Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Online appointment for counter services for direct issue of Hong Kong Full Driving Licence to be fully implemented from March 16
| Time Starting March 16, the system will open up available booking slots in the coming four weeks for booking, and the slots will be updated at 5pm on every working day.
Applicants are required to verify their identity when making a booking. Hong Kong identity card (HKIC) holders must log in using a registered “iAM Smart” account; while non-HKIC holders or those who have not registered an “iAM Smart” account must upload their identity document and driving licence as instructed by the system. All applicants have to provide an email address to receive the one-time password for verification. If any information provided or submitted is found to be untrue, the appointment will be cancelled and such quota will be released for booking by other applicants, enabling more effective system operation. The eligibility criteria, necessary documents and applicable vehicle classes of “direct issue” applications remain unchanged.Issued at HKT 10:00 NNNN Thundery Showers On Most Afternoons In The First Fortnight Of March 2026Source: Government of Singapore 2 Mar 2026 – The prevailing Northeast Monsoon conditions are expected to continue in the first fortnight of March 2026, with winds blowing mainly from the northwest or northeast. 2. Thundery showers are forecast over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days. The showers may extend into the evening on a few of these days. The total rainfall for the first fortnight of March 2026 is forecast to be near average over most parts of the island. 3. The daily maximum temperatures are likely to range between 33 degrees Celsius and 34 degrees Celsius on most days and reach around 35 degrees Celsius on a few days. 4. For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app. REVIEW OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (16 – 28 February 2026) 5. Northeast Monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region in the second fortnight of February 2026. During this period, the low-level winds blew mainly from the northwest or northeast. 6. The second fortnight of February 2026 was wet, particularly in the first few days. Thundery showers fell over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days, extending into the evening on some days. Strong convergence of winds over the region in the first few days of the fortnight resulted in dense cloud formation, heavy rain and cooler temperatures over Singapore. On 19 February 2026, widespread heavy thundery showers affected Singapore in the afternoon and evening. 7. The daily total rainfall of 148.6mm recorded at Margaret Drive that day was the highest rainfall recorded for the second fortnight of February 2026.The daily maximum temperatures in the second fortnight of February 2026 were above 32 degrees Celsius on most days. The highest daily maximum temperature of 35.2 degrees Celsius was recorded at Admiralty on 28 February 2026. The lowest daily minimum temperature of 20.3 degrees Celsius was recorded at Newton during the heavy rain event on 19 February 2026. 8. Singapore recorded well above average rainfall in the second fortnight of February 2026. Ulu Pandan registered rainfall of about 530 per cent above average.
CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS
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METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE SINGAPORE 2 Mar 2026 ~~ End ~~ For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application. Golf event awarded ‘M’ Mark statusSource: Hong Kong Information Services The Major Sports Events Committee has awarded “M” Mark status to the HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong 2026 to be held from Thursday to Sunday at the Fanling Golf Course of the Hong Kong Golf Club. Committee Chairman Wilfred Ng said LIV Golf is making a triumphant return, holding its event in Hong Kong for the third consecutive year Mr Ng noted that the spotlight of global golf will once again shine on the Fanling Golf Course of the Hong Kong Golf Club. “The tournament will continue to bring together the world’s top players showcasing their exceptional skills alongside a variety of exciting entertainment activities, which will fully demonstrate Hong Kong’s unique appeal as a capital of international sports events,” he added. CE to attend NPC session in BeijingSource: Hong Kong Information Services Chief Executive John Lee will depart for Beijing tomorrow to attend the opening meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress on March 5. Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on March 5. During his absence, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki will be Acting Chief Executive. TD set to expand license bookingsSource: Hong Kong Information Services The Transport Department announced today that online appointment bookings for “direct issue” of the Hong Kong Full Driving License will be fully implemented from March 16. The service will be expanded from the Admiralty office to all four licensing offices, with total daily booking slots increased to 550. New booking slots from March 16 to April 10 will be opened in batches from March 10 to 13. The department reminded the public that all applicants must reserve an appointment for “direct issue” counter services via the designated online appointment booking system and submit their applications at the assigned licensing office. Same-day ticketing for these services will be discontinued on March 16. However, any “direct issue” counter services secured through the online system before this date will remain in effect. Furthermore, the 24-hour telephone booking service at 3763 8080 will stop providing appointments for “direct issue’ counter services once the online system is fully implemented. Click here for further information. Astro camp nominations to openSource: Hong Kong Information Services Nominations for the Leisure & Cultural Services Department’s Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026 will open for local secondary schools from tomorrow until March 31. Now in its 15th edition, the free nine-day camp will take place from July 23 to 31. Selected participants will experience astronaut training on the Mainland to learn about space science, astronomy and China’s aerospace achievements. The itinerary includes visits to key aerospace and astronomy facilities such as Beijing Aerospace City, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and the Xinglong Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatories. Participants will also engage in astronaut training activities and have the opportunity to meet astronauts and aerospace experts. The training camp will admit a maximum of 30 participants. Applicants must be local full-time students aged 12 or above, currently enrolled in Secondary 2 to 6 for the 2025-26 academic year. Each secondary school may nominate up to two students. The three rounds of selection will include a quiz, pre-camp training and an interview. Candidates with the most outstanding performance will be selected to join the camp. The Hong Kong Space Museum will hold a briefing session on the afternoon of March 17. Wang Fuk Court housing hotline setSource: Hong Kong Information Services The enquiry hotline for Wang Fuk Court’s long-term housing arrangements commenced operation today. Members of the public may call 2129 8133 for information regarding the plan announced on February 21, under which affected owners may choose from several options. These include the Government acquiring titles from flat owners for cash, a “flat-for-flat” arrangement, and the reservation of units under the Home Ownership Scheme (HOS), the Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme, or Housing Society projects. Owners who have sold their titles will be given priority to purchase these reserved flats. The plan also involves the construction of new HOS flats at Chung Nga Road West in Tai Po to provide additional options for those affected. To assist Wang Fuk Court owners in understanding the specific options available under the housing plan, the Government has established a cross-departmental engagement team co-ordinated by the Housing Bureau. Beginning this week, the team will contact owners through the “one social worker per household” service. Owners may also contact the specific team members assigned to their household via the same mechanism. For easy identification, engagement team members will wear light blue vests and carry identification cards. Owners are advised not to disclose personal information to strangers without a referral made under the “one social worker per household” service. Appel à projets : Fonds « La francophonie avec Elles »Source: Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Caledonie L’Organisation internationale de la francophonie (OIF), au travers de son fonds « La francophonie avec Elles », soutient des initiatives pour l’autonomie financière et sociale des femmes. Un appel a projets est ouvert jusqu’au 26 avril 2026. Le fonds « La francophonie avec Elles » a pour objectif de renforcer l’autonomisation économique et sociale des femmes, de l’espace francophone, en situation de vulnérabilité dans une perspective de développement durable, en soutenant des actions de terrain menées par des organisations de la société civile francophone ancrées localement (associations, coopératives, ONG, etc.). Les objectifs spécifiques du fonds « La francophonie avec Elles » sont de :
Thématiques régionales prioritairesPour la région Asie Pacifique : l’accès aux formations professionnelles orientées vers l’insertion professionnelle et l’entreprenariat. Une attention particulière sera accordée aux projets mis en œuvre dans les pays en situation de fragilité. Public cibleLes projets soutenus doivent bénéficier à des femmes, prioritairement aux jeunes femmes âgées de 15-34 ans, exposées à des formes de vulnérabilités multiples. Cela inclut notamment :
Une attention particulière sera accordée aux femmes déplacées dans un contexte de conflit et de post-conflit. Critères d’éligibilité relatifs à l’organisation candidatePour être éligible, l’organisation candidate devra remplir les conditions suivantes :
Critères d’éligibilité relatifs au projetPour être éligible, le projet devra remplir toutes les conditions suivantes :
Chaque organisation pourra soumettre jusqu’à deux projets différents au titre de cet appel. Toutefois, une seule candidature par organisation pourra être retenue dans le cadre de la sélection finale. Comment candidater ?Les candidatures devront être soumises directement en ligne avant le 26 avril 2026 à 23h59 (heure de Paris). Pour soumettre un projet, il convient de remplir le formulaire sur le lien suivant. En complément et à titre d’information et de suivi, merci d’envoyer votre projet à : scrre@gouv.nc Le dossier devra être composé des documents suivants :
Le Guide du porteur de projet ainsi les modèles de budget prévisionnel et de calendrier prévisionnel sont disponibles sur le lien suivant : https://partage.francophonie.org/public/fd1604c451fb Des webinaires de questions-réponses sont prévus en mars et en avril afin d’accompagner les OSC souhaitant soumettre une candidature. Calendrier de l’appel à projets
Les questions peuvent être adressées à l’équipe de gestion opérationnelle du fonds « La francophonie avec Elles » à : aap-fff@francophonie.org et repap@francophonie.org Contact gouvernement: Virginie THOMAS GARREL, SCRRE : virginie.garrel@gouv.nc À la découverte de l’exposition « Archives inaccessibles ? »Source: Gouvernement de la Nouvelle-Caledonie Le service des Archives de la Nouvelle-Calédonie a lancé samedi 28 février l’exposition documentaire « Archives inaccessibles ? ». Cette exposition propose au public de mieux comprendre le rôle essentiel des archives et les règles qui encadrent leur consultation, en expliquant pourquoi certains documents ne sont pas librement accessibles. À travers cette exposition, le service des Archives de la Nouvelle-Calédonie propose au public de mieux comprendre le rôle essentiel des archives et les raisons qui peuvent limiter leur consultation. « L’idée de cette exposition s’appuie sur le constat que de nombreuses personnes qui effectuaient des recherches généalogiques ne comprenaient pas pourquoi on leur refusait la consultation de certains documents », a expliqué Corinne Ample, chargée de valorisation au service des archives. L’exposition a donc pour objectifs de :
Ces règles et dispositifs répondent à un double impératif : protéger les personnes et préserver durablement le patrimoine archivistique. Trois raisons à cette accessibilité limitéeDes raisons matérielles et juridiques expliquent l’accessibilité de certaines archives :
Le papier jaunit, se fissure, l’encre pâlit. Avec le temps, les conditions climatiques et les manipulations répétées, certains documents deviennent trop fragiles pour être consultés sans risque. Cette vitrine présente des archives dégradées ainsi que les supports de substitution, notamment les versions numérisées, privilégiées afin de garantir la pérennité des originaux.
Certaines archives publiques — état civil, dossiers médicaux, enquêtes judiciaires — contiennent des informations sensibles. Afin de protéger la vie privée des citoyens, la réglementation fixe des délais de communicabilité qui varient entre la Nouvelle-Calédonie et l’État. Cette vitrine permet de comprendre ces règles légales et leur rôle dans l’équilibre entre transparence et respect de l’intime.
Lorsqu’un particulier, une famille, une entreprise ou une association confie ses archives au service public, il en demeure propriétaire et fixe ses propres règles d’accès. Cette liberté favorise le dépôt d’archives privées, enrichissant les fonds publics tout en illustrant la notion de mémoire partagée. Des documents exceptionnels exposés pour l’ouverture de l’expositionÀ l’occasion de l’ouverture de l’exposition, les archives ont sorti des réserves des documents exceptionnels, consultables par le public. Un moyen de faire découvrir au plus grand nombre ne travail singulier réalisé par le service afin de conserver au mieux les objets témoins du passé de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. « On y retrouve par exemple une carte de la Nouvelle-Calédonie appartenant à la Maison Ballande datant de 1900 et qui fait environ six mètres, a précisé Corrine Ample. Ou encore un chansonnier fait en fibres naturelles et qui demande des conditions de conservation spécifiques pour ne pas que ces fibres se détériorent ». Informations pratiques Du 28 février au 31 juillet 2026, du mardi au vendredi de 8 h à 17 h, le samedi de 8 h à 12 h Entrée libre et gratuite, ouverte à tous Service des Archives de la Nouvelle-Calédonie 3 rue Raoul Félix Thomas, Nouville (derrière le théâtre de l’Île) Tél. 26 60 20 CHP investigates suspected norovirus outbreak on inbound cruise shipSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 1) investigated a suspected norovirus outbreak on the cruise ship MS Westerdam, which is making a brief stop at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal during daytime today. The CHP is actively following up on the incident in collaboration with relevant departments. “On Friday evening (February 27), the CHP’s Port Health Division received notification from a cruise operator indicating that certain passengers and crew members aboard a vessel en route to Hong Kong were suspected of having contracted norovirus. The CHP immediately requested additional information from the cruise operator and the ship’s medical personnel. Upon receiving the information yesterday, the CHP promptly convened a meeting with the relevant government departments and organisations to comprehensively assess the risks and make thorough arrangements to protect the health of those on board,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||