Delegates from Hong Kong and around the country are gathering in Beijing for the nation's largest annual political gatherings. The National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, known as the Two Sessions, open in the capital this week, and delegates are prepared to raise their proposals at the meetings. Some want Hong Kong to be better integrated into the country's development, while others are looking for more support for the SAR. Vanessa Cheng has this preview.

Former chief secretary Henry Tang, who's also a local delegate to the country’s top advisory body, plans to ask for measures on facilitating people flow within the Greater Bay Area during the upcoming “Two Sessions” meetings in Beijing this week. Frank Yung reports from the capital.

The civil service boss says public servants have told her they understood that it was necessary for the government to freeze their pay, with some even saying they expected it, given the SAR's fiscal situation. Her remarks follow an announcement in the budget last week that the administration would take steps to consolidate and rein in spending. Sophie Hui reports.

The SAR's technology chief says policies related to artificial intelligence mentioned in the budget demonstrate the administration’s commitment to high-quality development. Sun Dong was speaking on a radio programme yesterday, elaborating on the administration's plans for A-I development in Hong Kong. Elvis Yu has more.

Lawmaker Adrian Ho was among the tens of thousands who attended the dazzling opening ceremony for the Kai Tak Sports Park over the weekend. The New People's Party member said the event went smoothly,and that he thinks that with the opening of the Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong will now become a "very hot destination".

World leaders have again met to discuss ways of working together to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine, this time in the United Kingdom. The summit comes two days after US support for Ukraine appeared to be in jeopardy, after President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - and said he wasn’t grateful enough for US support. As Jamie Clarke reports - the British prime minister has used the summit in London to call on European allies to increase their arms spending to shore up their own defences, saying Europe is “at a crossroads in history”.

Israel has stopped the entry of all humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, as it puts pressure on Hamas to accept a new US-proposed ceasefire extension. The war that started on October the seventh, 2023, has left most of Gaza’s population of over two-million dependent on international aid. Hundreds of aid trucks had entered Gaza daily since the ceasefire began on January the nineteenth, easing fears of famine raised by international experts. However, residents say prices doubled as word of the blockage spread. Hamas has called Israel’s decision “cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack” on the truce. Jamie Clarke reports.

The government in Japan has been blocking the requests coming from the descendants of residents who had lived on the island of Iwo Jima to move back to the island, made famous by a fierce battle between American and Japanese forces during the Second World War. As our Japan correspondent Julian Ryall explained to Jacqueline Guico, authorities have always blocked these requests, citing the risks of volcanic activity and unexploded bombs.

A private spacecraft has landed on the moon, becoming just the second commercial vehicle to reach the lunar surface. It marks success for Firefly Aerospace in its first attempt on the moon with its uncrewed Blue Ghost spacecraft. The craft now begins a two-week research mission in collaboration with US space agency Nasa. Jamie Clarke has more.

Visitors at Sao Paulo’s aquarium are rejoicing at the sight of polar bear cub Nur who was introduced last week. The cub is the first animal of its kind born in Latin America. Kelly Yu reports.