Two giant pandas gifted by Beijing will arrive in Hong Kong on Thursday morning with the government hosting a welcome ceremony at the airport. Culture and tourism minister Kevin Yeung earlier flew to Sichuan to oversee the whole operation. He said local businesses here should seize opportunities brought by the animals' popularity. Kelly Yu reports:

A zoo in Finland is returning two giant pandas to China in November, more than eight years ahead of schedule. As Jacqueline Guico reports, the zoo says it can no longer afford their upkeep:

Tourism-related industries on the mainland are getting ready to cash in on the National Day travel peak next week. But their Hong Kong counterparts have expressed disappointment over the number of inbound tour groups expected for the Golden Week holiday. Charlie Chun reports:

The government has been urged to introduce measures that will make Hong Kong an attractive tourist destination for Muslims. The DAB party proposed opening more prayer rooms and boosting restaurants that sell halal food. Dewan Saiful Alam from the DAB's ethnic minorities committee told Janice Lo about how Hong Kong could boost its appeal to Muslim tourists:

There has been a sharp increase in the number of people caught bringing regulated food items into Hong Kong. As Vanessa Cheng reports, customs officers say many of them were unaware they were breaking the law:

Tuition fees for private and international schools across the city will go up by an average of four to five percent this year after the Education Bureau approved the applications from 190 institutions. Natale Ching reports:

Mervyn Cheung, who chairs the Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organisation, says the fee adjustments are within expectations but could still be a bitter pill to swallow for some parents. He also said schools should justify why they were charging parents more. He told Kelly Yu that the perennial fee hikes might force some parents to move their children from private schools to cheaper government-funded schools:

The defence ministry in Beijing says China has test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean. Natale Ching reports:

American and Philippine security officials have reportedly agreed to keep a US mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines for at least another year. The move is expected to anger China which has warned that regional security could be threatened. Jacqueline Guico reports:

Israel's army chief has signalled for a potential ground offensive in Lebanon as the conflict with Hezbollah rages on. World leaders continue to appeal for a de-escalation, with Washington insisting they are "working tirelessly" for a ceasefire. Israel's massive bombing campaign across Lebanon has killed over 500 people and left nearly 100,000 Lebanese displaced. Azam Khan reports:

The People's Bank of China has cut another key interest rate, a day after unveiling a fresh stimulus package which lifted financial markets. Vanessa Cheng reports:

In recent years, the European Union's market watchdog has taken a tough line against US tech firms and in some cases imposing billion dollar fines. A case filed this week has two of the world's biggest tech firms squaring off. Google has accused Microsoft of abusing its market strength. Sean Kennedy reports:

A new exhibition exploring the vast network of the Silk Road trade routes has opened at the British Museum in London. The show, titled Silk Roads, focuses on the period between 500-1000 AD, when various empires rose and fell. The exhibits include Indian garnets found in England and a small Buddha figurine retrieved in Sweden. Jacqueline Guico reports:

Hong Kong is known for Cantonese opera, which originates in Guangdong province. But the city also has a solid fan base for Peking opera, which is performed in Putonghua and incorporates singing, reciting, acting, and martial arts. An acclaimed cast will be staging three performances in West Kowloon this weekend, each with an unique theme. Ben Tse and Jacqueline Guico find out more in Broad Strokes, RTHK's weekly arts and culture-inspired podcast: