At least 28 people have been killed in a factory fire in Fujian province. The owner of the company involved and several others suspected of bearing responsibility for the blaze have been detained, while the company's accounts have been frozen. An investigation's been launched as President Xi Jinping said those responsible for the accident must be held accountable. Janice Lo reports:

The death toll in floods in Guangxi has climbed to 39, with nine other people missing, according to local authorities. Rescue work is continuing following the passage of Tropical Storm Maysak. Meanwhile, officials in Zhejiang and Fujian have raised the typhoon emergency response to level 3, as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches the country. Marcus Lum reports:

Dog lovers can finally dine out with their four-legged companions as a decades-old ban on canines in restaurants has come to an end. The government says the new "paw-friendly" policy got off to a smooth start on Thursday. More than 940 restaurants and cafés have now completed the necessary licensing procedures to become dog-friendly. Hailey Yip reports:

Maurice Kong, chairman of the Institute of Dining Professionals, says the successful roll-out of the dog-friendly restaurant scheme sets a strong precedent for other food establishments interested in joining the second phase. Kong told Hailey Yip that he believes authorities should actively collect feedback to help determine the appropriate quota for the next stage:

The government says the new Pak Shek Kok MTR station in Tai Po is scheduled for completion in 2033. The railway firm will be granted two sites for private residential development to help finance the project. Janice Lo reports:

DAB lawmaker Holden Chow has welcomed revised government plans for the new Pak Shek Kok MTR station, saying it'll better cater to the needs of residents and workers nearby. He also voiced support for the proposal to grant the railway firms two sites for private residential development, to help finance the project. Chow spoke to Janice Lo:

With the university-entrance exam results due out next Wednesday, a survey has found high stress levels among 46 percent of students. More than 400 students who sat for the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education exam were interviewed by the Federation of Youth Groups. Andy Chan, a federation supervisor, said although the stress level is slightly lower than last year, students worry about jobs. He spoke to Swara Kamble:

Hong Kong Fashion Fest will return for a third straight year in September, featuring eight flagship programmes under the theme "Rhythm of the Heart". The event was first launched in 2024 following Chief Executive John Lee's proposal to position Hong Kong as a premier fashion design hub in Asia. Elvis Yu reports:

DAB lawmakers have come up with 54 suggestion for the SAR's first five-year plan and the Chief Executive's Policy Address. These relate to jobs and housing in the Northern Metropolis, among other areas. Janice Lo has more:

The Liberal Party too came up with proposals to boost the development of the Northern Metropolis. It also recommended ways to boost local consumption. The suggestions are among more than 130 that the group has put forward for Hong Kong's first five-year plan and the Chief Executive's Policy Address. Charlie Chun with that story:

A new AI system is set to make street-hailing faster and smarter by reducing long, frustrating waits for a taxi. A local start-up and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have teamed up to develop a system that predicts where passengers are – and shows taxi drivers exactly where demand is. The start-up DASH says many people still wait on the street for taxis, even though ride-hailing apps are on the rise. Co-founder Jason Ma told Belle Yip the system was built using data from over 6 million trips taken by 2,000 taxis.

China's consumer prices rose slower than expected in June, while factory inflation accelerated. The statistics reflected the impact of higher energy costs on domestic demand. Chloe Feng reports:

Huge crowds have packed the courtyard of Iran's holiest shrine for the culmination of the funeral of Iran's slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Sean Kennedy has more:

In the United States, calls are mounting for an independent investigation into a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer's fatal shooting of a man driving to work in the city of Houston in Texas. Sean Kennedy has more: