The observatory says it will issue the Gale or Storm Signal warning at 2:20 on Tuesday afternoon, as Super Typhoon Ragasa edges closer to Hong Kong. The forecaster is expecting local conditions to deteriorate significantly. As Charlie Chun reports, it's not ruling out higher signals.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan says all government departments are fully prepared to handle what could be one of the strongest storms to ever hit Hong Kong. Officials have stepped up anti-flood efforts across the city. Charlie Chun reports.

While classes will be suspended over at least the next couple of days, public hospitals will maintain accident and emergency services. Social welfare services will, however, be affected. Elvis Yu has more.

The Airport Authority has warned passengers to expect disruptions to their travel plans as Super Typhoon Ragasa bears down on Hong Kong and forces the cancellation of flights. The authority is anticipating a significant reduction in passenger flights from 6pm on Tuesday. Janice Lo reports.

The MTR Corporation says it has stepped up inspection of flood-prevention equipment and drainage systems across its network. Elvis Yu has the details.

Chief Executive John Lee has called on senior government officials not to underestimate the impact of Super Typhoon Ragasa, saying there are still uncertainties. He also called on members of the public to remain on the alert. Frank Yung reports.

Neighbouring Guangdong has raised its emergency response to Level Two as Ragasa approaches. Shenzhen has announced the evacuation of 400-thousand people, while other cities across the province have also stepped up prevention measures. Azam Khan reports.

Earlier in the Philippines, schools and offices across the main island of Luzon were closed as the storm roared across the remote Babuyan islands in the far north. Lau Hon-ting reports.

Transport and logistics chief Mable Chan says the government will look into developing passenger-carrying drone projects in outlying islands first as part of its advanced low-altitude economy plan. Janice Lo reports.

A subsidy scheme for restaurants receiving halal certification in Hong Kong is accepting applications until the end of January 2027. Restaurants that get certified by the end of next year can have half of the certification cost reimbursed by the Tourism Board, capped at 5,000 dollars. The initiative was announced in last week's Policy Address as part of efforts to further promote Muslim tourism in the city. Hong Kong currently has nearly 200 halal-certified restaurants. Homer Yu is the founder of Halal International - an association that provides halal consultancy services. He told Elvis Yu that the number of halal eateries in Hong Kong could double by the end of this year.

World leaders have begun convening at one of the most volatile moments in the United Nations’ eighty-year history. The challenges they face are as dire as ever, if not more so. The annual high-level gathering at the UN general Assembly will bring presidents, prime ministers and monarchs from about 150 of the 193 member nations to the UN headquarters. Jamie Clarke reports.

As several of Israel's Western allies recognise a Palestinian state, Israel has accelerated plans for settlements that it hopes will make the two-state solution impossible. While the world's attention has been on the war in Gaza, the situation in the West Bank may have a longer-term impact on the future of a decades-long conflict. Israeli settlements have grown in size and number since Israel captured the West Bank in 1967. Jamie Clarke reports.