A special Legislative Council meeting has been scheduled for Friday on the Huanggang port co-location bill during which its second reading is to resume. That's after the Legco House Committee completed its vetting of the bill. Altis Wong with the story:

An industry representative for non-franchised bus operators has welcomed the government's decision to introduce franchised services at the redeveloped Huanggang port. This came as transport minister Mable Chan said a new interchange will be set up at the crossing for seven franchised bus services as well as for minibuses and cross-boundary coaches. Elvis Yu reports:

Nine major construction bodies in Hong Kong have issued guidelines for a total smoking ban coming into force on Friday across all building sites. As Hailey Yip reports, the trade says the move is designed to reduce fire hazards and safeguard worker health:

The Tourism Board says tourist arrivals topped 26.7 million in the first half of the year. As Charlie Chun reports, that's a 13 percent increase from the same period last year:

The Year of the Horse has been fruitful for the Hong Kong Jockey Club as it reported a three-percent rise in betting turnover for the racing season that ended on Wednesday night. A tourism boom helped to lift growth, as Chloe Feng reports:

Hong Kong's first large-scale electric vehicle battery recycling facility has officially opened. The plant at EcoPark in Tuen Mun can process up to 10-thousand tonnes of batteries a year. That's roughly from 20,000 cars. Azam Khan reports:

A motorists' group says the reason why traffic accidents occurred on three consecutive days on Tsuen Wan Road in Kwai Tsing was mainly because drivers are not familiar with arrangements for a new exit. The exit leads to a new southbound single-lane vehicular bridge which was commissioned on Sunday. Charlie Chun reports:

State media in Iran say fresh US strikes have hit an airport, a railway station and two bridges near the Strait of Hormuz. This comes as the US launched a sixth consecutive night of attacks while Tehran struck back against US allies in the Gulf. Sean Kennedy reports:

President Xi Jinping has met his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Shanghai as the two countries seek to bolster ties. China also further strengthened its relations with the People's Democratic Republic of Korea with the visit to Pyongyang by a high-level delegation. Chloe Feng reports:

Just days away from the final of the World Cup, smoke from Canadian wildfires is blanketing a huge swathe of the US, prompting health officials to urge the public to stay indoors and avoid outdoor activities. Sean Kennedy reports:

The fourth edition of the Asia+ festival – which celebrates cultural inclusivity – will be held from September to November. Themed "Traditions Recast", this year's festival spans a wide range of art forms, including music, dance, acrobatics and more. Over 30 countries and regions will take part. The festival will showcase the artistic essence of Asia and countries and regions along the Belt and Road, presenting over 100 performances and related arts. Linda Lee, Senior Manager of the Festivals Office at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, spoke to Swara Kamble about what to expect:

Thirty Hong Kong secondary school students will set off for a nine-day aerospace and astronomy immersion experience on the mainland next Thursday. This year’s Young Astronaut Training Camp takes them to Beijing, Jiuquan and Xi’an, where they will tour the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and take part in hands-on astronaut training activities. Among the selected participants is Hilary Tsang, a Form Two student from St Paul’s Convent School. She spoke with Belle Yip:

This year's Young Astronaut Training Camp introduces an exciting new addition – a visit to the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology. There, students will get an up-close look at rocket engines. Sandie Ho, the assistant curator of the Hong Kong Space Museum, said the camp – now in its 15th year – attracted a highly competitive pool of applicants who underwent a rigorous selection process. Ho also told Belle Yip that many past participants have gone on to use their camp experience as a springboard for charting their future career paths: