Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     â€‹In the 2024 Policy Address, the Chief Executive proposed organising Hong Kong ICH Month to promote the safeguarding and passing on of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). In support of the annual Cultural and Natural Heritage Day on the second Saturday of June designated by the country, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Office (ICHO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the first Hong Kong ICH Month in June with the theme of ICH Around Town, presenting a series of rich and diversified activities involving over 80 ICH performances, 60 interactive experiential booths and 20 ICH Highlight Tours to give the public and tourists greater insight into the ICH of Hong Kong and the Mainland, and enable them to experience the cultural richness of ICH and the pleasure it brings.

     â€‹Activities throughout the month will cover over 100 ICH items and bring together over 50 ICH practitioners, including representative bearers of national ICH. This annual ICH month is expected to attract over 100 000 participants.
 
     â€‹Among the fascinating activities to be held during Hong Kong ICH Month 2025, the free ICH Highlight Tours will bring the public and tourists to six selected districts, namely Yau Tsim Mong, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Sha Tin, Eastern and the Islands, and explore special ICH of the communities. Registration will open on May 16 and details will be announced later. Information maps and guides of the ICH Highlight Tours as well as videos will be rolled out at the end of May to help the public and tourists learn more about the relevant ICH items in these districts.

     â€‹Carnivals or fun days will be held in various districts across Hong Kong on several weekends and Sundays in June, which will be suitable for all ages. Under the theme of ICH festive events across Hong Kong, the Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 Opening Ceremony cum ICH Carnival to be held on May 31 and June 1 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, and will have performances including Hakka unicorn dance in Hang Hau in Sai Kung, floating colours parade in Cheung Chau, Engor, Cantonese opera excerpts and dragon/lion dance. There will also be interactive booths showcasing Yip Man Wing Chun; rowing of dragon boat on land, which is a part of Hoi Luk Fung/Hoklo traditional wedding ceremonies (dragon boat dance); and unicorn dance, etc.
 
     â€‹The ICH Infinity∞ Fun Day at the Hong Kong ICH Centre in Sam Tung Uk Museum in Tsuen Wan, scheduled for June 14 and 15, will present an ICH fashion show and Nanyin performances with a fusion of tradition and innovation. Interactive booths featuring blown sugar and face threading techniques will also be available.
 
     â€‹The Vibrant ICH will be held at the New Town Plaza and Sha Tin Town Hall on June 22. Under the theme of “ICH Encounter: Hong Kong X Jiangxi”, in addition to performances and booths featuring Hong Kong ICH items including the Pok Fu Lam fire dragon dance, puppetry and the Chinese brush making technique, there will also be performances of the representative items of the national ICH such as Gannan traditional tea plucking opera and Xingguo mountain song.

     â€‹The ICH Flavours Carnival to be held at Oil Street Art Space on June 28 and 29 will feature the food culture of ICH. Participants can experience the making techniques of Jiangxi Gannan Hakka pounded tea, shrimp paste blocks and shrimp paste, sweet potato cake and rice dumpling with lye at the workshops and booths.
 
     â€‹Another highlight is the “Genesis and Spirit – Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition on Jiangxi’s Ganzhou Hakka Culture” (tentative title) at the Hong Kong Central Library, which runs from June 14 to July 1. The exhibition will introduce representative Hakka-related ICH items of Ganzhou in Jiangxi, together with around 40 other representative ICH items from the province. During the exhibition period, there will be over 40 performances, demonstrations, interactive experiential activities, talks, etc.
 
     â€‹The LCSD will collaborate with the cultural promotion organisation ICH June to hold a seminar on the theme of “Safeguarding and Developing ICH at the Same Time” at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum on June 14. Scholars and ICH bearers from the Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be invited to participate and explore the transmission and development of ICH in the GBA from an academic perspective. A “public unconference” will also take place on the same day to engage secondary school students, tertiary students, youth culture groups, and members of the public in discussions on ICH-related issues.
 
     â€‹Hong Kong ICH Month 2025 is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the ICHO of the LCSD, with ICH June as a strategic partner. For details, please visit the website www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/hk_ich_month_2025.html.
 
     â€‹For programme details of strategic and other partners, please visit the following websites and social media:

• ICH June (ichjune.net) (Chinese version only);
• Sik Sik Yuen (Facebook “Sik Sik Yuen Wong Tai Sin Temple” www.facebook.com/wongtaisintemple);
• Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (temples.tungwahcsd.org/latest-events/detail?id=2198&_lang=en); and
• Po Leung Kuk Museum (www.poleungkuk.org.hk/service/po-leung-kuk-museum/china-cultural-and-natural-heritage-day) (Chinese version only).

Source: Government of India

NMCG Approves Key Projects for Ganga Rejuvenation via ecosystem restoration in 62nd Executive Committee Meeting

The meeting chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director-General, NMCG, focuses on sustainability in river rejuvenation

Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top Ten, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by UN Decade (UNEP&FAO)

Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 3:48PM by PIB Delhi

In a significant push towards holistic river and environmental rejuvenation, the 62nd Executive Committee (EC) Meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director-General, NMCG, focused on sustainability in river rejuvenation. Conservation of critical wetlands and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater through city specific reuse plans and were deliberated in the meeting. The Committee approved projects that align with the mission’s objectives of ecosystem restoration across the Ganga basin. It may be noted that Namami Gange program has been recognised as one of the Top TEN, World Restoration Flagship initiatives by UN Decade (UNEP&FAO)

In another important development, the EC gave the green light to the “Conserving and Sustainably Managing NathmalpurBhagad (Wetland) in Bhojpur District, Bihar” project, with an estimated cost of ₹3.51 crore. The project is the fifth wetland being undertaken under NGP. It aims to establish an effective management arrangement for NathmalpurBhagad. So far, under Namami Gange conservation of 4 wetlands have been already sanctioned at:

1. KalewadaJheel, Muzaffarnagar, UP
2. Namiya Dah Jheel,Prayagraj, UP
3. Reoti Dah Wetland, Ballia, UP
4. Udhwa Lake (Ramsar Site) Sahibganj, Jharkhand

It focuses on integrating biodiversity and ecosystem service values into river basin conservation and developmental planning. The project proposes a dual approach with interventions at the sub-basin (Ghaghara, Gomti & Sone confluence) and site levels (NathmalpurBhagad), including activities such as wetland delineation, hydrological regime enhancement, species and habitat conservation, ecological assessment, risk evaluation, capacity building, communication and outreach, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the wetland ecosystem.

Nathmalpur Wetland

 

The EC also approved funding of ₹34.50 lakh for the “Capacity Building Initiatives for making water-sensitive cities in the Ganga Basin” project for the preparation of City Plans and training on the reuse of treated wastewater for Agra and Prayagraj Districts in Uttar Pradesh. The project aims at preparation of city level reuse plan aligned to the National Framework for Safe Reuse of Treated Water (SRTW) developed by NMCG.

 

Nathmalpur Wetland

These project approvals reaffirm NMCG’s commitment to integrated water management and environmental restoration. As the Mission continues to evolve, such strategic decisions will play a pivotal role in achieving the vision of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable river ecosystem for future generations.

The meeting was attended by Sh. Mahabir Prasad, Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor of Ministry of Power, (additional charge) River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; Sh. Nalin Srivastava, Deputy Director General of NMCG; Sh. Anoop Kumar Srivastava, Executive Director (Technical); Sh. Brijendra Swaroop, Executive Director (Projects) Sh. S.P. Vashistha, Executive Director (Administration); Sh. Bhaskar Dasgupta, Executive Director (Finance); Sh. Prabhash Kumar, Additional Project Director of Uttar Pradesh SMCG and Sh. S. Chandrasekhar, I.F.S., Chief Conservator of Forest -cum- State Nodal Officer, Environment & Climate Change, Bihar.

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Dhanya Sanal K

(Release ID: 2127245) Visitor Counter : 46

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Fanling this afternoon (May 6) in which a man died.

     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     A spokesman for the Housing Department (HD) (May 6) reminded public rental housing (PRH) residents and applicants to declare truthfully their income and assets.
 
     In a total of four separate prosecution cases, two public PRH residents and two PRH applicants who did not declare to the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) their ownership of domestic property/land in Hong Kong or landed property on the Mainland were convicted by the Court for making false statements knowingly or neglecting to furnish information specified in declaration forms.
 
     The information of the four cases is provided below:
 
Case 1

     A PRH resident living in Lee On Estate in Shatin did not declare in 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Forms that he owned land/property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident owned a portion of the ownership of six pieces of lands in North District, New Territories at the material time.
 
Case 2

     A PRH resident living at Lung Hang Estate in Shatin did not declare in a 2024 Income and Assets Declaration Form that he owned domestic property in Hong Kong. A subsequent investigation revealed that this resident had owned a domestic property in Tuen Mun with another person under a joint tenancy at the material time. 

     The PRH residents in Cases 1 and 2 were prosecuted for neglecting to furnish information specified in the declaration forms, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted on April 28 this year in Shatin Magistrates’ Courts. Given the gravity of the offence, the defendants were respectively sentenced to a fine of $30,000 and two months’ imprisonment (suspended for 24 months), and a fine of $15,000 and two weeks’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months). The HD had already earlier recovered one subject PRH flat and has issued a Notice-to-Quit to another subject tenant.
 
Case 3
 
     A PRH applicant applied for PRH in 2017. She did not declare on the form of Applicant’s Declaration submitted to the HD in 2021 her ownership of domestic property in Hong Kong during the period from her application for PRH to the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a domestic property in Hung Hom during the said period and she would not be eligible for PRH application.
 
Case 4
 
     A PRH applicant applied for the PRH in 2016. She did not declare on the form of Applicant’s Declaration submitted to the HD in 2023 her ownership of landed property at the date she submitted the form. A subsequent investigation revealed that she owned a landed property in Guangdong Province when she was submitting the form. She would not be eligible for PRH application.
 
     The PRH applicants in Cases 3 and 4 were prosecuted by the HD for making a false statement in respect of their PRH applications, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance. They were convicted in the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on April 28 this year. Given the gravity of the offences, the defendants were both sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment (suspended for 24 months) and were fined $8,000 and $5,000 respectively. The relevant PRH applications have been cancelled.

     The spokesman reiterated that all households living in PRH should complete their Income and Asset Declaration Forms accurately, as doing so provides the foundation for the assessment of rent and their eligibilities for continuing residence. Before furnishing particulars specified in the requisition required by the HA, households should read the content and completion guidelines of the Income and Assets Declaration Forms carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may be liable to prosecution for making a false statement, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. Or they may be liable to prosecution for refusing or neglecting to furnish information as specified in a declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance. If convicted, the maximum penalty is a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for three months. The HD will take action to recover the undercharged rent incurred due to the inaccurate information furnished by the households, or even recover their PRH units.
 
     The spokesman also reminded all PRH applicants that if any persons are convicted by the courts for making a false statement during the PRH application, contrary to Section 26(1)(c) of the Housing Ordinance, the maximum penalty is a fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months. The PRH application concerned will be cancelled while any allocated PRH unit will be recovered by the HD.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
The spokesperson for Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) today (May 6) announces the root cause analysis report of a previous sentinel event:
 
     A 75-year-old male non-communicative patient with a history of hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease was admitted to CMC for abdominal pain and constipation on February 28. According to hospital records, the patient started a puree diet instead of a minced diet in February.
 
     The patient was restricted from eating and drinking until March 2, when a fluid diet was resumed as his condition improved. On March 3, a doctor ordered DAT (abbreviation of the term “diet as tolerated”), intending to resume the patient’s usual diet, while the term concerned was interpreted as a regular diet by a nurse. The patient choked while being fed a regular diet and passed away during the afternoon on the same day despite resuscitation efforts.
 
     CMC announced the incident afterward and a Root Cause Analysis Panel was formed to analyse the incident. After reviewing the case, the Panel concluded that the root cause of the incident was the varied interpretations of the term concerned, which led to communication gaps and misaligned practices among the clinical team.
 
     The Panel considered that multiple factors were involved in this sentinel event. There was a lack of communication between medical and nursing staff regarding dietary orders. The inclusion of a DAT as a standard diet type in some electronic systems might have created the perception that the instruction referred to a specific diet type. Additionally, some nursing teaching materials equate the term with a regular diet, which could also have contributed to varied understanding in daily clinical practice.
 
     The Panel also found that DAT was not a standard option in the electronic bed panel system, but the term concerned was entered as free text, leading to varying interpretations of the patient’s dietary requirements. Moreover, there was no standardised process for patient assessment, diet selection, and documentation of diet tolerance.
 
