Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

Regarding an earlier announcement of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) cases, the spokesperson for North District Hospital (NDH) made the following update today (May 2):
 
Following a contact tracing investigation, one more patient, a 75-year-old male patient in the convalescent and rehabilitation mixed ward of NDH, was found to be VRE carrier, while not having signs of infection. The patient is currently being treated in isolation and is in stable condition.  
 
The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the ward concerned:
 

1. Isolation of VRE cases and application of stringent contact precautions;
2. Enhanced environmental cleaning and disinfection; and
3. Enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients.

 
The hospital will continue applying the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Government announced today (May 4) that Mr John Tse Chun-chung will take up the appointment as Director of Information Services on May 5, 2026, following an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise.

     Commenting on the appointment of Mr Tse, the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, “Mr Tse has extensive experience in public administration, is highly skilled in handling media and public relations, and possesses outstanding leadership and management capabilities. I am confident that under his leadership, the Information Services Department will strive to promote public understanding of government policies and positions, and tell the world about the good stories of Hong Kong.”

     Mr Tse joined the Government in 1999 and served in various positions both at frontline department and policy bureau. He was seconded to the Chief Executive’s Office under civil service appointment terms to serve as the Communications Secretary in August 2022, and has been serving as Information Co-ordinator since June 2024. In February 2026, the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau conducted a selection process, including an open-cum-in-service recruitment exercise, for the post of Director of Information Services. Following the selection process, Mr Tse has been identified as the most suitable candidate. The Government appointed Mr Tse as the Director of Information Services under the civil service appointment terms, effective on May 5.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from Germany, with a history of over 280 years, will return to Hong Kong after a seven-year hiatus, presenting two concerts at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in June. This also marks the Hong Kong debut of world-class conductor and Grammy Award winner Andris Nelsons – he will lead the orchestra in symphonic masterpieces by Schumann and Shostakovich, and be joined by International Chopin Piano Competition winner Yulianna Avdeeva to perform piano concertos by Beethoven and Rachmaninov, opening the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD)’s “Great Music 2026”.

This musical extravaganza, bringing together top-tier musicians and timeless classics, has received an overwhelming response from music lovers. Tickets for the second concert (June 3) are already sold out, while over 80 per cent of tickets for the first concert (June 2) have also been snapped up. Those who are interested are reminded to buy tickets as early as possible.
 
As the final stop of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig’s Asia tour this year, the first concert (June 2) in Hong Kong will feature two masterpieces that received their world premieres by the orchestra in the first half of the 19th century: Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat, Op. 73, ‘Emperor'”, first performed under then-music director Schulz in 1811; and Schumann’s “Symphony No. 1 in B-flat, Op. 38, ‘Spring'”, conducted by Mendelssohn at its 1841 premiere. Under the baton of Nelsons, current music director of the orchestra, this concert not only honours the orchestra’s glorious chapters in classical music tradition but also allows audiences to experience the legendary “Leipzig sound” passed down through centuries. The second concert (June 3) will present two 20th-century classics: Rachmaninov’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18” and Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 10 in E minor, Op. 93”. Avdeeva will be the soloist for the piano concertos of both concerts, weaving her extraordinary artistry into the orchestral tapestry and engaging in a profound dialogue with the works.
 
The Gewandhausorchester Leipzig is the world’s oldest civic symphony orchestra. Its origins date back to 1743, when it was founded by a group of 16 musical philanthropists, comprising noblemen and burghers alike. It earned its name after moving into the upper hall of the Gewandhaus (a textile merchants’ trading house). The orchestra is revered for its highly individual, warm, dark sound palette that clearly distinguishes it from other elite orchestras. Over the years, it has made a significant contribution to the development of the symphonic musical tradition, including performing all of Beethoven’s symphonies during the composer’s lifetime. The orchestra also presented the world’s first complete Bruckner symphonic cycle, as well as the first Shostakovich cycle, during the 1970s.
 
Nelsons is currently Gewandhauskapellmeister (music director and conductor) of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and has established a pioneering alliance between the two institutions. His complete recordings of the symphonies and concertos of Shostakovich and the opera “Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District” have garnered four Grammy Awards for “Best Orchestral Performance” and “Best Engineered Album, Classical”. He also completed a Bruckner symphonic cycle and a Beethoven cycle with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra respectively.
 
Avdeeva is the First Prize Winner of the 16th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2010. Her performance was praised by The Telegraph (United Kingdom) newspaper as “spontaneous and volatile” and “full of depth and colour”. She has collaborated with numerous orchestras, such as the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. She has recently appeared at the “Chopin and his Europe” Festival in Warsaw and the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig, and has given solo recitals at Vienna’s Musikverein Wien, the Berliner Philharmonie and more.
 
“Gewandhausorchester Leipzig” concerts will be staged at 8pm on June 2 and 3 (Tuesday and Wednesday) at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Tickets for the first concert priced at $450, $650, $850, $1,000, $1,300 and $1,600 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. Discount schemes are available for the programmes under “Great Music 2026”. All tickets for the second concert have been sold out. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1947.html.
 
