Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Home and Youth Affairs Bureau launches HYAB Youth Start-up Internship Programme 2026
The HYAB is committed to promoting youth development. In 2021, the HYAB launched the Programme on a pilot basis. Following the success of the pilot programme, the HYAB regularised and expanded the Programme in 2023 in collaboration with Cyberport and the HKSTP. The Programme provides internship placements at start-ups for young people every year, with a view to fostering their interest in pursuing a career in innovation and technology (I&T) and nurturing talent for the industry in support of Hong Kong’s overall direction of promoting I&T development.
Under the new round of the Programme, Cyberport and the HKSTP will provide 200 internship placements of three to six months funded by the HYAB, covering various disciplines such as data analysis, fintech, biotech, artificial intelligence applications, business development, marketing, and design. The participating companies can engage interns on a full-time, part-time, or mixed basis. Applicants should be aged between 18 and 30 and must be (i) a full time post-secondary student (including sub-degree, undergraduate, or postgraduate) holding a Hong Kong permanent identity card; or (ii) a local full-time post-secondary student (including sub-degree, undergraduate, or postgraduate) holding a Hong Kong identity card. Apart from internship placements, Cyberport and the HKSTP will also arrange a series of training and entrepreneurial experience activities and visits to start-ups on the Mainland.
Details of the Programme and information about the internship placements are now available on the dedicated webpages of Cyberport and the HKSTP. Interested young people should submit applications to companies via the electronic application system on the webpages. Upon receipt of the applications, participating companies will conduct assessments to select suitable applicants to take forward the internship arrangements.
Issued at HKT 18:00
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Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected dangerous drugs worth about $4.2 million (with photo)
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected dangerous drugs worth about $4.2 million (with photo)
During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Tong yesterday afternoon, Customs officers intercepted a man and seized about 3kg of suspected drugs, including MDMA, heroin, cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, inside a rucksack carried by him. The man was subsequently arrested.
Customs officers later escorted him to a mini-storage warehouse and residential premises nearby for a search and further seized about 10kg of suspected drugs, including MDMA, heroin, cocaine, psilocybin mushrooms, ketamine, etomidate capsules, crack cocaine, cannabis buds and a batch of suspected drug packaging paraphernalia.Issued at HKT 18:00
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Police complete identifications and forensic examinations of remains from Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Police complete identifications and forensic examinations of remains from Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fireIssued at HKT 18:50
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Hospital Authority urges public to stay vigilant to fraudulent website
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hospital Authority urges public to stay vigilant to fraudulent website
The HA stated that this fraudulent website falsely claimed to verify the electronic medical certificates issued by public hospitals, thereby inducing members of public to input personal information such as patient names and sick leave dates from their medical certificates. The spokesperson emphasized that the HA has no connection with this website and urged members of the public not to provide any personal information to suspicious websites of unknown origin.
The spokesperson said, “The HA introduced electronic medical certificates in March 2023. Each electronic medical certificate bears an encrypted QR code. If members of the public need to verify an electronic medical certificate, they can simply scan the QR code on the certificate to access the correct official website for verification.”
The HA is highly concerned about the incident and has contacted relevant authorities to remove the fraudulent website. The case has been referred to the police and the HA will fully cooperate with the relevant investigation.
Issued at HKT 23:12
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Police open fire in Castle Peak
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Police open fire in Castle Peak
Police are investigating a Police open fire case in Castle Peak last night (January 15).
About 7.10pm, Police received a report from a staff member of a shop on Tuen Shun Street that a man fled away after stealing a knife from the shop. Subsequently, Police have also received multiple reports that a man holding a knife was found wandering in the vicinity of Tuen Wui Street. Police officers sped to the scene and located the man, who was holding a 12-inch long knife, outside the entrance of a shopping mall on Tuen Shun Street.
Despite multiple verbal warnings given by the officers, the man refused to cooperate and an officer discharged one burst of pepper spray. The man then fled into the mall and exited from another entrance shortly afterwards. He then held a female passerby hostage and attempted to assault her with the knife. Officers gave further verbal warnings to the man but in vain. To ensure the safety of the hostage, two police officers each fired a shot at the man.
Sustaining shot wounds to his shoulder and chest, the 34-year-old man was sent to Tuen Mun Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 8.47pm; the 51-year-old woman, who was held hostage, was sent to Tuen Mun Hospital in conscious state.
Some suspected dangerous drug and an extendable baton were seized from the man and the bag he carried.Issued at HKT 1:36
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Tai Po fire forensics work complete
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
Police announced today that the identification and forensic examination of remains from the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire have been completed, with a total of 168 deceased persons confirmed.
A fireman, two interior decorators, five construction workers, nine Indonesian domestic helpers and one Filipina domestic helper were among the deceased which comprised 58 males and 110 females, aged between six months and 98. Four of them were certified dead after being taken to hospital, while the remains of the other 164 were recovered at the scene.
All bereaved families have been notified of the confirmed identities of the deceased, and all remains recovered in the incident have been positively identified, leaving no unidentified remains outstanding.
Additionally, all enquiries regarding the Wang Fuk Court fire received by the Casualty Enquiry Unit have been verified, with no missing persons unaccounted for.
Police continue to probe the fire, with a death investigation report to be submitted to the coroner, who will then review it and decide whether an inquest should be held.
Should a hearing be convened, Police will submit the deceased individual’s particulars to the court. These particulars will not be disclosed at this stage to respect the wishes of the grieving relatives.
Call the Police casualty enquiry hotline at 1878 999 for enquiries.
MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty made by PRC foreign minister in Africa
Source: Republic of China Taiwan
MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty made by PRC foreign minister in Africa
January 12, 2026
During a visit to Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Lesotho from January 8 to 11, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ignored objective historical facts as he restated the so-called “one China principle” and spread distortions and falsehoods that seriously infringed upon the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Meanwhile, the foreign minister of Somalia, speaking with Wang by telephone, made the erroneous claim that the Taiwan issue was entirely an internal matter of the People’s Republic of China. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly protests and condemns these statements and expresses deep regret that countries are taking untenable positions to curry favor with China.
MOFA reiterates that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a sovereign, independent nation. Any claim that makes Taiwan subject to another country based on false narratives is unacceptable. China continues to use threats, enticements, and rhetoric to spread disinformation in the international sphere, which constitutes a challenge to the international order and to peace. All nations should pay close attention to such a flagrant example of authoritarian interference in the affairs of other countries.
The ROC (Taiwan) has long made efforts to assist the development of like-minded African nations in the areas of education, medicine, and infrastructure, in which it has enjoyed considerable success. MOFA calls on other nations to hold to the principles of independence, sovereignty, and rational thinking when they promote exchanges and cooperation. This is a long-term strategy that leads to national and public well-being. The ROC (Taiwan) is willing to continue to deepen friendly collaboration with all like-minded African nations that respect its sovereign equality and uphold the principle of mutually beneficial ties so as to promote the welfare of their peoples and societies.
Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to the people of Taiwan. Only they can decide Taiwan’s future. As a force for good in the international community, Taiwan will continue to defend the values of freedom and democracy and uphold the nation’s sovereignty. MOFA calls on like-minded nations that respect democratic values to work with it to curb authoritarian expansionism, and welcomes joint efforts to make further contributions to the sustainable development of Africa and the international community.
12 lease modifications recorded in Q4
Source: Hong Kong Information Services
The Lands Department said today that it registered 12 lease modifications and two land exchanges in the Land Registry during the quarter ending last month, adding that two of the former were technical changes that did not involve premiums.
Among the 14 land transactions registered, three involved locations on Hong Kong Island, six were in Kowloon and five in the New Territories.
During the period, one other lot was granted by private treaty for an electricity substation in Kwun Tong.
The land transactions registered realised a total land premium of about $3.57 billion.
Vetting Committee supports one more application under New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Vetting Committee supports one more application under New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, “We are glad that one more enterprise is planning to establish new advanced production facilities in Hong Kong through the NIAS. This project will not only bring cutting-edge manufacturing technologies to Hong Kong, but also further improve and upgrade the industrial chain, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness. The Government will continue to support enterprises, driving new industrialisation and promoting high-quality economic development in Hong Kong.”
The NIAS provides funding support on a 1 (Government): 2 (enterprise) matching basis for enterprises engaging in industries of strategic importance (i.e. life and health technology, AI and data science, advanced manufacturing and new energy technologies) and contributing no less than $100 million to setting up new smart production facilities in Hong Kong. Each enterprise can receive up to $200 million of funding under the NIAS. In addition, the Government also provides additional funding for relevant enterprises to engage research talent and/or technical personnel.
The NIAS is open for applications throughout the year. Details are available on the website of the Innovation and Technology Fund (www.itf.gov.hkIssued at HKT 11:00
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Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in November 2025
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for November 2025 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (January 15) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
In November 2025, the volume of Hong Kong’s total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 15.4% and 15.1% respectively over November 2024.
Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.