     The Panel made the following recommendations:
 

1. The interpretation of the term DAT should be aligned and communicated to staff;
2. The use of DAT as a diet type option in all forms and electronic systems should be removed to eliminate ambiguity;
3. The dietary management workflow from patient assessment to communication to meal provision should be enhanced; and
4. The terminology for diet options in the Dietetics and Catering Order System should be standardised with the electronic bed panel system. The interface between these systems should be improved to synchronise data and minimise the risk of misinterpreting dietary orders.

 
     The Hospital Authority (HA) has aligned the definition of the term DAT. It is now explicitly defined as a flexible dietary approach tailored to the patient’s individual tolerance, preferences, and medical condition, subject to professional assessment. It does not imply any specific food texture.
 
     CMC will implement the relevant recommendations to enhance medical and nursing staff training to ensure proper understanding and implementation of the aligned definition of the term concerned in daily practice. The hospital has met with the patient’s family to explain the report’s findings, and expressed deep condolences to the family members. CMC will maintain communication with the family and provide necessary assistance.
 
     CMC has submitted the report to the HA Head Office. The hospital also expressed gratitude to the panel. Membership of the panel is as follows:
 
Chairperson:
Dr Lau Ka Hin
Clinical Stream Coordinator (Medical), Hong Kong East Cluster
 
Members:
Professor Chair Sek Ying
Vice-Director of Research, The Nethersole School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
 
Mr Chan Man Nok
Chief Nursing Officer, Nursing Services Department, Hospital Authority
 
Ms Sandy Chang
Cluster Manager (Dietetics), Kowloon Central Cluster
(Joined on March 6)
 
Dr Raymond Cheung
Chief Manager (Patient Safety and Risk Management), Hospital Authority
 
Mr Lam Yan Ki
Department Manager (Speech Therapy), Kowloon East Cluster
 
Dr Lau Chi Hung
Chief of Service (Surgery), Queen Elizabeth Hospital
 
Dr Ben Wong
Clinical Services Coordinator (Surgery), Caritas Medical Centre

Source: Government of India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia on his historic second term

The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)

They agreed to remain in touch and looked forward to their next meeting

Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 2:07PM by PIB Delhi

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a telephone conversation with The Hon Anthony Albanese today and congratulated him on his historic re-election as the 32nd Prime Minister of Australia. 

The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between the two countries. They noted that in its five years, the CSP has seen robust cooperation developing across a diverse range of sectors. They stressed on the role played by the vibrant Indian origin diaspora in cementing bilateral ties. 

The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual interest and reiterated their commitment to working together in promoting a free, open, stable, rules-based and prosperous Indo-Pacific. 

Prime Minister invited PM Albanese to visit India including for the Annual Summit and the QUAD Summit to be hosted in India later in the year. The leaders agreed to remain in touch.

 

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MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2127230) Visitor Counter : 96

Source: Government of India

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Inaugurates Bharat Telecom 2025; Highlights India’s Export Potential

India Showcases Global Telecom Ambitions at Bharat Telecom 2025

Minister Scindia: “We’re not just connecting villages; we’re connecting futures. Every tower we raise, every byte we transmit, brings 1.4 billion people closer to opportunity”

 “Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold vision and unwavering resolve have transformed India from a digital follower into a global digital leader — turning aspirations into infrastructure, and policy into progress.” Minister Scindia

Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar:  “Today, India stands ready not merely as a market or consumer but as a creator, partner and trusted provider of world-class telecom solutions. The narrative has changed from a historical made-for-India to made-by-India.”

More than 130 foreign delegates from over 35 countries participate

Over 80 leading Indian Telecom and ICT companies showcased innovative products and solutions across multiple domains

Posted On: 06 MAY 2025 1:41PM by PIB Delhi

“Bharat Telecom is not just a conference — it is a declaration of India’s intent to shape the future of global connectivity through innovation, collaboration, and inclusive growth.” said Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, while inaugurating Bharat Telecom 2025 in New Delhi today. He said, “When ideas, innovation, and intent come together in harmony, they create not a cacophony, but a symphony — and Bharat Telecom is that symphony of global collaboration and opportunity.”

Organized by the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC), in collaboration with Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Bharat Telecom 2025 plays a significant role in India’s vision to become a global hub for telecom manufacturing, services, and exports. The event was inaugurated in the presence of Dr.Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications, alongside industry leaders, foreign delegates, and innovators from across the telecom value chain. The two-day event Bharat Telecom 2025, besides providing an interactive platform for stakeholders, also showcases an Exclusive International Business Expo.

In his inaugural remarks, Minister Scindia further highlighted India’s growing role as a telecom exporter and a hub of innovation, backed by progressive reforms and production-linked incentives. “We’re not just connecting villages; we’re connecting futures. Every tower we raise, every byte we transmit, brings 1.4 billion people closer to opportunity”, Minister Scindia asserted. He highlighted, “It is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bold vision and unwavering resolve that have transformed India from a digital follower into a global digital leader — turning aspirations into infrastructure, and policy into progress.”

Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia highlighted “In just 22 months, we connected 99% of our villages with 5G and brought 82% of our population onto the network, deploying 470,000 towers—this is not evolution; it is a telecom revolution.” He pointed out, “This digital highway we have built across India is not merely about communication—it is the infrastructure of infrastructure, empowering 1.4 billion citizens with access to healthcare, education, governance, and economic opportunity.”

The minister emphasized India’s extraordinary rise as a global digital powerhouse, attributing it to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pointed out that India has not only caught up with the world in areas like 4G and 5G, but is now leading the charge, with sweeping reforms and technological innovation shaping the country’s trajectory. Shri Scindia underlined the role of India’s telecom sector as a transformative force and described the nation’s evolution from expensive, limited mobile access in the 1990s to now being the world’s second-largest telecom market and the cheapest data provider.

Speaking at the session, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Minister of State for Communications, said, “There are moments in a nation’s journey when it not only participates in global conversations but defines their course. Today, India stands ready not merely as a market or consumer but as a creator, partner and trusted provider of world-class telecom solutions. The narrative has changed from a historical made-for-India to made-by-India.”

Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar emphasized that India is undergoing a pivotal transformation in the global telecom arena, evolving from a consumer to a creator of technology. He highlighted that this progress was driven by the Digital India initiative launched a decade ago and supported by forward-thinking government policies under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Citing initiatives like the production-linked incentive scheme, progressive spectrum management, and the Telecom Technology Development Fund, he pointed to India’s dramatic rise in domestic manufacturing, exports, and innovation. He further mentioned that India now plays a significant role in global supply chains, including producing 15% of the world’s iPhones. He concluded by outlining the country’s future focus on 6G leadership, satellite broadband expansion, and quantum communication networks to strengthen digital sovereignty.

Mr. Arnob Roy, Chairman, TEPC, in his welcome address said, “Bharat Telecom showcases the transformative power of India’s indigenous telecom ecosystem, highlighting our unparalleled growth and innovation in the global telecom industry.” He acknowledged the Indian government’s strategic policies that have fostered innovation and manufacturing in the Telecom sector, and invited delegates to explore the innovations at the Bharat Telecom exhibition 2025.

Bharat Telecom 2025 has been conceptualised to reinforce India’s position as a reliable and trusted telecom products manufacturing and export destination, by highlighting the country’s growing capabilities in telecom equipment, ICT services and next-generation digital technologies. Over 80 leading Indian Telecom and ICT companies showcased innovative products and solutions across multiple domains.

The event saw enthusiastic international participation, with more than 130 foreign delegates from over 35 countries, representing government bodies, private enterprises etc. It also featured thematic exhibitions, conference sessions, high-impact B2B meetings, strategic networking sessions and knowledge-sharing forums focusing on cutting-edge communication technologies such as 5G, Optical Fibre, Broadband Infrastructure, Satellite Communication, IoT, AI-driven Networks and more.

About TEPC:

Established in 2009 under the Foreign Trade Policy of the Government of India, the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) plays a vital role in promoting and facilitating the export of telecom equipment and services. Its mandate spans the entire telecom ecosystem, including ICT hardware and software, infrastructure products, system integration, consultancy, and service provision. TEPC serves as a key platform for diverse stakeholders such as equipment manufacturers, system integrators, service providers, and other entities operating within the telecom sector.

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Samrat

(Release ID: 2127228) Visitor Counter : 89

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     With drier northeast monsoon affecting Hong Kong for most of the time and less moisture supply to the coast of southern China in the month, April 2025 was drier than usual in Hong Kong. The monthly mean relative humidity was 74 per cent, the second lowest on record for April since 1947. Moreover, the total rainfall in the month was 57.1 millimetres, only about 37 per cent of the normal of 153.0 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first four months of the year was 125.5 millimetres, about 42 per cent of the normal of 300.4 millimetres for the same period. The month was also sunnier than usual. The monthly total sunshine duration was 155.6 hours, about 37 per cent above the normal of 113.2 hours. April 2025 was warmer than usual with a mean temperature of 23.7 degrees, 0.7 degrees above the normal of 23.0 degrees.

     Under the influence of the northeast monsoon and a broad band of clouds covering southern China, the weather was mainly cloudy and cold with one or two light rain patches on the morning of the first day of the month. The temperatures at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 12.9 degrees that morning, the lowest of the month. With the band of clouds thinning out, there were sunny periods during the day. The weather became fine and dry the next day. Under the influence of a dry easterly airstream, it remained fine and very dry on the afternoon of April 3. While it was generally fine at first on April 4, a band of clouds gradually covered the coast of Guangdong, leading to cloudier weather that afternoon and the following two days. There were occasional showers on April 5, with around 10 millimetres of rainfall recorded over many places. With the band of clouds thinning out, the weather became mainly fine on April 7. It was dry and rather warm during the day. Winds were weak over the coast of Guangdong on April 8 and 9. The weather in Hong Kong was rather warm with sunny periods.

     A southerly airstream brought humid weather in the following three days. Locally, there were fog patches on the morning of April 11, with the visibility in the harbour once falling below 1 000 metres. Moreover, a trough of low pressure over northern Guangdong developed into a cold front on the morning of April 12. As the cold front edged closer to the coastal region, local showers increased with a few squally thunderstorms that afternoon. More than 10 millimetres of rainfall was recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 20 millimetres over Tai Po District. The cold front moved across the coastal areas around that evening. Under the influence of the associated intense and dry northeast monsoon, showers eased off with temperatures falling gradually that night. Strong northerly winds also affected many parts of Hong Kong that night and at first the next day, with winds occasionally reaching gale force offshore and on high ground. The intense monsoon also transported sand and dust southwards from Mongolia and brought widespread sandstorms to many inland areas in China. Under the influence of the very dry continental airstream and the sand and dust weather, the weather was very dry with visibility slightly dropping to around 5 to 6 kilometres over parts of the territory from April 13 to 15. The relative humidity over many places on these three days fell below 40 per cent. The relative humidity recorded at the Observatory on April 13 once fell to 21 per cent, the lowest record in April since the establishment of the automatic weather station at the Observatory’s Headquarters in 1984. With plenty of sunshine and weaker winds on April 15, the temperatures at the Observatory soared to a maximum of 33.0 degrees that afternoon, the highest of the month. It also marked the earliest occurrence of very hot weather in a year and the second highest maximum temperature for April on record.

     An easterly airstream affected the coast of Guangdong on April 16 and 17. While the local weather was mainly fine and dry during the day on April 16, it became mainly cloudy the next day with coastal fog in the morning and at night. The visibility at Waglan Island once fell below 1 000 metres. With a humid southerly airstream replacing the easterly airstream that afternoon, the weather was cloudy with a few showers in the following two days. There was coastal fog from April 18 to 21. The southerly airstream continued to affect the coast of Guangdong and brought hot weather to Hong Kong from April 20 to 24. The maximum temperature recorded at the Observatory was 30.6 degrees on April 20, making it one of the warmest day of Easter on record.

     A trough of low pressure affected inland Guangdong on April 24 and edged closer to the coastal areas in the evening, bringing showers and a few squally thunderstorms that night and the next day. Showers were heavy on the morning of April 25. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall was recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over the eastern part of Hong Kong Island, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O. With a fresh to strong easterly airstream setting in that night, the weather was cloudy with a few showers and became cooler in the following two days. There were also fog patches on April 27. The visibility at Waglan Island once fell below 1 000 metres. Another trough of low pressure over inland Guangdong edged closer to the coastal areas gradually that night. Apart from coastal fog on the morning of April 28, there were showers and one or two thunderstorms that day with rainfall exceeding 10 millimetres over many places, and around 30 millimetres of rainfall was even recorded over the northern part of the New Territories. Affected by a relatively dry easterly airstream, the weather was generally fine on the last two days of the month.

     There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in April 2025.

     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for April are tabulated in Table 2.