The city's weather observatory hoisted the highest-level rainstorm warning for around three hours on Thursday morning, leading the judiciary to cancel hearings for the day.
The 77-year-old founder of the Apple Daily newspaper is charged with foreign collusion under Hong Kong's national security law, which Beijing imposed following huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.
On Thursday lawyers were expected to present closing arguments as Lai's trial enters its final stages.
The judiciary said Thursday that those due to attend postponed hearings should return on Friday.
The media tycoon has been kept behind bars since December 2020, reportedly in solitary confinement, with Western nations and rights groups calling for his release.
Aside from the collusion offence -- which could land him in prison for life -- Lai is also charged with "seditious publication" related to 161 op-eds he allegedly wrote.
The tycoon gave spirited courtroom testimony over more than 50 days during the trial, fielding questions about his political ideology, management style and overseas contacts.
Lai described himself at least twice as a "political prisoner", which drew sharp rebukes from the three-judge panel.
Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly rejected criticism related to Lai, saying last month that his case was "handled strictly on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the law".
Antoine Bernard of Reporters Without Borders said on Tuesday that Lai's treatment "exposes the authorities' ruthless determination to silence and suppress one of the most prominent advocates for press freedom amid Hong Kong's rapidly deteriorating media landscape".
Judges had previously indicated that a verdict could be reached by October.
Thursday was the fifth time this year that Hong Kong issued the "black" rainstorm warning, beating the previous record of three such warnings in a year.
NGOs urge UK to probe Telegraph newspaper sale over 'China' ties
London (AFP) Aug 13, 2025 -
An open letter addressed to UK media minister Lisa Nandy, signed by nine organisations including Human Rights in China and Hong Kong Watch, alleged "RedBird Capital's ties to China ... threaten media pluralism, transparency, and information integrity in the UK".
RedBird Capital chair John Thornton sits on the advisory council of the China Investment Corporation, the country's largest sovereign wealth fund, the letter noted.
In May RedBird agreed to buy the Telegraph Media Group (TMG), comprising the 170-year-old paper's print and online operations, for �500 million ($678 million).
Wednesday's letter provides a new twist to The Telegraph takeover saga, already marked by UK government intervention over foreign press influence.
US-Emirati consortium RedBird IMI, comprising Redbird Capital, struck a deal for TMG in late 2023.
However, the previous UK government triggered a swift resale amid concern over the potential impact on freedom of speech given Abu Dhabi's press censorship record.
"Pending robust investigations, the (new) planned merger should be placed on hold," NGOs, including also Article 19 and Free Tibet, stated in Wednesday's letter.
"We believe that there is reasonable ground to suspect the Telegraph acquisition by RedBird Capital raises both public interest and potential foreign media influence concerns," it added.
RedBird Capital Partners rejected accusations of China's influence.
"There is no Chinese involvement or influence in RedBird Capital's proposed acquisition of the Telegraph," a spokesperson said in a statement emailed to AFP.
"After two years of regulatory limbo, it is now time to close this acquisition and finally position The Telegraph for growth."
The UK government had yet to respond.
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