Month: January 2026

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected counterfeit goods worth about $4.8 million (with photo)      
     Based on risk assessment, Customs examined two inbound air cargo consignments from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, declared as clothes and footwear, at the Customs Cargo Examination Compound at HKIA. Upon inspection, Customs officers found about 7 800 suspected counterfeit goods therein, including footwear, bags, clothing and accessories.
      
     An initial investigation revealed that the batch of suspected counterfeit goods would have been transshipped to overseas regions.
      
     Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action against counterfeit goods and smuggling activities through risk assessment and intelligence analysis.
      
     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 11:54

Entries invited for Hong Kong Flower Show plant exhibit competition 
     The competition will be divided into 13 sections, including orchid, Chinese cymbidium, potted plant, cactus and succulent, foliage and carnivorous plant, African violet, bonsai-type plant, floral arrangement in Western style and Oriental style, floral art by school children, primary and secondary school potted plant growing/nursing, and a school garden plot competition.
 
     Participants can enrol through the HKFS webpage at www.hkflowershow.hk/en/hkfs/2026/exhibits.html 
     The HKFS is organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust is supporting the HKFS for the 14th consecutive year and has been its major sponsor since 2014.
Issued at HKT 11:45

Closure of Shau Kei Wan Market Roof-top Children’s Playground and Shau Kei Wan Market Building Sitting-out AreaIssued at HKT 11:30

NNNN

HKSAR Government welcomes court’s decision to dismiss Chow Hang Tung’s application for judicial review on clothing policy for persons in custody      
     The court judgment pointed out that the current clothing policy for PICs, including the requirement for female PICs to wear trousers in summer daytime, was formulated by the Correctional Services Department (CSD) as authorised by the Prison Rules. The Court was satisfied that the CSD had the expertise and experience in the relevant context, and that it had carefully considered various factors, taken into account of professional opinion when making the decision, as well as reviewed the policy continuously. The Court ruled that Chow Hang Tung had failed to demonstrate that the current policy constituted less favourable treatment of a particular gender. The Court pointed out that there was currently no factual evidence to support any assertion that there was widespread concern about the health effects of wearing trousers in summer. In addition, the rule was not absolute, but instead allowed individual PICs to apply for exceptional arrangements in special circumstances. At the same time, the Court also rejected Chow Hang Tung’s assertion that she had requested to the CSD in July and August 2024 to wear shorts and had been refused.

     A spokesman for the Security Bureau said, “The ruling of the Court of First Instance confirmed that the CSD’s approach is reasonable, justified and lawful. According to Rule 26 of the Prison Rules, the CSD must provide every PIC with a uniform that meets a scale imposed by the Commissioner of Correctional Services. Over the years, the CSD had appointed task groups from time to time to review the clothing arrangements of PICs. These reviews gave ample consideration to numerous factors, including the type of correctional institutions, PICs’ varying daily routines and activities involved, the need for thermal, physical and psychological comfort for PICs of different genders, privacy and decency of PICs and the security, good order and discipline of the prison, so as to continuously refine clothing arrangements according to the prevailing circumstances.”
      
     The spokesman stated, “Chow Hang Tung’s assertion that she requested to wear shorts in summer and was rejected by the CSD is entirely inconsistent with the facts and was rejected by the Court. Besides, the current clothing policy for PICs already provides a degree of flexibility. For example, a PIC may make an application to wear other clothing on medical or non-medical grounds to the CSD, and the CSD would make appropriate arrangements having considered the actual circumstances and relevant factors.”
      
     The CSD will continue to impartially implement the relevant rules of the Prison Rules in accordance with the law and commit to providing a secure, safe, humane, decent and healthy custodial environment.
Issued at HKT 21:44

NNNN

AFCD takes stringent actions on FarmFest stalls suspected of selling non-self-produced agricultural productsIssued at HKT 21:18

NNNN

Hospital Authority signs Memorandum of Understanding to support community healthcare development on Mainland (with photo) 
     The MOU signing ceremony was witnessed by the Minister of the NHC, Mr Lei Haichao, and the HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan. The five-year MOU was jointly signed by the Acting Director-General of the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the NHC, Mr Feng Yong; the Chairman of the Chow Tai Fook Medical Foundation, Mr Cheng Kar-Shing; and the HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee.
 
     Phase II of the Training Project will last for five years, with the goal of further training more primary healthcare staff on the Mainland, enhancing their clinical practice and primary healthcare management capabilities. The project will continue to adopt the management framework established in Phase I. The NHC will oversee the recruitment of trainees and provide overall co-ordination and guidance. The Foundation will provide approximately $10 million in funding support. The HA will be responsible for organising diverse trainings, including online and offline courses, site visits and mentorships in both places, and joint academic exchange conferences.
 
     Mr Fan said, “The fruitful results of Phase I are very encouraging, and it is gratifying that we can continue with Phase II this year. The HA is honoured to continue participating in the Training  Project, sharing Hong Kong’s experience in family medicine training and faciliating professional exchanges between the two places to complement each other’s strengths. The release of the Implementation Plan for Strengthening Primary Healthcare Services last year aims to further improve the primary healthcare system on the Mainland. The Training Project enables Hong Kong to contribute to the development of national public health.” 
     To dovetail with the national development of community and primary healthcare, the former Ministry of Health (now NHC), the HA and the Dr Cheng Yu Tung Foundation first signed an MOU in 2007 to collaborate on training healthcare professionals on the Mainland. Phase I of the Training Project was completed last year, successfully training over 1 500 primary healthcare professionals across 31 provinces, municipalities and regions on the Mainland. To continue the success of the project and after friendly consultation, the NHC, the Foundation and the HA will jointly launch Phase II of the project.
Issued at HKT 19:29

NNNN