The view from above provided by satellite imagery company Digital Globe provided a striking perspective on some of the year’s biggest stories.

Potential flare-ups include national anthem law, mainland tourists, Lantau reclamation, and elections.

The ongoing trade war between Xi Jinping’s China and Donald Trump’s United States dominated the top stories of 2018.

This year saw Apple release three new iPhones, Huawei launch its triple-lens P20 Pro and streaming services reach new heights. We round-up the best articles of the last 12 months in the digital world.

The favourites include two Chinese imperial stories from the Qing dynasty. The Korean dramas include a 19th century tale and an augmented reality story.

The world’s second largest economy started the year with the strong intentions to improve the quality of growth but ended it hoping for a better 2019.

Timepieces by Graff, Breguet, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Montblanc, Harry Winston, Jaquet Droz and Chaumet also caught the eye

Patriotic hit Operation Red Sea, franchise comedy Detective Chinatown 2, and a Chinese Dallas Buyers Club took top honours, eclipsing Hollywood films; Hong Kong stars had a hand in some of the worst performers.

MTR Corporation head Frederick Ma faced a number of crises; Andy Chan saw his Hong Kong National Party banned; Victor Mallet fell foul of immigration authorities; Teresa Cheng had some legal trouble, and Andy Lau ended the year on a low note.

Put aside the world’s troubles and end the year on a high note; read about the blind violinist who commutes 12 hours for lessons, the yoga class for old folk, the Chinese adoptees back helping the country of their birth.

Some ended in tragedy while others seemed more like the stuff of fiction

Sinologist Jao Tsung-i, Nobel Physics laureate Charles Kao and writer Louis Cha were among those who died this year. ‘Godfather of Hong Kong politics’ Chung Sze-yuen embodied a frankness and independence that was melded with pragmatism in the pre-handover era.

They include the US-China trade war, the outcome of four key elections, the rise of new technology and North Korean denuclearisation

Chinese smartphones – from OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei – take four of the top five spots in our ranking of the best smartphones of 2018, but the No. 1 spot goes to Apple.

No fewer than three productions of Giselle, the farewell appearance of Jin Yao and an epic performance of Yuri Grigorovich’s Spartacus were highlights. But Hong Kong Dance Company’s puzzling season was a disappointment.

Of the thousands of articles we published last year about day-to-day life in the world’s most populous country, these are the nine you clicked on, shared and talked about more than any others.

We look back at some of the year’s most worthy role models, from a transgender university lecturer fighting prejudice to an intensive care doctor who treats patients at altitude

The HK Phil went from strength to strength in 2018, while the programming of city’s other leading orchestras brought diversity – a touchstone of Yip Wing-sie’s tenure at the Sinfonietta, which is to end in 2020, we learned.

Theatre companies from Ireland, Oklahoma, Slovenia and the UK put on the city’s top stage shows. Angel’s Bone, a commentary on human trafficking, was the best of the performances.

Five commentators and This Week in Asia’s editor say the next 12 months for Asia will be shaped by China’s relations with the US, shifts in global trade, and key elections in Australia, India, Indonesia and Thailand

This year saw Rockstar Games’ long-awaited Wild West sequel dominate conversations. Other titles include new Call of Duty, Spider-Man, Pokemon and Assassin’s Creed games.

Individuals whose unique experiences helped define 2018 look back on a tumultuous year and share their hopes for 2019

Intermittent fasting and high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet plans among the most popular; some oddball diets may have topped online searches because they are new, not because they are better than other plans.

Ceasefire has yielded some positive signs as both sides engage in intense talks.

Subtle Cantonese, delicate Shanghainese, stunning sushi, surprising Middle Eastern, the best tacos in Hong Kong – it’s all here; we tell you the dishes to go for at our favourite newcomers of the year.