The number of dead in the Wang Fuk Court inferno in Tai Po has risen to 159 as police completed their search of all seven fire-ravaged blocks. Meanwhile, the government has ordered the removal of all mesh netting on buildings undergoing major renovation across Hong Kong by Saturday, citing public safety and people's concerns. Damon Pang reports.

Residents of the only block unaffected by the deadly Wang Fuk court blaze have been retrieving belongings from their homes. As Frank Yung reports, some say they are keen to move back in.

Former security minister Lai Tung-kwok says he believes the three government working groups headed by top officials to look into the Tai Po fire - will work in parallel with the judge-led independent committee. Chief Executive John Lee announced earlier the setting up of the committee to look into the cause of the deadly blaze, and why it spread so fast. Lai spoke to Janice Lo.

The chief executive of the Insurance Authority says there were 8,700 insurance policies drawn by people affected by the deadly fire. Clement Cheung says a dedicated task force has been set up to help handle compensation and claims. Here's Damon Pang.

Participants of the first Legco forum held after the deadly Tai Po fire have observed a moment of silence for the victims. The forums had been suspended since last Wednesday when the inferno broke out. Wendy Wong has the details:

Hong Kong is counting down to the Legco elections, which will take place on Sunday. RTHK English News earlier reached out to all candidates running in the ten geographical constituencies and asked them to briefly introduce their election platforms. Let's hear from those running in the Hong Kong Island East constituency.

Let's also hear from the five contestants who are vying for two seats in Hong Kong Island West.

The Labour Department says it's banned a restaurant group from applying for imported workers for two years. The group -- called Ying Garden -- was found to have dismissed local staff after hiring imported employees. Elvis Yu reports.

A cybersecurity expert has called on the public to be vigilant when trying to donate to victims of the Wang Fuk Court fire. Authorities have urged the public to donate to verified sources, and use the website "Scammeter" to check suspicious numbers and web domains. Cybersecurity lawyer Joshua Chu spoke to Azam Khan on RTHK's Backchat programme:

Somalis have reacted with outrage to derogatory remarks by the president of the United States. In comments made on Tuesday, Donald Trump described Somalis as "garbage" and said, "we don’t want them in our country". Jamie Clarke has the story:

Streaming giant YouTube has denounced Australia's social media ban for under-16s, claiming that the law -- which will be the first of its kind once it takes effect next week -- will not further protect children on the internet. Azam Khan reports:

Israel says it will begin allowing Palestinians to leave the war-torn territory through a border crossing with Egypt. The announcement comes as Hamas says it's handed over the body of one of the last deceased hostages in the Gaza Strip - Jamie Clarke has more:

Malaysian authorities say the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume on December 30. The Boeing 777 aircraft disappeared on March the eighth, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Francis Punia reports.

HSBC Holdings has named Brendan Nelson as its new chairman, replacing Mark Tucker, in a return to the custom of appointing the head of its board from within its ranks. As Altis Wong reports, the appointment comes a day after the bank's CEO Georges Elhedery told a London banking summit that Nelson was not seeking the role on a permanent basis.

Operation Santa Claus 2025 is in full swing, raising funds for 13 charities this year. Among the beneficiaries is the Home of Loving Faithfulness, or Holf, which has been providing care and support for children and adults with special needs for the past 60 years. It offers more than just a place to live... the organisation strives to create a warm and inclusive environment where residents can participate in social activities. Raphael Blet recently visited Holf in Sheung Shui and spoke with its Superintendent and Executive Director, Matthew Chu.

In sports...Arsenal extend their lead at the top of the Premier League after cruising past Brentford 2-0 at Emirates Stadium. Mikel Merino continued his red-hot scoring for the Gunners, who remain on track for their first domestic title since 2004. Leeds United, meanwhile, stunned Chelsea 3-1, while Liverpool salvaged a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Todd Harding has more:

In rugby...Hong Kong, China face a daunting challenge at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Francis Punia explains: