The High Court has halted plans to build public housing units on part of the Fanling Golf Course. The court overturned the government's approval of an environmental study into plans to build flats there and called on the authorities to consult the public on the matter again. The Hong Kong Golf Club welcomed the judgement, describing the Fanling site as internationally-renowned, and a world-class venue with significant ecological and cultural value. For its part, the Environmental Protection Department said it would study the judgement and decide whether the government would lodge an appeal. Frank Yung reports.

Officials have doubled its estimated deficit for the current financial year to around HK$100 billion. Financial Secretary Paul Chan cited lower revenue mainly due to poor asset market performances. Damon Pang reports.

Two giant pandas gifted by the central government have made their media debut after completing their quarantine at Ocean Park. The pair, currently called An An and Ke Ke, are both five-years-old. As Kelly Yu reports, the pandas' distinct personalities were on display during the event.

Transport officials say they hope to kick-start construction projects for a transit line linking the University of Hong Kong and Wong Chuk Hang MTR stations in 2027. In a paper submitted to Legco, the Transport and Logistics Bureau said the aim was to build a smart and green mass transit system for the South Island Line-West using viaducts, along with a tunnel through the hilly terrain between Queen Mary Hospital and the university. Lawmaker Gary Zhang, who is a former MTR engineer, expects construction work to be completed within five to six years' time. He told Elvis Yu that the line's capacity would be much lower than what was originally proposed.

An official with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department says Hong Kong's shallow waters was a factor leading to the death of a whale in Tai O over the weekend. The stranded animal passed away despite efforts by a team of vets to save it. Vanessa Cheng reports.

Chief Executive John Lee says Hong Kong will continue to take advantage of its position within the One Country, Two Systems framework and use its global network to become an international education hub. He was addressing the Global University Presidents and Leaders Summit. Elvis Yu has the story.

Lawmakers have expressed concern that tenants may soon be kicked out of poor quality subdivided units, as landlords start renovations ahead of proposed regulations aimed at raising the standards of the small flats. A two-month consultation exercise on government plans to rid the city of subdivided flats is now under way. Here's Vanessa Cheng.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met his German counterpart in Beijing, calling on the two countries to overcome obstacles in their relationship. He noted that China regarded Germany as an important partner since the establishment of diplomatic relations 52 years ago. Anne Chan reports.

The United States has announced new export restrictions targeting China's ability to make advanced semiconductors, drawing swift condemnation from Beijing. It comes weeks before President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, where he is expected to bolster Washington's stance on China. Sean Kennedy has details.

US president Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and fellow Democrats. They say the move sets a bad precedent. The younger Biden was facing sentencing for two criminal cases related to tax evasion and the purchase of a firearm. The move also comes despite assurances earlier that the president wouldn't intervene in his son's legal troubles. Jacqueline Guico reports.

Incoming US President Donald Trump has been busy naming his cabinet nominees and other high-level appointees. He has created a stir with many of those choices, including ones related to health. RTHK's San Francisco correspondent, Mark Niu, spoke with Carol Musgrave about these picks.

The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah is proving fragile. Hezbollah has fired into a disputed border zone held by Israel, after multiple Israeli strikes inside Lebanon since the ceasefire took hold last week. Israeli strikes into Lebanon in recent days have killed at least four people and wounded others. Israeli leaders threatened to retaliate and within hours had carried out a string of strikes in southern Lebanon, as residents try to rebuild their lives. Jamie Clarke reports.

The prime minister of France has invoked a rarely-used constitutional mechanism to push through a contentious 2025 budget without parliamentary approval. As a result, the government now finds itself bracing for a no-confidence vote this week. Jamie Clarke reports.

A landmark climate change case has opened at the United Nations’ top court. The International Court of Justice has started hearings on the legal obligation of countries to fight climate change, and the consequences for states of contributing to global warming. The outcome of the case could influence future litigation on the subject worldwide. Jamie Clarke reports.

With global temperatures hitting record highs and extreme weather events affecting people around the world, the annual United Nations conference on climate change held in Azerbaijan last month took on added urgency. The Cop29 summit reached agreement on offering US$300 billion to poor countries each year to help them transition to cleaner energy and handle those extreme events. But questions remain on just how effective the deal will be. Meanwhile, China is taking a major role in the global fight against climate change, thanks to the country’s financial and technological prowess. We take a closer look at all that, in this episode of our podcast "China Perspectives", produced by Azam Khan and narrated by Frank Yung.

At a Tokyo brewery dating back to the days of the samurai, Koichi Maesako drops a three-metre-long wooden paddle into a giant, jade-coloured tank and gently stirs a white mixture. That concoction will turn into sake in a week's time. As Jacqueline Guico reports, this ancient technique is set to be listed by Unesco as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.