President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have reaffirmed the long-standing friendship between the neighbouring countries. After holding talks in Beijing, the two leaders have pledged the further development of bilateral relations. The meeting at the Great Hall of the People came a day after Kim and a group of foreign leaders attended China's V-Day commemorations - as Jamie Clarke reports:

President Xi also held a series of bilateral meetings with other foreign leaders who attended Wednesday's military parade in the capital, highlighting the themes of peace and multilateralism. Frank Yung reports from Beijing.

A former Hong Kong delegate to the country's top legislature says Wednesday's military parade in Beijing sent a message to the world that China has the ability to defend and protect itself. The event was staged to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Raymond Yeung reports.

The government has banned hot air balloons from carrying passengers at the AIA International Hot Air Balloon Fest at the Central Harbourfront, citing safety concerns. Wendy Wong has more.

Police say they will be using drones for the first time as part of a citywide crackdown on inattentive driving and truck traffic violations, such as vehicle defects and overloading cargo. As Elvis Yu reports, the operation begins next week.

A think tank says the government should set up more pilot zones to facilitate drone testing and to promote the low-altitude economy in Hong Kong. The Our Hong Kong Foundation has proposed 20 recommendations to release the potential of low-altitude economy. The foundation's vice president, Ryan Ip, told Sophie Hui how that would boost the SAR's economy.

The Immigration Department says eight illegal workers from the mainland are among 10 people arrested in an operation against unlicensed photography and makeup services. Hailey Yip reports.

The government has unveiled a bill to regulate ride-hailing services which would allow the use of older vehicles. Wendy Wong has details.

The government has been urged to give families an annual childcare allowance instead of a one-off payment to encourage them to have more children. The call by the Federation of Trade Unions follows a survey it carried out in the past three months. Natasha Ho reports.

A Chinese University cell and molecular biology graduate has developed a mobile app aimed at making the lives of pet owners easier. Peqaboo is one of the start-up projects to be showcased at CUHK's entrepreneur day later this month. Using the app, people can turn complex medical reports of their pets into summary form that is easier to digest through artificial intelligence. Co-founder Simon Chan says the app is available in 10 different languages, and most features are available for free. He spoke to Elvis Yu.

Twenty-six nations have pledged to provide troops as a reassurance force for Ukraine after any eventual peace deal with Russia. That's according to French President Emmanuel Macron after a summit meeting in Paris of Kyiv's allies. The so-called 'coalition of the willing' say security guarantees are intended to reassure Ukraine and deter Russia from attacking its neighbour again - as Jamie Clarke reports:

In the United States, the issue of vaccines is splitting the country along political lines. And in many ways, it begins with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior, who's long promoted anti-vaccine theories. In the latest drama, Kennedy appeared before the Senate on Thursday, where he was grilled over his views on the Covid vaccine, as well as the turmoil at federal health agencies. RTHK's US correspondent Mark Niu told Ben Tse how the fiery hearing came about:

Portuguese authorities are investigating what caused Lisbon's historic funicular railway to crash, in an incident that killed 16 people and injured more than 22 on Wednesday. The Prosecutor General's office said coroners had so far identified the bodies of five Portuguese, two South Koreans and one Swiss national - without disclosing further details of those killed. The incident has left a palpable sense of shock in the city - as Jamie Clarke reports:

Business news...The Trade Development Council has more than doubled its forecast for export growth for the year, predicting that outbound shipments will rise between 7 and 9 percent year on year, up from its 3 percent initial prediction. Irina Fan, the TDC's director of research, said that the increases reflected growing optimism among exporters, who adopted a front-loading strategy to rush shipments out ahead of US tariff changes, and as global trade tensions slightly eased. But she warned that growth could slow in the coming months as front-loading effects fade. She spoke with Chloe Feng.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has run deeper into the red in the last financial year, in part because of lowering income and rising costs. In documents submitted to the legislature, the authority said its operating deficit rose by a third year-on-year, to nearly HK$770 million. Damon Pang has the details.

Hong Kong is set to host a single mass participation event at this year's 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games -- the para dance sport competition at the Ma On Shan Sports Centre. Among the athletes representing the city is Matthew Yu, who will compete in the Combi Latin Dance 3-Dance and the Combi Latin Dance 5-Dance. Hailey Yip reports: