Both the government and lawmakers have hailed the first 'antechamber talks' held at Legco as frank and open, saying the exchanges will enhance communications between the two sides as well as policymaking. Lawmakers have been invited to hold regular such informal discussions with top ministers, including the Chief Executive, John Lee. Frank Yung reports:

The Hospital Authority says it is worried about the increasing number of hospitalisations, with more than 1,000 Covid patients currently receiving care. On Wednesday, the authority announced it would reduce non-essential services due to the number of Covid hospitalisations. Violet Wong reports:

A patients' concern group says hundreds of people could be affected each day, if the Hospital Authority cuts back on non-emergency services. The authority warned of a service adjustment as more Covid patients were admitted. Alex Lam from Hong Kong Patients' Voices told Ben Tse that he hoped services could be reduced gradually rather than stopped overnight. He called on authorities to reopen designated facilities to house Covid patients:

From Friday, people travelling via Shenzhen Bay Port to the mainland will have to make an appointment for a PCR test at the checkpoint. They can make an online booking from Thursday. Maggie Ho reports:

A youth service group says many students sitting university entrance exams this year believe their performance suffered because of Covid-19. According to a survey by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups of nearly 600 Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) candidates, more than 60 percent said the pandemic had affected their preparation for the exams. Ken Hui from the federation told Natale Ching how the disruption of face-to-face classes had a negative impact on schoolchildren:

A study suggests online learning under the pandemic has taken a toll on school children’s mental health. The Gratia Christian College and Junior Chamber International Apex surveyed 1,500 youngsters, and found 20 percent had been more stressed than usual while 10 percent suffered from depression or anxiety. Assistant professor Chin Fung from Gratia College is one of the researchers. He told Kelly Yu that parents and the education sector should provide more support to the students:

The Immigration Department says more than 900,000 Hong Kong SAR passports have expired without being renewed since 2020, and it called on people to renew them soon. Wendy Wong reports:

The government has dismissed a US report as an attempt to intimidate prosecutors in Hong Kong. The US congressional report had accused the Department of Justice of infringing on the human rights of a wide range of people, such as protesters, journalists and opposition figures. Kenny Hodgart reports:

The People’s Liberation Army says it has “driven away” a US destroyer that had illegally entered Chinese territorial waters by sailing near the Xisha Islands. The US Navy says the USS Benfold sailed near the islands, exercising its navigational rights and freedoms. The PLA said the US manoeuvre seriously violated China's sovereignty and security by entering its territorial waters. Aaron Tam reports:

Six candidates, four of them women, now remain in the contest to choose Britain's new Conservative Party leader and prime minister, in an increasingly fractious election marked by mutual attacks. Jeremy Hunt, a former anti-Brexit campaigner, and Nadhim Zahawi, the Iraqi-born chancellor, failed to make the cut. RTHK's UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Samantha Butler that the two were eliminated for getting fewer than 30 votes from Tory MPs: