Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Judiciary:
In response to media enquiries, the Judiciary confirmed today (April 11) that Mr Justice Robert French, a non-permanent judge from other common law jurisdictions (CLNPJ) of the Court of Final Appeal (CFA), had tendered his resignation to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In his resignation, Mr Justice French reaffirmed his continued respect for the independence and integrity of all of the Judges on the CFA.
The Judiciary is grateful to Mr Justice French for his valuable contributions to the work of the CFA and his support for the rule of law in Hong Kong during his tenure.
Upon the departure of Mr Justice French, there are nine non-permanent judges comprising four non-permanent Hong Kong judges and five CLNPJs from the United Kingdom and Australia in the CFA. In light of its steady caseload, the operation of the CFA will not be affected by the recent change in membership of the Court.
The Judiciary will continue to identify suitable local and overseas candidates for appointment as non-permanent judges.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Streamlining procedures to encourage effective use of public spaces in commercial developments The Lands Department will implement several new measures under the pilot scheme, including:
(i) Streamlining the application procedure for waivers: The waivers, once approved, will remain valid for one year, thus allowing “one application for multiple uses” within the validity period. This means that within a year, events (regardless of their nature or content) can be hosted in the same location without a need for separate applications for each event.
(ii) Adopting a simplified and concessionary fee arrangement: A concessionary fixed fee of about $17,000 will be charged for each application, which includes the administrative fee and waiver fee for the first month. If the activity is to be held in other months within the year, an additional HK$5,000 will be charged per month. Compared to the current practice where each event requires an individual application and incurs a fee of HK$60,000 or more, the fee has been significantly reduced. The fixed fee also obviates the need for case-by-case fee assessment, offering greater transparency and certainty. Non-commercial activities will continue to be exempt from application fees.
(iii) Relaxation of area restriction: The permissible area for the use of “Public Open Spaces in Private Development” for commercial activities has been doubled from the original 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the open space, provided that the activities do not affect pedestrian access or safety. Activities that are organised or co-organised by the Government with commercial elements will be considered as non-commercial activities and will not be subject to this restriction.
(iv) Streamlining the consultation process: Through streamlined arrangement, the processing time for application approvals will be reduced from about two to three months in the past to about one month. For activities planned for the upcoming Easter holiday and the Labour Day Golden Week, the Lands Department will expedite processing of applications.
A spokesperson from the Development Bureau said, “Through the pilot scheme, we aim to remove barriers and restrictions, enabling various sectors to make full use of indoor and outdoor spaces in shopping malls or other commercial developments to host a wide range of activities. This will enhance visitor experience, attract patronage, boost consumption, and inject more vitality into Hong Kong’s economy.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
​The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spokesman today (April 11) expressed regret at the resignation of Mr Justice Robert French as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal of the HKSAR, and extended gratitude for his contribution over the years.
The HKSAR Government was grateful that Mr Justice French, in his resignation letter to the Chief Executive, expressed great respect for the judicial officers of the HKSAR as well as for their independence and integrity, and that he felt honoured to have worked with them.
The spokesman said that the long-time presence of esteemed judges from overseas as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal participating in hearings of the Court has been conducive to the international legal environment and the development of the jurisprudence of common law in Hong Kong. Their continued participation, alongside permanent judges, speaks to the enduring strength and resilience of the Court. The judicial system of the HKSAR is protected by the Basic Law. The HKSAR shall be vested with independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication; the courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. The presence or absence of individual judges will not undermine the integrity of the system, nor impair the HKSAR Government’s determination in upholding the rule of law.
The HKSAR Government fully supports the Judiciary in its continuous efforts to appoint and retain foreign non-permanent judges in the future, and will endeavor to capitalise on the HKSAR’s common law system, upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong.
QUICK ESTIMATE OF INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION AND USE-BASED INDEX FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY 2025
(BASE 2011-12=100)
Posted On: 11 APR 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi
The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) are released on 12th of every month (or previous working day if 12th is a holiday) with a six weeks lag and compiled with data received from source agencies, which in turn receive the data from the producing factories/ establishments. These Quick Estimates will undergo revision in subsequent releases as per the revision policy of IIP.
2. Key Highlights:
The IIP growth rate for the month of February 2025 is 2.9 percent which was 5.0 percent (Quick Estimate) in the month of January 2025.
The growth rates of the three sectors, Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity for the month of February 2025 are 1.6 percent, 2.9 percent and 3.6 percent respectively.
The Quick Estimates of IIP stands at 151.3 against 147.1 in February 2024. The Indices of Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors for the month of February 2025 stand at 141.9, 148.6 and 194.0 respectively.
Within the manufacturing sector, 14 out of 23 industry groups at NIC 2 digit-level have recorded a positive growth in February 2025 over February 2024. The top three positive contributors for the month of February 2025 are – “Manufacture of basic metals” (5.8%), “Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers” (8.9%) and “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” (8.0%).
In the industry group “Manufacture of basic metals”, item groups “Flat products of Alloy Steel “, “Pipes and tubes of Steel”, “Bars and Rods of Mild steel” have shown significant contribution in growth.
In the industry group “Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers”, item groups “Auto components/ spares and accessories”, “Axle”, “Commercial Vehicles, have shown significant contribution in growth.
In the industry group “Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products” item groups “Cement- all types”, “Cement Clinkers”, “Pre-fabricated Concrete blocks (including RMC)” have shown significant contribution in growth.
As per the use base classification, the indices stand at 152.3 for Primary Goods, 115.5 for Capital Goods, 159.9 for Intermediate Goods and 191.3 for Infrastructure/ Construction Goods for the month of February 2025. Further, the indices for Consumer durables and Consumer non-durables stand at 126.5 and 146.7 respectively.
The corresponding growth rates of IIP as per Use-based classification in February 2025 over February 2024 are 2.8 percent in Primary goods, 8.2 percent in Capital goods, 1.5 percent in Intermediate goods, 6.6 percent in Infrastructure/ Construction Goods, 3.8 percent in Consumer durables and (-)2.1 percent in Consumer non-durables (Statement III). Based on use-based classification, top three positive contributors to the growth of IIP for the month of February 2025 are – Infrastructure/ construction goods, Primary goods, and Capital goods.
Monthly Indices and Growth Rate (in %) of IIP for the last 13 months
3. Along with the Quick Estimates of IIP for the month of February 2025, the indices for January 2025 have undergone the first revision and those for November 2024 have undergone final revision in the light of the updated data received from the source agencies. The Quick Estimates for February 2025, the first revision for January 2025 and the final revision for November 2024 have been compiled at weighted response rates of 89 percent, 94 percent and 95 percent respectively.
4. Details of Quick Estimates of the Index of Industrial Production for the month of February 2025 at Sectoral, 2-digit level of National Industrial Classification (NIC-2008) and by Use-based classification are given at Statements I, II and III respectively. Also, for users to appreciate the changes in the industrial sector, Statement IV provides month-wise indices for the last 13 months, by industry groups (as per 2-digit level of NIC-2008) and sectors.
5. Release of the Index for March 2025 will be on Monday, 28th April 2025.
Note: –
This Press release (English and Hindi Version) is also available at the Ministry’s Website –http://www.mospi.gov.in.
The Parliamentary Committee on Estimates, chaired by Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal, Member of Parliament, undertook a field visit to the Sunmaster Agrivoltaics Plant at Issapur, Najafgarh, Delhi. Organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), the visit focused on reviewing the implementation of two key schemes – PM-KUSUM and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
The visit offered Members of Parliament and officials an on-ground perspective of agrivoltaics technology, which allows dual use of land for both solar energy generation and agricultural cultivation—maximizing land productivity and supporting farmer income.
The delegation was welcomed by Shri Sudeep Jain, Additional Secretary, MNRE, who provided a comprehensive briefing on the objectives and impact of PM-KUSUM in promoting clean, sustainable energy for agriculture. He emphasized how the scheme empowers farmers by enhancing energy access while ensuring both food and energy security.
The session featured a comparative analysis between ground-mounted solar systems and stilt-based agrivoltaic models, highlighting key advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness and land-use efficiency—critical pillars of the PM-KUSUM vision.
During the visit, the Committee members also engaged in interactions with local farmers, gaining firsthand insight into the transformative role of solar energy in rural livelihoods.
In a symbolic gesture of environmental commitment, Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal and Members of the Committee participated in a tree plantation drive under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative. The Members also took a tractor ride with farmers, reinforcing their grassroots engagement and commitment to understanding the realities of the agricultural sector.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Jaiswal lauded MNRE and stakeholders for their well-coordinated efforts and the potential of agrivoltaics to synergize energy and agriculture. He recommended further studies to explore its scalability and maximize benefits for farmers across rural India.
This visit reflects the Government of India’s strong push for clean energy solutions that also support inclusive rural development under the leadership of MNRE.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Hong Kong Science Museum’s new exhibition to introduce current state of local industries and explore future industry prospects Addressing the opening ceremony today (April 11), the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan, said Hong Kong, as an international metropolis, not only brings together Eastern and Western cultures but also harmonises innovation with tradition. Following the country’s announcement to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, Hong Kong is fully co-operating in its efforts and striving to become an international innovation and technology centre. Hong Kong’s industry has gradually transformed from early traditional manufacturing to today’s high-tech industries, embodying the wisdom and efforts of countless scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.
She added that each innovation achievement in this exhibition is evidence of the new era of the Hong Kong industry, telling a “Hong Kong story” that, relying on technological strength, transforms innovative ideas into practical and sustainable solutions, continuously improving people’s quality of life. With advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics, the Hong Kong industry achieves breakthroughs in environmental technologies that convert waste into energy, cutting-edge applications in smart manufacturing and life sciences, and redefines “Made in Hong Kong”.
Ms Chan said this exhibition not only showcases technological innovation achievements but also promotes the culture of scientific research and popular science education. She hopes that the public, especially young people, can experience the myriad possibilities of technological development through the exhibits and interactive experiences, developing a passion for exploring science, learning innovative thinking for the future, and seizing the development opportunities brought about by Hong Kong’s technological innovation.
Other officiating guests today included the Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI), Mr Steve Chuang; the Executive Deputy Chairman of the FHKI and Chairman of the FHKI 65th Anniversary Organising Committee, Mr Anthony Lam; and the Museum Director of the HKScM, Mr Lawrence Lee.
The exhibition comprises five sections, namely “Industry Cornerstone”, “Research and Development”, “Smart Manufacturing”, “Industry 4.0” and “2030 Vision”. Through interactive exhibits and model and object displays, the exhibition introduces innovative designs that cover a wide range of areas, including clothing, food, housing, and transportation in people’s daily lives, and highlights how local teams transfer research outcomes from three key industries, namely life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data sciences, and advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, to contribute to the realisation of Hong Kong’s new industrialisation. Highlight exhibits include an interactive device that showcases a passive radiative cooling material that lowers indoor temperatures without relying on electricity, an injection moulding machine that utilises injection moulding technology to mass-produce plastic products, and an automated multiplex diagnostic system that can detect more than 40 respiratory pathogens simultaneously in about 1.5 hours.
The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the FHKI, organised by the HKScM and the FHKI, and funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission. The exhibition is held at the Special Exhibition Hall, G/F, HKScM (2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon). Guided tours of the exhibition will be held on weekends and public holidays from May 1 to July 1. The guided tours are free of charge with on-site enrolment. In addition, the HKScM will also organise an array of activities, including off-site guided tours, exhibit demonstrations, children’s programmes, experiments, workshops, and science lectures, with free admission. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/industrial2025.htmlIssued at HKT 18:11
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 11) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Appointments to Council on Human Reproductive Technology Established in 2001 under the Human Reproductive Technology Ordinance, the Council on Human Reproductive Technology is tasked to regulate reproductive technology activities, including regulating the provision of reproductive technology procedures and embryo research, in Hong Kong through a licensing system, and formulate the Code of Practice for the relevant sectors.————– Professor Raymond Liang Hin-suen————————- Professor Wong Man-sau———– Mr Philip Chiu Kwok-leung Ms Eva Choi Doi-kwan Mr James Mathew Fong Dr Go Wing-wa Ms Iris Hsu Mei-kuen Mr Frederick Hui Cheuk-kit Dr May Lam Mei-ling Ms Lau Tsz-on Dr Leung Kwok-yin Reverend Leung Yuen-yiu Mr Jeffrey Lo Cheuk-fei Mr Ng Chak-hang Professor Ernest Ng Hung-yu Reverend Ng Sui-lung Ms Ng Wing-wing Dr Charas Ong Yeu-theng Ms Vanessa Wan Lai-shan Professor Kelvin Wang Man-ping Professor Dennis Wong Sing-wing Ms Yip Lai-wa Principal Assistant Secretary, Health Bureau Assistant Director, Department of Health Assistant Director, Home Affairs Department Chief Social Work Officer, Social Welfare Department Issued at HKT 11:16
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Ombudsman probes Highways Department’s work on repair and maintenance of public roads 168–200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong Fax: 2882 8149 Email: di482@ombudsman.hk Issued at HKT 11:00