retail sales were up five percent from the same period a year ago. (AFP) Edited by Aaron Tam 2026-08-14 22:35:00

Govt concludes review of CX comm loss incident The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) said on Friday that it has completed its review of Cathay Pacific’s full investigation into last month’s in-flight communication failure involving a Hong Kong–to-London flight. The incident came to light after Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi posted on social media that the Airbus A350 heading to Heathrow had briefly lost contact with air traffic control while flying over Romanian airspace, prompting a Nato quick-reaction alert. Cathay Pacific later confirmed the occurrence. According to the CAD’s statement, the aircraft’s communication equipment was found to be functioning normally throughout the event. The disruption was instead attributed to the flight crew selecting an incorrect radio frequency in response to instructions intended for another aircraft. The crew subsequently failed to recognise that communication had been lost. Following the incident, Cathay Pacific has rolled out a series of corrective measures. These include revisions to operational and monitoring protocols for the communication system, along with reinforced reminders for flight crews to maintain heightened vigilance at all times. The CAD expressed serious concern over the episode and has directed the airline to rigorously implement the planned improvements. This includes providing additional training and performance assessments for the crew members involved. Reaffirming the critical importance of uninterrupted communication between flight crews and air traffic controllers, the department has also called on Cathay Pacific to strengthen its internal reporting mechanisms for safety-related events. The airline had already begun adopting the enhanced procedures in mid-July. The CAD confirmed it will continue to closely monitor the effectiveness of these measures in the coming months. Edited by Aaron Tam 2026-08-14 21:41:00

Chinese firm to launch Arctic shipping route till Oct A Chinese shipowner is set to begin the world's first weekly container service through the Arctic on an express route to Europe on Saturday, making the voyages until October. The company, Sea Legend, tested the premise last year when it completed the first China-to-Europe container ship transit through the frigid Northern Sea Route (NSR) along Russia's coastline. The journey from the city of Ningbo to the English port of Felixstowe took 20 days, according to the company – about half the time it takes for shipments from China to Europe via the Suez Canal. Sea Legend will become the first operator to run a regular container service through the NSR, for a seven-week period until October 3. A Sea Legend ship called "Dubai Tower" will leave Ningbo for Felixstowe on Saturday night, an employee at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port said on Friday. Other shipping companies have transited the Arctic passage before, with Denmark's Maersk the first to do so in 2018. The NSR saw a record 23 container transits in 2025, up from 15 the previous year, according to shipping analysis from business insurer Allianz Commercial published in June. Analysts say the Arctic is an important future trade route, particularly for China, which in 2018 outlined its vision for greater access to the region through a "Polar Silk Road". The period up to October 3 is "broadly aligned with the period when ships can expect to transit without icebreaker assistance", Niels Rasmussen, chief shipping analyst at the shipping lobby BIMCO, wrote in a note. Sea Legend's departing ships, however, will carry less than 0.5 percent of the weekly container volume from East and Southeast Asia to North Europe, he said. The limited duration of the service "is equal to less than 0.1 percent of the annual container volumes between the two regions", he added. (AFP) Edited by Azam Khan 2026-08-14 21:23:00

Two civil service teams awarded for exemplary service Chief Executive John Lee presented the Chief Executive’s Award for Exemplary Performance to two inter-departmental teams at a ceremony on Friday, recognising their outstanding contributions to the community. The award, established to celebrate excellence and dedication within the civil service, aims to inspire public servants to continually raise their standards and strive for improvement. This year, the accolade went to the team that safely dismantled a wartime bomb in Quarry Bay last year, as well as the team responsible for the handling of light public housing projects. In his address, Lee commended both groups for embodying the highest professional values of the civil service. "Since taking office four years ago, the current term government has continuously pursued reform and innovation, adopting a results-oriented approach, and our policy initiatives have gradually borne fruit," he said. "From the professionalism and solidarity shown in handling the wartime bomb to the efficiency and innovation in building light public housing, our civil service colleagues have consistently demonstrated a dedicated service spirit, daring to face challenges and take on responsibilities." Lee also expressed his gratitude to all civil servants for their steadfast service. In September last year, a 1,000-pound wartime bomb, containing 500 pounds of high explosives with an enormous destructive potential, was unearthed at a construction site in Quarry Bay. The situation was made even more urgent by Super Typhoon Ragasa, which was approaching the SAR. Senior Bomb Disposal Officer Suryanto Chin-chiu described the operation as the most challenging of its kind among all large-scale wartime bomb disposals ever handled in Hong Kong. "As everyone knows, the nearest residential buildings were about 30 metres away [from the bomb], and there are also many commercial buildings in the area. We are evacuating nearly 3,000 people from this district to a single assembly point," he said. "Despite the severe weather conditions, through the professionalism and dedication of our entire team, we ultimately succeeded in defusing the bomb – and all of this happened before the typhoon arrived, allowing citizens to return safely to their homes." Meanwhile, the light public housing team has been making significant strides in addressing housing needs, since the Chief Executive put forward the initiative in 2022 to build about 30,000 units in five years time. Winnie Wong, who was Deputy Secretary for Housing at the time, recalls that the memory of completing the first light public housing project and witnessing residents move in remains deeply moving. "This experience has also reminded me that every day we come to work, we must put people first because our work can truly affect so many lives. We must be bold enough to break convention and dare to innovate," she said. The ceremony marked the fourth edition of the awards. Edited by Aaron Tam 2026-08-14 21:20:00

Evening News on TV32 - Aug 14 Top stories for Friday, Aug 14, 2026 - Officials say there's great support for Hong Kong's first five-year plan, as a public consultation wraps up. - The government raises the SAR's full-year economic growth forecast to a range of 3.5 to 4.5 percent. - Record rainfall in Japan leaves at least eight people dead and disrupts flights. 2026-08-14 20:38:00

16K entries received for HK's 5-year plan consultation The two-month public consultation for Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan officially concluded on Friday, drawing more than 16,000 submissions from citizens and stakeholders across a wide range of sectors, according to Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse. Speaking to reporters at the close of the consultation period, Tse highlighted the strong engagement from the community. "Public response has been very enthusiastic. General public and stakeholders from different sectors take the formulation of Hong Kong's first five-year plan very seriously and are keen to contribute their views and suggestions," she said. Throughout the consultation, over 100 sessions were held, around 30 of which were personally led by Chief Executive John Lee to gather input from different industries and professional groups. In addition, Tse noted that authorities visited other Greater Bay Area cities to seek feedback on ways to further align with regional development. "Hong Kong's first five-year plan will help us better seize both international and national development opportunities. It is not only a matter for the Hong Kong SAR, but also an integral part of the national 15th Five-Year Plan," she said. "Hong Kong's five-year plan is a major initiative to integrate into and serve the overall development of the country and at the same time a milestone for public administration in Hong Kong." Among the key topics raised in the submissions were proposals to advance the development of the "Four Centres and One Highland" – which include Hong Kong’s roles as an international financial, shipping, trade, and innovation and technology hub, alongside its ambitions to become a global talent hub. Many respondents also voiced support for accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. Beyond economic and strategic planning, however, Tse noted that citizens expressed concern over livelihood issues, including housing, healthcare, education and welfare. Given the substantial volume of feedback, the government is now employing artificial intelligence to help synthesise and analyse the collected views. Authorities aim to release the final document in September. Edited by Aaron Tam 2026-08-14 19:08:00

One dead, three missing in Zhejiang landslide A mudslide in Zhejiang province on Friday killed one person and three others remained missing, while eastern and southern provinces were bracing for more downpours and floods, the nation's state media reported. The mudslide occurred around 6.30am in Changxing County and caused a house to collapse, Xinhua News Agency said. A preliminary investigation showed that the mudslide was triggered by a flash flood after a sudden burst of heavy rain. Rescue work was underway, Xinhua reported. The nation is increasingly battling destructive weather that scientists link to climate change, especially this year, as an emerging El Niño pattern boosts temperatures and fuels more frequent and intense typhoons. Natural disasters on the mainland in July, when the country was affected by typhoons Maysak, Bavi and Noul, left 318 people dead or missing and caused direct economic losses of 57.15 billion yuan, according to data released by the Ministry of Emergency Management. Both numbers were higher compared with a year ago. Typhoon Dolphin, which made landfall on Sunday, unleashed extreme rain across eastern, central and northern regions this week, breaking single-day rainfall records at 13 weather stations across the country. In central Henan province, authorities were organising the evacuation of 781 people after a riverbank was breached late on Thursday in the city of Zhoukou, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday. Remnants of Typhoon Dolphin, combined with cold air and a monsoon trough, are expected to bring more heavy rain in eastern and southeastern parts of the country from Friday to Sunday, CCTV said in a separate report. A basin-wide major flood is expected in Lake Tai in the east, the country's third-largest freshwater lake and the origin of a number of rivers, according to CCTV. (Reuters) Edited by Edmond Fong 2026-08-14 18:12:00

Govt raises full-year GDP growth forecast The government on Friday raised Hong Kong's economic growth forecast for 2026 to 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent, thanks to a strong first half. The economy was earlier projected to grow by 2.5 to 3.5 percent year on year. The upward revision came after the city posted a 5.1 percent growth in the January-to-June period, the best half-year performance in nearly five years. GDP growth reached 4.3 percent in the second quarter following a 5.9 percent increase in the first three months of the year. Speaking at a press conference, Government Economist Irina Fan noted the city has recorded six consecutive quarters of growth higher than the 10-year quarterly average of 2.8 percent. Fan said the economic outlook remains positive, citing robust global demand for technology- and AI-related products. "Nevertheless, external headwinds persist, so geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain fluid, and the potential to spill over to energy markets as well as global inflation, and the inflation dynamics in major economies, the policy path of major central banks, as well as the trade protectionist measures among advanced economies still required close monitoring," she told reporters. "Risk associated with the rapid expansion of the global AI investments also required monitoring." Fan noted varying performances among sectors, with exports rising 28.9 percent in the second quarter and 23.8 percent in the prior three months, whereas growth in private consumption expenditure slowed to 2.8 percent between April and June after a 4.9 percent growth in the first quarter. On inflation, the government expects consumer prices to rise in the coming months as the earlier surge in international oil prices continued to feed through. The forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation maintained at 2.5 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. Edited by Edmond Fong 2026-08-14 17:54:00

Hang Seng Index bucks region to finish lower Most Asian stocks rose on Friday, tracking a record day on Wall Street, as another soft US inflation reading solidified expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold off hiking interest rates. But shares in Hong Kong bucked the trend, with the benchmark Hang Seng Index falling 279 points, or 1.1 percent, to 25,116 on turnover of HK$254.18 billion. The tech index was 84 points, or 1.8 percent, down at 4,707 while the China enterprises index was 85 points, or 1 percent, lower at 8,340. On the mainland, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.01 percent to end the day at 3,927. The Shenzhen Component Index was 64 points, or 0.45 percent, higher at 14,354 while the ChiNext Index gained 40 points, or 1.12 percent, to 3,626. In Tokyo, the Nikkei advanced 405 points, or 0.59 percent, to 68,713, notching a 4.7 percent weekly gain. The broader Topix climbed 21 points, or 0.51 percent, to 4,197, a record close. In Seoul, the Kospi ended up 164 points, or 2.42 percent, at 6,977 for its highest close since July 23, led by gains in chipmakers on AI optimism. The benchmark ended the week up 11.5 percent, the first weekly gain in eighth weeks and the biggest since early May. Crude prices jumped almost 2 percent – almost wiping out Thursday's drop – after the United Arab Emirates blamed Teran for attacks on two vessels linked to its state-owned oil company as they passed through the waterway. (Agencies) Edited by Edmond Fong 2026-08-14 17:07:00

Farage beats Count Binface in UK by-election Reform UK leader Nigel Farage regained his parliamentary seat on Friday in an election he triggered to bolster his position against allegations of financial impropriety, a strategy that was undermined when his main challenger, a comedian ⁠dressed as a trash can, won more than a quarter of the vote. Farage, one of Britain's leading Brexit campaigners, in a highly unusual move did not turn up for the count in the southern English seaside resort of Clacton because he said the police had advised him that there was a campaign to disrupt the result. "I am damned if I am going to stand on a stage, having won a resounding victory... and be demeaned and humiliated by nobodies," Farage told supporters at a party before the result was announced. The election was triggered after Farage resigned from parliament last month to seek a fresh mandate from voters in what he described as a war against an establishment bent on discrediting him over taking undeclared gifts from donors. After Britain's main parties pulled out ⁠of the race, calling it a self-serving stunt, Farage's main challenger ended up being Count Binface, a figure created by ⁠comedian Jonathan Harvey, who has become a ⁠fixture of fun at British elections While Farage took 22,239 votes, or 62.8 percent, Count Binface, whose policies included capping the price of ice cream cones and conscripting anyone using a speakerphone on public transport, secured 9,455 votes, or 26.7 percent. After enjoying a ⁠lengthy lead in the opinion polls, Reform has seen its popularity wane, ‌driven partly by the funding accusations made against Farage, who is under investigation in parliament over whether he should have declared a £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire investor. After declaring his decision to trigger the ‌election in Clacton little more than a ploy to distract from those allegations, other British parties pulled out of the race, leaving even some of Farage's strongest supporters ⁠questioning whether the veteran politician had been wrong-footed. Farage's ‌position has not been helped by a rise in support for the governing Labour Party. Since Andy Burnham became prime minister last month, Labour has been enjoying a bounce in ratings, with the party leading Reform 28 percent to 25 percent. Burnham has dominated the airwaves and social media in his first few weeks in office, and while the next national election is expected in three years' time, he appears to be consolidating a left-leaning bloc around Labour. Reform, on ⁠the other hand, is ‌competing for a divided right-wing vote with the Conservative Party and the anti-immigration party Restore Britain gaining ‌in support. (Reuters & AFP) Edited by Edmond Fong 2026-08-14 14:33:00