Chief Executive John Lee announced on Saturday that he will deliver his Policy Address on September 17.

The announcement came as he paid a trip to Ngau Tau Kok, where he met residents and visited housing estates.

Lee said more than 40 consultations had been carried out for his fourth policy blueprint over the past two months and that the administration had received 10 percent more submissions of opinions than in the past.

Lee has said this year's address would take place a month earlier than usual due to elections in December for the city's legislature.

The day also saw Lee meet two families living in the government's light public housing project on Choi Hing Road, with one of them previously living in a subdivided flat in Sham Shui Po.

"[They said] they are not only glad that the rent is cheaper but also the environment is much better," Lee said.

Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho, who accompanied the chief executive, said it only took just a little more than a year to finish the first phase of the Ngau Tau Kok project, which has 18 floors.

"We should continue to adopt this mentality and complete all light public housing projects as soon as possible," Lee said.

He previously set a target of building 30,000 light public housing flats by 2027/28.

A total of 9,500 temporary public housing flats will be available by the end of this year, Lee added.

Lee also headed to Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate before going to the East Kowloon Cultural Centre as the final stop of the community visit.

Chief Executive John Lee said on Saturday he is "very disappointed" with the Government Logistics Department's failure to act as a gatekeeper in the procurement process of bottled water for public offices.

The city's leader also vowed disciplinary action if negligence was found to be the cause of the failure.

"I am very disappointed that the incident occurred in a department responsible for procurement on a daily basis," Lee said.

"Our priority is to identify any shortcomings as quickly as possible and address any loopholes in our system and procedures to prevent a recurrence.

"If human factors, including negligence, are involved, we will handle them in accordance with the relevant civil service regulations in a strict and fair manner."

Xin Ding Xin – a company that was recently awarded a HK$52 million contract to provide bottled drinking water to certain government offices – is accused of lying about how it sourced the water from the mainland.

The government has since terminated all contracts with the firm and its associated companies, while inviting the Audit Commission to conduct a detailed investigation into the tender process for the contract involving water supply.

Lee called on a government task force, set up once the bottled water supply failures surfaced, to improve the procurement system, stipulate clear guidelines on conducting due diligence, and bolster training of officers, among other directives outlined.

"I have always emphasised that every dollar we spend is public money, which has to be spent wisely," he said.

"But spending money wisely does not just mean going for the lowest price, it also means assessing whether the value something can bring meets our standards."

The Observatory on Saturday said the Standby Signal No 1 will remain in force until at least 5 pm as tropical cyclone Kajiki is steadily moving westwards and intensifying gradually.

At noon, the storm was about 560 kilometres south-southeast of Hong Kong.

The Observatory said the storm will move towards waters south of Hainan in the next few days and skirt around Hong Kong from Saturday night.

"Kajiki is expected to skirt around 500 kilometres or more to the south of Hong Kong tonight and tomorrow morning," senior scientific officer Lee Shuk-ming said.

"Winds will be occasionally strong over the southern part of the territory and the adjacent waters by then."

The weather will remain fine and very hot on Saturday afternoon, Lee said, with a few showers and squally thunderstorms hitting the city later in the day as Kajiki's outer rainbands edge towards the coast of Guangdong.

The SAR will also experience occasional squally showers and stronger winds on Sunday.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau says online medical consultations can play a role in providing health services – but that members of the public need to be sure of the doctor's credentials.

His comment came after the Consumer Council released a report on such services, urging service providers to beef up transparency and the government to educate the public on how to use virtual consultations.

Speaking on a radio programme, Lo said people should not simply get a diagnosis through online consultations and that the practice of doctors handing out prescriptions without seeing a patient in person is very dangerous.

"I would like to remind our citizens that when they have a health issue and want to seek healthcare advice, they should ensure that whether they see the doctor in person, or via electronic media, they have to ensure that the person concerned is a qualified registered practitioner, whether it's a Western medicine doctor or a Chinese medicine practitioner," he said after attending the programme.

Hong Kong's regulations on telehealth services, Lo added, are sufficient as medical bodies and councils have issued or will issue guidelines to their members on the practice of medicine online to safeguard patients and service quality.

He also said the working group on the new medical school has completed its second round of meetings with three universities interested in hosting the school.

Baptist University, Polytechnic University and the University of Science and Technology have submitted proposals for the new medical school.

Lo said the funding and financial arrangements proposed by the three institutions vary significantly, and authorities will make a final decision after assessing the proposals and finding one that best suits Hong Kong's needs.

The head of the Hospital Authority has revealed plans to introduce a one-stop digital platform, aimed at reducing the time spent by patients at each specialist doctor visit.

Libby Lee, the authority's chief executive, on Saturday said the platform – which would be available next year on the "HA Go" app – was based on a system at the Hong Kong Eye Hospital, which had streamlined the waiting process and shortened visits by up to an hour.

"We would like to have all the information about one single outpatient visit on the platform, so the patient can just follow that platform and will know where to see the doctor and where to do the investigations," Lee said after a radio programme.

"We hope that at the end of the day, the patient can use this 'HA Go' platform to book the next appointment, to book the next blood-taking timeslot, as well as other investigations."

Lee also said the authorities would look into ways to free up specialist outpatient clinic slots, with 30 percent of patients in stable condition just needing to use primary healthcare services.

The FBI searched the Maryland home and Washington office of former Trump administration national security advisor John Bolton as part of a criminal investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information, a source said.

Bolton, who emerged as an outspoken critic of US President Donald Trump after being fired in 2019 and fought with the first Trump administration over a scathing book he wrote documenting his time in the White House, was not in custody on Friday and has not been charged with any crimes, said the source.

The searches, seemingly the most significant public step the Justice Department has taken against a perceived enemy of the president, are likely to elicit fresh concerns that the Trump administration is using its law enforcement powers to target the Republican’s foes.

They come as the Trump administration has moved to examine the activities of other critics, including by authorising a grand jury investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe that dogged Trump for much of his first term, and as FBI and Justice Department leaders signal their loyalty to the president.

Speaking during an unscheduled visit to the White House Historical Association, Trump said he had seen news coverage of Friday’s searches and expected to be briefed about it by the Justice Department but also insisted he didn’t “want to know about it”.

“I could know about it. I could be the one starting it. I’m actually the chief law enforcement officer. But I feel that it’s better this way,” Trump said.

Bolton had said in interviews this year that he was mindful that he could be scrutinised, having in January told reporters shortly before Trump took office, “Anybody who ever disagrees with Trump has to worry about retribution. It’s a pretty long list.”

An FBI search like the one at Bolton's properties requires authorisation from a federal magistrate judge. It wasn't immediately clear what information authorities submitted to demonstrate that they had probable cause of a crime, though the Justice Department years ago launched an investigation into whether Bolton improperly disclosed classified information in a book manuscript he had written. The inquiry was later closed.

Vice President JD Vance denied in an NBC News interview on Friday that Bolton was being targeted because of his criticism of Trump, “If there’s no crime here, we’re not going to prosecute it. If there is a crime here, of course, Ambassador Bolton will get his day in court. That’s how it should be.”

Bolton was in his office building at the time. The Justice Department had no comment, but leaders appeared to cryptically refer to the searches in a series of social media posts Friday morning.

FBI Director Kash Patel, who included Bolton on a list of “members of the Executive Branch Deep State” in a 2023 book he wrote, posted on X: “NO ONE is above the law… @FBI agents on mission.” Attorney General Pam Bondi shared his post, adding: “America’s safety isn’t negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always.”

The Justice Department is separately conducting mortgage fraud investigations into Democratic senator Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump and his company, and ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces an investigation from an independent watchdog office. Schiff and James have vigorously denied any wrongdoing through their lawyers.

The Bolton searches also unfolded against the backdrop of a 2022 search for classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, an action that produced since-dismissed criminal charges but remains the source of outrage for the president and supporters who insist he was unjustly targeted despite the retrieval of top-secret records.

Patel said in a Fox Business Channel interview this week that the Mar-a-Lago search represented a “total weaponisation and politicisation” of the bureau, and Trump himself referenced it on Friday, telling reporters: “I guess his house was raided today, but my house was raided, also.”

Bolton served as Trump’s third national security adviser for 17 months and clashed with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea. (AP)

The National Games' bowling competition began on Friday at the Kai Tak Sports Park, with bowlers competing as individuals in the first of three days of matches in the mass participation event.

Hong Kong has 10 athletes taking part, facing off against more than 20 teams across the country for the top prize.

The SAR's Boco Wong, who was among the first bowlers in action, said he needs to adjust to the new bowling lanes.

"I think there's room for improvement in terms of how I performed. There were some minor mistakes, I think I can rectify them and do better," he told RTHK.

"I think a couple of my teammates have a better shot at the individual event. We hope the two of them can lead us to have a chance at making the podium for the team event."

The family of Wong's teammate on the women's side, Milki Ng, were in attendance to show support.

Her sister said Ng has spent lots of effort preparing for the Games while working and studying part-time.

Athletes will compete in the doubles on Saturday, with the five-a-side team event due to take place on Sunday.

Visitors from different parts of the country are in town to support their teams.

One of them is the mother of Shanghai's Sun Luming, who said the new facilities in Kai Tak are top-class.

"The facilities here are better than the ones we have on the mainland. The lanes are very much in line with international standards," she told RTHK.

"For the bowling centres on the mainland, the conditions are a little bit worse than what you have here in Hong Kong."

Other fans said they came to the SAR not only to watch the Games, but to also do some shopping and sightseeing.

Chief Executive John Lee on Friday warned that aggression and hegemony have never truly ceased as he called on the public to safeguard national security and development interests.

He made the remarks at the launch of a special large-scale exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Speaking at the event in Wan Chai, Lee noted that the war victory served to build a foundation for the nation to transition to rejuvenation, noting that risks remain despite the peace that has held over recent decades.

"Today, 80 years later, the path to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irreversible. But we must recognise that aggression and hegemony have not truly ceased," he said.

"Our effort in war resistance showed that on the path of our nation's progress, there'll be various risks and challenges, and hostile forces are always on the move, attempting to obstruct the peaceful development of our nation.

"We must always remember history, guard against remarks glorifying aggression, and take the initiative in safeguarding the country's sovereignty, security and development interests."

Zhou Ji, director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong, noted that the commemoration of this episode in history is not aimed at perpetuating hatred but cherishing peace.

He added that the exhibition will showcase how China fought against Japan during the 14-year struggle.

"On the battlefield of Hong Kong, the British army resisted for only 18 days before announcing its surrender, while the Hong Kong and Kowloon Brigade, led by the Communist Party of China, was the only armed force that persisted in the resistance throughout, from the beginning to the end," Zhou said.

"The party has always stood on the side of human progress."

Zhou also called on Hong Kong to safeguard the One Country, Two Systems policy.

"Today, Hong Kong is at a new transitional stage from order to prosperity.

"It must fully, accurately and unswervingly implement the principle of One Country, Two Systems, to ensure the steady and long-term implementation of the policy."

The exhibition, featuring some 570 historical photographs along with immersive and interactive media designs, kicked off on Friday at the Convention and Exhibition Centre, where it will be held for eight days before going on tour across all 18 districts and schools.

The event organiser earlier said that as of Thursday, some 8,600 people had signed up to visit the exhibition.

Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was cleared on Friday of royal defamation charges, relieving a threat to his embattled political dynasty that has dominated Thai politics for two decades.

The 76-year-old had faced up to 15 years in prison, but a Bangkok court found him not guilty of breaching the kingdom's strict lese-majeste laws criminalising criticism of King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his family.

"The court dismissed the charges against Thaksin, ruling that the evidence presented was insufficient," his lawyer Winyat Chatmontree said.

Thaksin left court ahead of his lawyer, smiling and telling the press the case was "dismissed", without making any further comment.

But his dynasty remains on the ropes, with his daughter Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra facing her own reckoning next week with a court decision due which may see her thrown out of office.

Thaksin's royal insult case stemmed from decade-old remarks he made in South Korean media relating to the 2014 military coup that overthrew his sister Yingluck.

Thailand has been roiled by a succession of coups, street protests and court orders as Thaksin and his followers tussled for power with the traditional pro-royalist, pro-military elite that sees him as corrupt, nepotistic and a threat to the traditional social order.

Twice elected prime minister in the early 2000s, Thaksin fled Thailand and lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years after he was ousted in a military coup, finally returning to the kingdom in August 2023.

He landed in Bangkok on the same day his family's Pheu Thai party took office at the head of a coalition government backed by their conservative former enemies, fuelling suspicions a backroom deal had been struck.

On arrival, Thaksin was immediately sentenced to eight years in prison on graft and abuse of power charges dating back to his time in office.

But instead of going to jail, he was whisked to a private room at a police hospital because of health problems.

Days later, the king cut his sentence to one year, and in February 2024, he was freed as part of an early release scheme for elderly prisoners.

His handling has led to another legal case, set to conclude on September 9, arguing that because he never served time in a jail cell, he was not eligible for early release. (AFP)

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has issued enforcement notices to three retail organisations following cybersecurity incidents that compromised the personal data of more than 130,000 customers and employees.

The first breach involved Japanese fashion retailer Adastria, with the office reporting that a hacker used an employee's administrator credentials to access its platforms, which is provided by a third-party vendor, from an unknown overseas IP address, downloading order information and leaking the data of 59,205 Hong Kong customers.

The compromised information included names, telephone numbers, and order details.

During its investigation, Adastria discovered that the affected data had been disclosed on the Dark Web two months after the incident and was made available for download.

Privacy Commissioner Ada Chung said the investigation found deficiencies within the organisation that contributed to the incident, including weak password management, failure to enable multi-factor authentication, insufficient awareness regarding personal data security and a lack of proper security reviews for the retailer's platforms.

The other breach involved a server shared by My Jewelry and its parent company, Kwong's Art Jewellery, in which the data of 79,400 individuals were exposed.

The compromised records belonged to customers and current and former employees and included highly sensitive information such as names, Hong Kong identity card numbers, dates of birth, telephone numbers, addresses, email addresses, membership numbers and employee commencement dates.

Chung said the investigation revealed a hacker had performed a brute-force attack to obtain the credentials of an administrator account, which provided access to the two companies' information systems.

Both breaches, she noted, involved retail organisations, which typically hold significant amounts of customer personal data.

She noted that such incidents highlight the connection between data breaches and the illegal sale of personal data for profit, as well as the use of this information by fraudsters for various schemes.

"In light of escalating cybersecurity threats, organisations should recognise that the personal data in their possession are valuable assets and they should allocate sufficient resources on cybersecurity and data security in order to safeguard the personal data in their possession," Chung said.

She called on individuals affected by the data breaches to remain vigilant.

"If they receive any unknown calls or unknown emails, they should be careful not to provide their personal data, including in particular, their banking account details, and they should also verify the identity of the caller if they are in doubt," she said.

"If they receive any emails with suspicious attachments or links, they should not open the links or the attachments."