Days before winning his second presidential term, Donald Trump made a bold promise: if he returned to the White House, he would free a pugnacious, self-made billionaire from a Hong Kong prison.

Hailed by some as a hero and scorned by others as a traitor, Hong Kong's pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai is in the final stage of his national security trial. Closing arguments begin on Thursday for Lai, who is accused of colluding with foreign forces under a Beijing-imposed national security law.

A court hearing for jailed Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was postponed on Thursday due to bad weather, further lengthening a national security trial that began in 2023.

The national security trial of British media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been delayed after the Hong Kong observatory issued its highest rainstorm warning. Closing arguments were set to begin on Thursday but the hearing was adjourned until after the torrential rain subsided.