{
  "id": 1831312,
  "title": "Hong Kong court orders now-defunct Apple Daily to pay HK$1.5 million to couple in defamation lawsuit over 2019 articles",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/hong-kong-court-orders-now-defunct-apple-daily-to-pay-hk-1-5-million-1831312",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T23:50:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hong Kong Free Press",
    "slug": "hong-kong-free-press-hongkongfp",
    "url": "https://hongkongfp.com/2026/08/19/hong-kong-court-orders-now-defunct-apple-daily-to-pay-hk1-5-million-to-couple-in-defamation-lawsuit-over-2019-articles/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily has been ordered to pay HK$1.5 million in damages to a couple who sued the outlet for defamation over articles published in 2019. The lawsuit was filed by China Innovation Investment Limited, its chairperson Xiang Xin, and his wife Kung Ching against Apple Daily Limited and AD Internet Limited. The articles accused the couple of being spies for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). High Court Judge Poon Siu-tung ruled that Apple Daily did not prove the allegations were true, did not attempt to verify the claims, and did not provide the plaintiffs an opportunity to explain. Apple Daily, founded by jailed media mogul Jimmy Lai, ceased publication in 2021 following a raid on its headquarters, arrests of senior staff, and freezing of its assets.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hong Kong Free Press",
        "title": "Hong Kong court orders now-defunct Apple Daily to pay HK$1.5 million to couple in defamation lawsuit over 2019 articles",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/hong-kong-court-orders-now-defunct-apple-daily-to-pay-hk-1-5-million",
        "published": "2026-08-18T23:50:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}