The black rainstorm warning was in effect for more than 11 hours on Tuesday - the second-longest in history - as Hong Kong was battered by record rainfall. The Observatory recorded 358.8 millimetres of rain at its headquarters from midnight to 5pm, the highest single-day total for August since records began. It's also the fourth black rainstorm warning in just eight days. As Aaron Tam reports, the government wasn't taking any chances as it stepped up precautionary and relief work.

Sha Tin district council member Calvin Tang said a multi-departmental plan was triggered after the Home Affairs Department announced that water levels at the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir reached the warning threshold. Tang said efforts included alerting nearby residents, securing riverbanks for safety and mobilising Drainage Services Department emergency teams to patrol for blockages and make urgent repairs. He told Hailey Yip that this isn't the first time that such threshold levels has occurred before:

Meanwhile, Sai Kung District Councillor Christine Fong says her office was busy fielding more than a hundred calls for assistance from residents in rural areas. She added 18 cars were damaged by flood water in an outdoor parking lot in Tseung Kwan O. Fong spoke to Elvis Yu.

Authorities reported dozens of flooding cases across the city. One of them was at Queen Mary Hospital, which disrupted accident and emergency services for about three hours. Elvis Yu with that story.

Chief Executive John Lee emphasised the crucial roles of Hong Kong and Macau within the Greater Bay Area during an official visit to Macau. Hailey Yip tells us more.

A 35-year-old foreign national has died after being struck by a taxi that mounted the pavement at a hotel in Tsuen Wan. Hailey Yip reports:

Police say they have given their mobile app a facelift in a bid to provide users a better experience and easier access to digital services. The app was first introduced more than a decade ago, with features such as licensing applications and filing reports gradually added over the years. But Senior Superintendent Swalikh Mohammed from the force's Digital Policing Services Bureau said the app has become rather cluttered over time. He hopes the redesigned app can spare people the need to visit a police station on matters such as tracking the progress of cases and applications. He told Charlie Chun what's special about the new app:

Beijing has lifted a severe weather alert, but officials warned residents to stay vigilant against natural disasters. It comes after authorities evacuated more than eighty-thousand people over fears of more deadly floods in the area. Tom McAlinden reports.

China will waive tuition fees for children in their final year at public kindergartens and reduce them for eligible private schools from the next term, in a phased roll-out of free pre-school education. The move aims to effectively lower education costs and improve the country's public education services. Hailey Yip reports.

Japan has sweltered through its hottest day ever. The mercury reached 41.8 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, prompting authorities there to urge people to stay indoors. Altis Wong has more.

Also in Japan, two barges loaded with fireworks for a summer festival display near Tokyo have caught fire, forcing five workers to jump into the sea. Frank Yung reports:

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has met senior security officials to finalise a new strategy for the 22-month war in Gaza, having earlier hinted at wider military action in the devastated enclave, while Israeli media have reported that the the country's cabinet will convene tomorrow with Israel considering a full Gaza takeover. This latest news comes even as former Israeli army and intelligence chiefs called for an end to the war. Jamie Clarke has more:

The American government says some visa applicants will soon be required to pay bonds of up to US$15,000 to discourage visa overstays as part of US President Donald Trump's crackdown on migration. Wendy Wong reports:

A pilot scheme aimed at deterring illegal migrants from arriving onto the shores of the UK by boat is set to kick off in the coming days. The so-called "one-in, one-out" scheme follows a recent treaty signed between the UK and France. The British Home Office says the plan will help prevent dangerous journeys at sea. Under the treaty, any adult migrant who crosses the English Channel could be sent back if their asylum claim is considered inadmissible. But RTHK's UK correspondent, Gavin Grey told Ben Tse how the plan exactly works, and why some people are sceptical of its effectiveness and legitimacy.

Supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro have gathered near his residence after authorities placed him under house arrest. Officials had said the right-wing firebrand did not comply with judicial restraining orders imposed on him last month. Aaron Tam reports:

Bangladesh's interim leader says that parliamentary elections will take place early next year. The announcement comes a year since protests led to the ouster of the country's former prime minister. In a televised address, Muhammud Yunus said he'd request the Election Commission to organise the election before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Jamie Clarke reports:

China has unveiled guidelines to boost financial support for advanced manufacturing, saying it would encourage banks to provide more medium- and long-term financing to industries such as integrated circuits and advanced materials. Lauren Kee has the details:

A multidisciplinary research team from the Chinese University has completed the world's first multi-task surgical automation tests on a live animal using a new AI-powered surgical robot. With contributions from both the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medicine, this technology allows surgical robots to operate using real-time analysis of endoscopic images without additional sensors. It helps to automate tasks like tissue retraction, gauze picking and blood vessel clipping. Dou Qi, Assistant Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Chinese University, told Hailey Yip that the platform aims to act as a "third hand" for surgeons, potentially reducing their workload and shortening procedure times:

In Silicon Valley, the tech wars are heating up in a variety of ways. In terms of the gadget war, Google prepares to launch its new Pixel 10 phone later this month. The company tried to make a statement by taking a dig at its chief rival Apple for failing to keep pace in the world of AI. Our Silicon Valley correspondent Mark Niu explains to Janice Lo the impact of this AI battle between Google and Apple on the industry at large: