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France hit by fresh protests, strike

French riot police fired tear gas and charged a group of protesters in the French city of Lyon on Thursday as demonstrations took place across the country in a renewed challenge to President Emmanuel Macron after weeks of unrest. Some of the protesters were seen shouting anti-police slogans and some were dressed all in black, with face coverings. The Interior Ministry said police in Lyon had been confronted by several hundred hardcore protesters and that the violence had been contained although tensions remained high. The nationwide protests and a strike by public workers, called by trade unions and backed by student groups, come after demonstrations over living costs, public services and education triggered the worst civil unrest France has seen in years. The unrest comes only five months before a presidential election which could pit far-right candidate Marine Le Pen against hard-left rival Jean-Luc Melenchon in a second-round run-off. Macron, who is serving his second term and is unpopular, cannot run again. The Interior Ministry said people throwing fireworks had caused a fire at a high school near the city of Toulouse in the southwest on Thursday morning, forcing pupils and staff to evacuate the building while firefighters doused the flames. "This criminal behaviour is an absolute scandal," said Education Minister Edouard Geffray on X. French high school students and other demonstrators had earlier faced off against riot police in Paris as they blocked a street with rubbish bins on Thursday morning. While the demonstrations in Lyon and other cities including Marseille and Nantes began in the morning, the main protest in Paris was only scheduled to start at 2pm (1300 GMT), from Place de la Republique. The Eiffel Tower was shut on Thursday because of the strike. "The government tried to block the demonstrations. The demonstrations are bigger than ever," Sophie Binet, head of the CGT trade union, told reporters. She estimated that some 250,000 people were demonstrating across France. "High school students, pensioners, students, workers, all together. Unity wins," read one banner at the protest in Lyon. "Our pay has not kept up with inflation," said Mehdi Dumontroty, a 45-year-old firefighter who was joining the protest in Paris. "What happened this summer proves that we were right when we said we needed more resources to deal with the crisis that we faced," he said, referring to wildfires caused earlier this year by intense heat waves. Authorities had sought to lower tensions after riots and looting on October 17 caught security forces off guard, leaving damaged shops and public buildings across the country and fuelling criticism of Macron's handling of the crisis. Around 70,000 police were on duty nationwide, a comparable figure to recent weekends. The French government has defended police tactics while saying any abuses would be investigated. The strike contributed to a reduction in France's nuclear output early on Thursday. However, no major problems were reported on the transport network. The Education Ministry said just over 15 percent of French teaching staff had joined the strike. (Reuters) Edited by Edmond Fong

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Flights in Europe hit by more hoax threats

Multiple flights in Europe were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday, forcing emergency landings, searches and military escorts to airports in France, Italy and Bulgaria. A British official called them “malicious hoaxes" that followed another rash of hoax threats earlier this week. More than a dozen flights from cities including Copenhagen, Dublin, Helsinki, Madrid, Milan and Warsaw were confirmed to have been targeted with bomb threats, most diverted to other airports for emergency landings while others landed safely at their destinations. So far inspections have not turned up hazardous or suspicious materials. Britain’s Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told British broadcasters that flights across Europe have been hit by “malicious hoax threats”. The European Union’s Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said that “any threats against civilians are unacceptable,” and that the EU’s executive branch was in contact with affected member countries. “It is too early to draw conclusions on whether the reported incidents are linked,” Tzitzikostas told reporters in Dublin. “National investigations remain ongoing.” He said that an EU level information-sharing mechanism on aviation security had been activated, and that “we don’t have information yet whether this is a cyberattack”. Such threats are not new, but the latest incidents come at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and other disruptions, including attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, drone incursions in Europe and mysterious triggers to alert apps. Authorities have warned that hybrid threats abound. (AP) Edited by Edmond Fong

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Tang condemns external smearing over Wong sentence

Secretary for Security Chris Tang strongly condemned on Thursday attacks by external forces following the sentencing of former activist Joshua Wong, who was imprisoned for 10 years after pleading guilty to conspiring with foreign countries or external elements to endanger national security. Tang said the court, in passing sentence on Wong, found that he, Nathan Law, who has absconded, and others had continued to collude with foreign officials and outlets in calling for sanctions and hostile measures against the nation, Hong Kong and their officials. He reiterated that Wong was sentenced under fair and open judicial proceedings, showing that the SAR abides by the rule of law. "Those launching attacks against us are exactly the same external forces that Wong and Law attempted to collude... They must be strongly condemned, and Hong Kong citizens must recognise and acknowledge that clearly," Tang said. Speaking outside the High Court earlier on Thursday, Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police's national security department, said Wong had taken part in social movements from a young age and committed various offences in adulthood. Li said he hoped Wong would reflect on his wrongdoings. "I sincerely hope that for the rest of his time in prison, apart from reflecting on the wrongdoings he has done to the country and to the Hong Kong SAR, he must seize the opportunity to learn how to respect the law and properly understand his own country," he said. Edited by Tony Sabine

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DOJ launches HK$20,000 lawtech funding scheme

The Department of Justice has launched a funding scheme aimed at helping small and medium-sized law firms and newly qualified barristers adopt legal technology. The Funding Scheme for LawTech Solution Subscription, managed by the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association, will provide eligible applicants with up to HK$20,000 for a one-year subscription to designated legal technology services. The list covers services from 14 local, mainland and overseas providers, spanning legal research, document drafting, workflow management and hearing support. Eligible applicants are sole practitioners, Hong Kong law firms with five or fewer partners, and barristers with no more than seven years of call. Speaking to reporters at Hong Kong Legal Week on Thursday, Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung said the pilot scheme would ease the financial burden on applicants seeking to improve their ability to adopt lawtech services. "We hope that we can use such kind of financial incentive to encourage them to use the lawtech tools in their practice and we believe that after this pilot scheme, they will know how good the legal tool can help them in their practice," he said. "I would say that is only the beginning. Certainly we will monitor the progress of the pilot scheme and see what we can do further for the legal sector in the years ahead." Cheung also said the Department of Justice would release guidance notes on the application of technology in legal practice. The notes, he said, are intended to give the legal profession principles to consider and practical advice on adopting legal technology, helping practitioners guard against potential risks while remaining mindful of their ongoing professional responsibilities. Meanwhile, José-Antonio Maurellet, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, said the scheme was timely and far-sighted and would benefit about 500 members. He believes it would encourage younger members to invest more time and resources in training and to stay competitive. Roden Tong, president of the Law Society of Hong Kong, for his part, said the Department of Justice had introduced the scheme for a second time, adding that the support helped the legal profession make better use of technology and improve efficiency. The application deadline is January 29. Edited by Tony Sabine

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HK 'to widen trade reach to help nation go global'

Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday said Hong Kong would continue to expand its international trade network to better contribute to the country's overall development. Speaking at the Hong Kong sub-forum of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, he noted the event was the first major conference held by the SAR since the unveiling of its first-ever five-year plan in September. The conference, Lee said, allowed experts and industry leaders from both the mainland and Hong Kong to gather and explore how the city could leverage its unique position under "One Country, Two Systems" and integrate into national development. One key focus area is trade, he said. “Hong Kong has become the fifth-largest merchandise trading entity in the world, having signed free-trade agreements with 21 economies and investment agreements with 34 economies," Lee said. "The SAR government will continue to expand its international economic and trade network to play a greater role in the country’s high-standard opening up." The world, Lee pointed out, is experiencing a once-in-a-century transformation, which is happening alongside a global supply chain restructuring and rapid technological advancement. He stressed that Hong Kong must proactively plan for its future and implement a forward-looking strategic plan with a calm and measured approach. Another key focus area, Lee said, is finance. Describing it as Hong Kong’s fundamental and greatest area of strength, he stressed that the SAR must consolidate its role as an international financial centre. He added that Hong Kong would strengthen its position as the world's largest offshore renminbi hub to expand the global use of the currency and actively build a commodity and gold trading ecosystem. Lee also noted that Hong Kong would proactively align with national scientific research and industrial strategies, accelerate its investment in science and technology, and help mainland enterprises expand overseas through its GoGlobal Task Force. Later, Lee toured various booths hosted by Hong Kong enterprises and institutions taking part in the China International Import Expo, which is being held concurrently with the forum. He listened to a briefing by Hong Kong Polytechnic University representatives, and at one booth, tasted traditional sweetheart cakes — also known as wife cakes. A representative told the chief executive that the pastries have been a huge hit at high-speed rail stations on the mainland, adding that they have revamped their packaging to feature Hong Kong elements on the design, such as trams, to appeal to younger generations. Lee also visited a craft beer booth to try a brew infused with the flavour of salty-lemon 7Up — an iconic Hong Kong cha chaan teng drink that mixes 7Up with salted preserved lemon. A representative at the booth told him that Hong Kong enjoys a major advantage in sourcing raw ingredients thanks to being a highly international city. Lee said Hong Kong could host its own beer festival in the future, encouraging the business to keep growing and build itself into a premier local brand for such events. Frederick Ma, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said the council led a delegation of more than 70 Hong Kong enterprises at this year's expo, with records set in both the number of participating exhibitors and the amount of exhibition space used. _____________________________ Last updated: 2026-11-05 HKT 17:10 Edited by Tony Sabine

news.rthk.hk

HK 'to widen trade reach to help nation go global'

Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday said Hong Kong would continue to expand its international trade network to better contribute to the country's overall development. Speaking at the Hong Kong sub-forum of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai, he noted the event was the first major conference held by the SAR since the unveiling of its first-ever five-year plan in September. The conference, Lee said, allowed experts and industry leaders from both the mainland and Hong Kong to gather and explore how the city could leverage its unique position under "One Country, Two Systems" and integrate into national development. One key focus area is trade, he said. “Hong Kong has become the fifth-largest merchandise trading entity in the world, having signed free-trade agreements with 21 economies and investment agreements with 34 economies," Lee said. "The SAR government will continue to expand its international economic and trade network to play a greater role in the country’s high-standard opening up." The world, Lee pointed out, is experiencing a once-in-a-century transformation, which is happening alongside a global supply chain restructuring and rapid technological advancement. He stressed that Hong Kong must proactively plan for its future and implement a forward-looking strategic plan with a calm and measured approach. Another key focus area, Lee said, is finance. Describing it as Hong Kong’s fundamental and greatest area of strength, he stressed that the SAR must consolidate its role as an international financial centre. He added that Hong Kong would strengthen its position as the world's largest offshore renminbi hub to expand the global use of the currency and actively build a commodity and gold trading ecosystem. Lee also noted that Hong Kong would proactively align with national scientific research and industrial strategies, accelerate its investment in science and technology, and help mainland enterprises expand overseas through its GoGlobal Task Force. Later, Lee toured various booths hosted by Hong Kong enterprises and institutions taking part in the China International Import Expo, which is being held concurrently with the forum. He listened to a briefing by Hong Kong Polytechnic University representatives, and at one booth, tasted traditional sweetheart cakes — also known as wife cakes. A representative told the chief executive that the pastries have been a huge hit at high-speed rail stations on the mainland, adding that they have revamped their packaging to feature Hong Kong elements on the design, such as trams, to appeal to younger generations. Lee also visited a craft beer booth to try a brew infused with the flavour of salty-lemon 7Up — an iconic Hong Kong cha chaan teng drink that mixes 7Up with salted preserved lemon. A representative at the booth told him that Hong Kong enjoys a major advantage in sourcing raw ingredients thanks to being a highly international city. Lee said Hong Kong could host its own beer festival in the future, encouraging the business to keep growing and build itself into a premier local brand for such events. Frederick Ma, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said the council led a delegation of more than 70 Hong Kong enterprises at this year's expo, with records set in both the number of participating exhibitors and the amount of exhibition space used. _____________________________ Last updated: 2026-11-05 HKT 17:10 Edited by Tony Sabine

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Wong undermined HK's prosperity and stability: CE

Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday said Joshua Wong was one of the “primary culprits responsible for undermining Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability” after he was jailed for 10 years for conspiracy to collude with foreign countries or external elements to endanger national security. In a statement, Lee said Wong has repeatedly broken the law over the years, adding that before the implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) Wong, Nathan Law and others persistently colluded with foreign countries and tried to get them to impose sanctions against China and the SAR. Lee went on to say that after the NSL took effect, Wong, Law and their accomplices “showed no repentance and continued to act as agents of foreign countries and external forces, wantonly persisting in conspiring to collude with foreign countries or external forces to endanger national security, in a vain attempt to exert pressure on the Central Authorities and the HKSAR Government through external forces, betraying Hong Kong while remaining incorrigible". Meanwhile, a government spokesman said Wong's sentence "completely shattered the illusion of individuals endangering national security that they could escape liability under the guise of so-called 'international battlefront' or 'international advocacy', and demonstrated to the international community the HKSAR's firm determination to safeguard national security". Edited by Edmond Fong

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