Hong Kong pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily will be forced to shut “in a matter of days” after authorities froze the company’s assets under a national security law, an adviser to jailed owner Jimmy Lai says.

According to reports, Friday will be the last day for the 26-year-old newspaper.

Media advocacy groups say that the closure of Apple Daily would undermine the former British colony’s reputation as an open and free society and send a warning to other companies that could be accused of colluding with a foreign country.

The publisher’s head company Next Digital will hold a board meeting on Monday to
discuss how to move forward after its lines of credit were frozen.

“We must press on”: news raid sends “shockwaves” through Hong-Kong

Following raids on a Hong Kong newsroom last week, a journalist based in the city-state says it has sent “shockwaves” through the entire industry.

500 Hong Kong police offices raided Apple Daily to arrest a number of top executives and seize documents over allegations the publisher breached national security laws.

Elaine Yu from the Wall Street Journal says the incident “raises important new questions about how media outlets can report on topics that are now considered highly sensitive.”

Apple Daily says the company’s CEO, COO and three editors were all arrested during the raids.

The behaviour of the individuals is said to have breached legislation that prohibits sedition, secession and subversion against Beijing.

The assistant to Apple Daily’s chairman says operations at the newsroom are limited because Hong Kong authorities have seized many of the company’s accounts.

He also says “it’ll get harder for reporters to get people to talk to them because the police can now potentially seize reporter’s files and devices through a court warrant.”

Sold out news stands with “we must press on” printed on front page

“We must press on”… that was the message on the front page of Apple Daily, that people in hong kong queued up for.

Many Hong Kong locals have have queued up to buy copies of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily… a day after its newsroom was raided by police.

The paper typically prints about 80,000 copies but increased that to 500,000 to meet demand.. and some news stands sold out.

A total of five executives were arrested including the Editor-in-chief and chief executive officer.

Police made the arrests on suspicion of collusion with a “foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”.

Meanwhile, this is the second time that police have searched the building.

The company’s founder Jimmy Lai, was recently arrested for national security violations.

Mr Lai is currently serving a 20-month prison sentence.

The raid follows arrests made at the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre last month.

Get up to date with the latest in gaming. We discuss the news from streaming platform Twitch and how streamers are balancing work, life and finding the time to get creative and produce high quality content. Twitch is growing ever more popular and we have all you need to know with streamers “Brysupersaurus” and special guest “CheesyWine”!

Victoria Secret is abandoning its ‘angel’ ambassadors, in a dramatic re-brand attempt

Last week, Victoria’s Secret announced a new ambassador initiative that will spearhead a major re-branding strategy.

 “This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it’s a shift that we embrace from our core,’ said CEO Martin Waters.

This means the multi-million dollar Fantasy Bras, bedazzled wings and the annual Victoria’s Secret Angels fashion show, will be replaced by the “VS Collective,” a group of seven famous, successful women — not all of whom are (just) models. 

In the past, the company has been criticised for its models being too thin or underweight.

Angels are no longer ‘culturally relevant’

Victoria’s Secret announced it’d cancel its famous annual televised runway show indefinitely in 2019, as viewing figures fell to 3.3 million the year prior.

A spokesperson for Victoria’s Secret said that “As an entertainment brand, with a huge cultural footprint we are reimagining what a fashion show could look like for us in the future.”

Martin Waters, Victoria’s Secret chief executive told The New York Times that “right now” he did not see the Angels as being “culturally relevant”.

U.S soccer star, Megan Rapinoe, will be one of the new faces of Victoria’s Secret.

In the past, Rapinoe, an LGBTQIA+ activist, has described the brand as “patriarchal, sexist, viewing not just what it meant to be sexy but what the clothes were trying to accomplish through a male lens and through what men desired”.

“I am humbled to join this group of incredible women to drive change within the Victoria’s Secret brand and beyond,” said Rapinoe of her role in the VS Collective via a press statement.

“So often I felt myself on the outside looking in with brands in the beauty and fashion industry, and I’m thrilled to be creating a space that sees the true spectrum of ALL women.”

“These extraordinary partners, with their unique backgrounds, interests and passions, will influence and shape the future of the world’s largest and most recognizable brand for women.”

As part of the VS Collective roll-out, the women will share their stories via a podcast hosted by de Cadenet.