Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs seizes illegally imported live birds of suspected scheduled endangered species (with photo)
Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hkIssued at HKT 12:40
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EMSD youth outreach programme wins GovMedia Awards 2026
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Witty Bear Youth Outreach Programme – Exploring the E&M World, run by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), won the Hong Kong Outreach Project of the Year – Youth award at the GovMedia Awards 2026. The award recognises the department’s efforts in promoting electrical and mechanical (E&M) knowledge to youth and nurturing future E&M talent.
Launched in 2022 and targeting children and young people, the programme features the EMSD’s popular mascots, Witty Bear and KnowBot, as publicity ambassadors to promote E&M safety, energy efficiency, and innovation and technology. Through a continuous array of diverse activities, including a pilot STEM education programme, exhibitions, mobile promotion trucks and book fair booths, the programme introduces E&M knowledge in a lively, interesting, educational, and easy-to-understand manner, to inspire young children and guide youth to explore the professional world of E&M engineering, thereby nurturing new blood for the industry.
The GovMedia Awards recognise outstanding government initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region, commending organisations for their exceptional leadership, creativity, and impact in public service.
Government announces quarterly land sale programme for July to September 2026
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Government announced today (July 10) the quarterly land sale programme for the second quarter of 2026-27, i.e. July to September 2026.
The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, said in terms of the Government land sale in the second quarter of 2026-27, the Government will put up for tender a residential site at Fat Kwong Street, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon. The site is able to provide floor space of around 19 300 square metres and can provide around 250 flats. It is selected from the Annual Land Sale List announced in February this year and is situated in a mature urban neighbourhood with comprehensive surrounding facilities and traffic network. The rezoning procedures for the site from “Government, Institution or Community” use to “Residential” use have recently been completed. Furthermore, the tender for three residential sites located in the large-scale land disposal pilot area in the Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area was closed on July 3, and they are expected to provide around 3 120 flats in total. Taken altogether, Government land sale in this quarter is capable of providing around 3 370 flats.
Other residential land supply this quarter will include MTR Corporation Limited’s Tuen Mun A16 Station (Package 2) development project which is estimated to supply around 5 510 flats; and the Urban Renewal Authority’s Bailey Street/Chi Kiang Street, Hung Hom project launched on July 3 and capable of providing around 1 220 flats. As for private development and redevelopment projects, three projects are expected to complete lease modification procedures in the second quarter, providing a total supply of around 90 flats.
Ms Linn said, “Taking all sources of land supply into account, the total private housing land supply in the second quarter of this financial year would support the development of around 10 190 units. Together with the supply from the first quarter, the total private housing land supply of the first half of this financial year is expected to support some 12 430 units, which is very close to the annual target of private housing supply for this financial year (12 600 units). This figure has not yet reflected private redevelopment projects not requiring lease modification from the second quarter, as such figures are only available at a later stage. The supply target for the financial year is likely to be achieved shortly because of the need for the Government to spearhead development in the Northern Metropolis or railway property development projects in a timely manner taking into account the overall land and infrastructure development strategy. Together with more active transactions in the private market, developers are more proactive in bidding for land or engaging in private development projects.”
As regards the private housing land supply for 2025-26, taking into account new private development and redevelopment projects in the fourth quarter, the actual supply is adjusted upwards to around 16 865 flats, which exceeds the supply target for that financial year by around 28 per cent.
The Government will continue to sustain its effort in rolling out land in a prudent and pragmatic manner, and flexibly adjust the land disposal strategy according to market situation, in order to meet the development needs of society.
The site to be tendered in July to September 2026 is in the Annex. The actual tender timetable will be drawn up taking into account the progress of necessary preparatory work. The Lands Department will announce the detailed land sale arrangements before individual sites are put up for tender.
Ballot applications to start on July 16 for free use of leisure facilities on Sport For All Day 2026
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Ballot applications to start on July 16 for free use of leisure facilities on Sport For All Day 2026 (* Users are required to possess the relevant qualification certificates.)
The free-of-charge sessions will be allocated through balloting. Details are as follows:
| Date of free use Members of the public may make ballot applications via the SmartPLAY system as individual users for the sessions on August 1 and/or August 2 in accordance with the above timetable. Each user may only make one application for each date, with each application covering a maximum of three choices. Each application will be processed independently. An applicant may revise his/her choices in his/her application via SmartPLAY system before the closing time at 11.59pm on the respective application closing dates (i.e. July 19 and 20 respectively). Successful applicants will be notified by the SmartPLAY system.
SmartPLAY users who have not been allocated any free session by ballot or have not made any application may book the remaining sessions on a first-come, first-served basis in accordance with the above timetable through the following channels: NNNN EDB and EdUHK jointly organise 4Rs Mental Health Professional Exchange Day cum Peer Power – Student Gatekeeper Training Programme Achievement SharingSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The Education Bureau (EDB) today (July 10) jointly organised the 4Rs Mental Health Professional Exchange Day cum Peer Power – Student Gatekeeper Training Programme (Peer Power Programme) Achievement Sharing with the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, accompanied by the President of EdUHK, Professor John Lee, officiated at the opening ceremony of the event. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Choi said that the EDB has always been committed to promoting mental health on campuses. She noted that the 4Rs Mental Health Charter (4Rs Charter) launched in the 2024/25 school year emphasises the integration of four core elements: Rest, Relaxation, Relationship and Resilience. This initiative aims to foster a caring school atmosphere in a holistic manner and comprehensively enhance students’ mental health. Currently, over 96 per cent of schools across Hong Kong have participated in the 4Rs Charter, demonstrating the education sector’s strong support and the importance placed on students’ physical and mental well-being. Dr Choi pointed out that promoting student mental health relies on cross-sectoral and cross-professional collaboration. She expressed her hope that everyone, inspired by new insights, would continue to work together with love, passion, determination and action to co-create healthy and happy campuses. The event featured achievement sharing from the Peer Power Programme. Through booth activities, students shared their achievements in promoting mental health on campuses. All booths at the venue were designed and hosted by the Peer Leaders. The booths were thoughtfully and diversely designed, featuring interactive games or handicraft activities, thereby practising mental health through experiential learning and reinforcing the concept of a student-led approach to promoting mental health in schools. Dr Choi extended special thanks to the principals, teachers and students of the schools participating in this school year’s Peer Power Programme for their active promotion of student mental health and their spirit of mutual care and help on campus. She gave full recognition to students’ efforts and dedication when visiting the booths of the Peer Leaders and listening to students’ sharing. She also encouraged the Peer Leaders to continue playing fully their role in peer support and promoting mental health within their schools. Fraudulent websites related to Octopus Cards LimitedSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Fraudulent websites related to Octopus Cards Limited NNNN Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board Annual Report 2025-2026Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Deposit Protection Board (the Board) today (July 10) published its Annual Report for 2025-2026. Appointments to Financial Reporting Review PanelSource: Hong Kong Government special administrative region Appointments to Financial Reporting Review Panel NNNN Ballots drawn for HOS 2025, GSH 2025 and WSM 2025Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4 The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority: “It is the first time the HA has allocated an extra ballot number to young family applicants and young one-person applicants aged below 40 with White Form (WF) status who opted to join the Youth Scheme (HOS). Approximately 54 000 relevant applications for HOS 2025 have been allocated an extra ballot number,” a spokesman for the HA said. “Following the first implementation in GSH 2024, the HA continues to allocate an extra ballot number in HOS 2025 and GSH 2025 to applicants who failed to purchase a subsidised sales flat (SSF) in the last two consecutive sale exercises of the same type of SSF, with the aim of increasing their chances of successfully purchasing SSFs. HOS and GSH will be counted separately. Approximately 20 000 applications and 10 000 applications for HOS 2025 and GSH 2025 have been allocated an extra ballot number respectively,” the spokesman said. The ballot drawings separately conducted today determine the applicants’ priority sequence for HOS 2025, GSH 2025 and WSM 2025 based on the last two digits of their application numbers and the extra ballot numbers (if any). For applicants holding the same drawn digits within each application categories, their order of priority will be randomly generated by computer according to the ballot results. The flat selection order for applicants under HOS 2025 and GSH 2025 with extra ballot numbers will be determined by the ballot number with higher priority according to the ballot results. “For HOS 2025 and WSM 2025, flat selection is expected to commence from the fourth quarter and the third/fourth quarter of this year respectively. By then, the HA will send notifications in batches to invite eligible applicants according to their priority in the application category to select flats for sale at sales offices. For WSM 2025, approval letters for successful applicants are expected to be issued in the fourth quarter of this year for their applications for the Certificate of Eligibility to Purchase,” the spokesman said. The flats for sale under HOS 2025 and GSH 2025 offer a diverse range of choices, ensuring that young families, first-time homebuyers, and applicants seeking to improve their living environment can purchase a flat that suits their needs. The HA further increases the quota by 1 000 to 7 000 starting from WSM 2025, of which nearly 30 per cent (a total of 2 000 quotas) are allocated to young applicants aged below 40, while the remaining 5 000 are ordinary quotas. The allocation ratio for family and one-person applicants remains at 9:1, and any unused family quotas will be reallocated to one-person applicants and vice versa. “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: “HKDSE Exam Cheer Up Video (3) – Dream Ahead”(2026)Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 3 “Smart Parent Net” Recommendation: “HKDSE Exam Cheer Up Video (3) – Dream Ahead”(2026) |