Chief Executive John Lee has used the first of a new series of ‘interactive and consultative’ exchanges with the Legislative Council to condemn what he described as US pressure on local judges since the National Security Law was imposed. As Kelly Yu reports, he addressed a range of issues from external threats, to Hong Kong’s labour shortage and the government’s duty to promote correct values:

Third side lawmaker Tik Chi-yuen says the new interactive meeting prompted good exchanges between the Chief Executive and legislators, but it could have lasted longer. He also says it is not necessary to set the agenda for the discussion, noting that lawmakers have different concerns and the CE answered questions on unrelated topics. Tik spoke to Kelly Yu:

About half of a planned tech-hub - hoping to be Hong Kong's Silicon Valley - will be earmarked for innovation and technology development. And as Frank Yung reports, plots of land up for grabs in the technopole project in San Tin near the border may not involve public tendering:

The months-long controversy over a national anthem blunder at an ice hockey tournament in Bosnia appears to have come to an end. The sports body involved has been slapped with a 'stern' written reprimand, but its funding will not be cut. The association has once again apologised for the blunder and said it would expedite improvements on corporate governance. Vanessa Cheng reports:

The Ombudsman is investigating the Transport Department's arrangements for driving tests. The public watchdog says it received around 40 complaints over tests in the past year, as well as criticism of the appeal mechanism for those who fail. Natale Ching reports:

The SAR is one step closer to a central bank digital currency. The Monetary Authority has launched a pilot program for e-HKD, giving the authority and businesses the opportunity to build a new financial and payment infrastructure. Ada Au reports:

The 83-year-old CLP clock tower on Argyle Street reopens on Friday after undergoing a five-year renovation. The building served as the power firm's headquarters until 2012 and was listed as a Grade 1 historic building in 2018 - meaning it is of outstanding merit and every effort should be made to preserve it. As CLP’s director of Corporate Affairs, Vivian Au, explains, the building has been turned into CLP Pulse, a free museum featuring artefacts, displays and even a retired, fifth-generation Peak Tram in the garden, to promote Hong Kong's culture and heritage. Au spoke to Ben Tse:

President Xi Jinping has hailed what he called a "new era" of ties with Central Asia, kicking off a summit that Beijing hopes will deepen relations with the strategically vital region. Todd Harding reports:

An international team of scientists has identified plastic-eating bacteria and fungi in Chinese coastal salt marshes. The discovery presents new possibilities for global waste management, as Samantha Butler reports: