A counter-terrorism drill held at Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Tuesday saw the authorities tackling terrorists opening fire from the stands and the discovery of a backpack containing a suspicious device. Police, fire, customs, immigration, prison and Government Flying Service officers took part in the simulation, aimed at strengthening their capa…

An explosive device planted close to a residential apartment block in Moscow killed the head of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Defence Forces, Lt. General Igor Kirillov, early on Tuesday, Russia’s Investigative Committee said. Kirillov’s assistant also died in the blast, triggered by the device which was placed in a scooter, officials s…

An earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck Vanuatu's capital Port Vila on Tuesday, damaging buildings and cars with at least one person reported killed. Vanuatu state broadcaster VBTC showed footage of vehicles crushed in a building collapse on a street lined with retailers. The broadcaster reported one person had been trapped in a collapsed building. P…

Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said the government will seriously consider all opinions on the next budget. With a public consultation under way on Sunday, Lee said Financial Secretary Paul Chan will give serious consideration to all the advice proposed for the upcoming budget. "A lot of advice and opinions have already been provided," Lee tol…

Chief Executive John Lee on Tuesday said Hong Kong is ready for an influx of tourists on New Year's Eve, with special border crossing and transport arrangements in place. Speaking to reporters before the weekly Executive Council meeting, Lee said the government will ensure visitors have a smooth journey home after enjoying the 12-minute fireworks d…

The Consumer Council on Monday called for a review of claw machine regulations after seeing an increase in the number of complaints about the games. The council received 42 complaints about claw machines from January to November this year, three times more than during the same period last year. Complainants alleged machine settings were manipulated…

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was discharged on Sunday from a Sao Paulo hospital following emergency surgery to treat an intracranial hemorrhage. "I am here in one piece... returning home calmly," the 79-year-old leader said as he made a surprise appearance at a news conference by his medical team at Hospital Sirio-Libanes. He later…

An enhanced interactive exhibition dedicated to the now-demolished Kowloon Walled City has moved from the airport to Kai Tak's airside mall, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the movie sets from "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In". The second phase of the exhibition, which was inspired by the movie, opened on Monday and will run un…

Senior officials on Sunday said the death toll from Cyclone Chido's passage across Mayotte would be in the hundreds, perhaps even thousands, as France rushed rescue workers and supplies to the French island territory off Mozambique. Their efforts will be hindered by the damage to airports and electricity distribution. Even before the cyclone's pass…

South Korea's Constitutional Court kicked off proceedings on Monday over the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who has been suspended from office over his failed bid to impose martial law. It comes as South Korean law enforcement authorities are pushing to summon Yoon for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree. A joint investigat…

The Consumer Council on Monday urged people to choose anti-dandruff shampoo carefully, after finding EU-banned substances in some products on the market. The watchdog tested 25 anti-dandruff models and found that four contained zinc pyrithione (ZPT), which is banned in the European Union due to the potential harm to unborn children. The four brands…

The Consumer Council on Monday said that some desk mats commonly used as table protectors contain chemicals that can affect fertility or growth. Among 15 desk mats it tested, seven contained four plasticisers listed as reproductive toxicants exceeding a European Union limit. In the worst example, plasticisers in a desk mat by Qivation surpassed the…

Police say more and more young people are now interested in joining the force and it aims to recruit another 400 officers and 80 inspectors in the next few months. With almost 6,000 vacancies across various departments, the force held a recruitment day on Sunday, giving people a taste of what it feels to like to wear the uniform, and even fire a gu…

Financial Secretary Paul Chan on Sunday urged Hongkongers to "team up for a brighter future" as he invited people to put forward suggestions for his next budget. A consultation exercise ahead of the blueprint expected in February got underway on Sunday. It comes after the government doubled its estimated deficit for the current financial year to ar…

The head of the government's investment vehicle on Sunday said the corporation will take on more projects and expand strategic partnerships next year to boost Hong Kong's economy and competitiveness. Clara Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Investment Corporation, told a radio programme that she will reach out to overseas companies that have cutting-edge techn…