Two pre-concert talks (to be conducted in Cantonese) will be held at 6.45pm on June 2 and 3 respectively at Level 4 Foyer, Auditoria Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The first talk entitled “From the Classical Period to the Romantic Period” will be hosted by music practitioner Jimmy Shiu, while the second talk entitled “Echoes of Russia – The Sound of Leipzig” will be hosted by music critic Savio Lau. Admission is free, with limited seats available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
The “Great Music 2026”, presented by the LCSD, will bring a world-renowned orchestra and musicians to Hong Kong from June to December, offering music lovers a stellar line-up of performances. For more details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/groups_1946.html.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is the speech by the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Kevin Choi, at the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Regional International Astronomical Union (IAU) Meeting 2026 today (May 4):

Distinguished guests, esteemed scientists and astronomers, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is a distinct honour to join you today for the opening ceremony of the Asia-Pacific Regional International Astronomical Union Meeting. To our friends who have travelled from across the region and around the globe, a very warm welcome to Hong Kong. And to local scientists and astronomers, I am sure that you are as thrilled as I am to join this star-studded conference here.

When people speak of Hong Kong, they often envision our iconic skyline, our bustling Victoria Harbour, and our status as a premier hub for finance and trade. But today, I have to invite you to look beyond our skyscrapers – all the way to the stars. Hong Kong is not just a spectator in the cosmos. We are determined, well equipped and well positioned to carving out a unique niche in space technology.

Our nation China has set a visionary strategic direction, and it is accelerating the journey towards becoming a global aerospace powerhouse. Under the unique “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong stands as the only city in the world that seamlessly integrates the “China advantage” with a distinct “global advantage”. In fact, the National 15th Five-Year Plan shows unwavering support for Hong Kong’s development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. This makes us the ideal host for this prestigious IAU gathering, among other prominent international scientific conferences.

Our confidence to be the international I&T centre, alongside aerospace developer, is rooted in a bedrock of world-class excellence. Hong Kong is home to five universities ranked among the world’s top 100, creating an open and vibrant research ecosystem. The Government is steadfast in its commitment to supporting our scientists in participating in national space mission projects, leveraging our strengths in basic research to solve the mysteries of the universe.

In terms of concrete investment, our Innovation and Technology Support Programme supported by the Innovation and Technology Commission, has launched the Special Call on Aerospace Technology, allocating over $100 million to support six flagship R&D (research and development) projects. This includes pioneering work led by our hosts today, the University of Hong Kong (HKU). We will continue to work hand-in-hand with the academic sector to foster a sustainable and thriving aerospace research environment.

We are also proud of the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre (HKSREC), established under the InnoHK research clusters. In collaboration with local universities including HKU and other esteemed partners, the HKSREC is currently developing a multifunctional lunar surface operation robot. This is not a mere academic exercise; this technology will be directly applied to the Chang’e-8 (嫦娥八號) lunar exploration programme, enabling scientific exploration, instrument deployment, and collaborative operations in the moon’s challenging environment. Imagine Hong Kong is now on the moon’s surface. 

Building on this momentum, I am also pleased to share that the newly established SEAM@InnoHK – our third InnoHK research cluster focusing on sustainable development, energy, advanced manufacturing and materials – has admitted eight cutting-edge R&D laboratories. Among them there is the Centre for Space Manufacturing Technology, which will further strengthen Hong Kong’s role in advancing aerospace innovation and contribute to the long-term vision of sustainable space exploration, which is one of the key topics of this conference too.

Equally exciting is the participation of an HKU research team in the country’s Tianwen-3 (天問三號) planetary mission. The Short-Wavelength Infrared Spectrometer, developed right here at HKU, has been officially selected as a payload for the mission. This instrument will be vital for forecasting Martian dust storms and searching for biosignatures. These achievements underscore the Hong Kong Government’s strategic initiative to cultivate a local aerospace industry by leveraging our special, unique geographical and institutional advantages.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong may be small in landmass, but our scientific ambition is boundless. With robust government backing, world-class talent, and deep cross-boundary synergy, we are not just witnessing the nation’s and the world’s space journey – we are helping to engineer its future.

Lastly, may I wish the IAU Asia-Pacific Meeting every success and hope you all have a rewarding exchange of ideas over these few days.

Thank you very much.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

A girl who went missing in Tai Po has been located.

Law Wing-yan, aged 15, went missing after she left her care centre in Tai Mei Tuk on March 15 morning. Staff of the care centre made a report to Police on the same day.

The girl was located in Tin Sum this afternoon (May 3). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Nominations for the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2026 (the Award) organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will close on May 18. Interested developer, management company, design company, owners’ organisation, landscape or horticultural company of the property should grasp the opportunity to submit nomination, with prior consent from the owners’ representative group of the property concerned. Entry to the competition is free of charge.
 
     The biennial Award is one of the LCSD’s major activities to promote greening. It aims at commending private property developments that excel in landscape design and horticultural maintenance. The Award also aims to drive sustained environmental improvements in private property developments by encouraging private bodies to incorporate more high-quality green elements into the planning and management of horticultural projects of such developments.
 
     Entries must be properties and facilities located within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The landscape and green areas of the entries must be for communal use or accessible to the public or residents. The competition is divided into six categories, including the Subsidised Sale Housing category, which is newly introduced this year. Please visit the LCSD’s website www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/green/property/2026/index.html for details, and download the prospectus and nomination form.
 
     Each category features a Gold Award, Merit Award(s) and Environmental Efficiency Award(s). Additionally, a Supreme Gold Award has been introduced this year and will be presented to the most outstanding entry among all Gold Award winners.
 
     Completed nomination forms together with all necessary documents must reach the Secretariat of the Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2026 on or before May 18 through email, by post or in person. For enquiries, please call 2601 8026.
 
     The Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development 2026 is organised by the LCSD and co-organised by the Home Affairs Department, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, the Institute of Horticulture (Hong Kong), the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, the Professional Green Building Council, the Hong Kong Association of Property Management Companies and the Hong Kong Green Building Council.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region