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Three co-owners fined over $230,000 for not complying with removal order

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     ​Three co-owners were convicted and fined $230,820 in total, of which $221,820 was the fine for the number of days that the offence continued, at the Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts last Friday (January 2) for failing to comply with a removal order issued under the Buildings Ordinance (BO) (Cap. 123). 
      
     The case involved an unauthorised structure with an area of about 7 square metres and a metal frame over the yard; as well as a projecting structure with an area of about 3 sq m, three metal frames and two canvas sheets attached to the external walls of a composite building on Fook Tak Street, Yuen Long. As the unauthorised building works (UBWs) were carried out without prior approval and consent from the Buildings Department (BD), a removal order was served on the owners under section 24(1) of the BO. Failing to comply with the removal order, they were prosecuted by the BD.
      
     A spokesman for the BD said today (January 5), “UBWs may lead to serious consequences. Owners must comply with removal orders without delay. The BD will continue to take enforcement action against owners who fail to comply with removal orders, including instigation of prosecution, to ensure building and public safety.”
      
     Failure to comply with a removal order without reasonable excuse is a serious offence under the BO. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $200,000 and one year’s imprisonment, and a further fine of up to $20,000 for each day that the offence continues.

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Flower show drawing contest set

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Jockey Club Student Drawing Competition, a highlight of the Hong Kong Flower Show, will take place on March 20 at Victoria Park. Enrollment is free and open to local primary, secondary and full-time tertiary students. Interested participants can apply until February 3.

Themed “A Fragrant Journey through Hong Kong”, the competition invites students to draw the show’s floral exhibits and garden displays using any medium. The event aims to inspire environmental awareness and a commitment to plant conservation.

The competition will be conducted in five categories: a Junior Section in Primary School (Primary 1 to Primary 3); a Senior Section in Primary School (Primary 4 to Primary 6); a Junior Section in Secondary School (Forms 1 to 3); a Senior Section in Secondary School (Forms 4 to 6); and a Tertiary Institution Section.

The competitions for the primary school categories and the Tertiary Institution Section will run from 9am to noon, while the secondary school session will take place from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.

Primary and secondary school students should enrol through their schools, while tertiary students are required to enrol individually. For details of the competition, call 2926 3060 or 2302 1762.

The flower show will be held at Victoria Park from March 20 to 29, and will feature the stock as its theme flower.

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Supercomputing sparks innovation

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government has allocated $3 billion to set up a three-year Artificial Intelligence (AI) Subsidy Scheme. Since its launch, projects from around 20 universities, institutions and companies have been approved for funding. Among these projects, researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed generative AI for 3D scene generation by giving voice prompts. The technology can be applied across various industries for practical uses, such as presentations and design.
      
     News.gov.hk interviewed a researcher from the University of Hong Kong on the working principles and advantages of their AI initiative. A representative from Cyberport, which supplies computing power for organisations participating in the subsidy scheme through its supercomputing centre, also outlined their vision for strengthening Hong Kong’s AI ecosystem.
      
     The story is available at www.news.gov.hk/eng/feature from today (January 4) in text and video format.

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Blaze hotline hours altered

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Starting from tomorrow, the service hours of the Police Force’s Tai Po fire casualty enquiry hotline, 1878 999, will be adjusted.

The new service hours will be 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays.

The force explained that the latest adjustment was made in view of public demand for the service.

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Summer influenza season nears its end and winter influenza season yet to begin Public must remain vigilant despite influenza activity declines

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Summer influenza season nears its end and winter influenza season yet to begin Public must remain vigilant despite influenza activity declines 
Latest surveillance data
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     “Hong Kong entered the summer influenza season in early September last year. The seasonal influenza activity peaked in mid-to-late October last year and has since been gradually declining. The latest surveillance data shows that the percentage of respiratory specimens tested positive for seasonal influenza viruses last week (December 21 to 27, 2025) decreased to 4.97 per cent from 7.81 per cent and 6.17 per cent in the previous two weeks (the baseline level is 4.94 per cent). The influenza admission rate in public hospitals was 0.28 cases per 10 000 population (lower than the 0.49 and 0.37 cases per 10 000 population recorded in the previous two weeks, with the baseline level of 0.27 cases per 10 000 population). Regarding outbreaks of influenza-like illness in schools, the number rose sharply from 15 outbreaks in the first week of the new school year last September to 170 outbreaks in mid-October, before gradually declining to 43 outbreaks in mid-November. After a slight rebound to 71 outbreaks in early December last year, the number has steadily decreased over the past few weeks, falling from over 30 outbreaks per week to just four outbreaks last week. The CHP will continue to closely monitor local surveillance data. Should relevant indicators persistently fall below the baseline levels, the CHP will assess next week whether this summer influenza season has concluded,” the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui, said.
      
     The predominant virus circulating during this seasonal influenza season is influenza A (H3) virus strain. As in the past, severe or death cases associated with seasonal influenza primarily affect the elderly and children. As of January 1, this summer influenza season has recorded 25 severe paediatric influenza cases, including three fatal cases. The affected children aged between six months to 17 years old. Among them, 20 cases (80 per cent) had not received SIV (including one case who received the 2025/26 SIV only four days before onset of illness. As it generally takes two weeks for the body to develop sufficient protection after vaccination, the case was not protected by the vaccine. Therefore, it is not counted as vaccinated). During the same period, 502 severe influenza cases were recorded among adults, including 339 deaths. Among adult fatalities with available clinical data, over 80 per cent had underlying illnesses.
　　 
　　”Although the summer influenza season shows signs of ending and the winter influenza season has not yet begun, influenza activity may rise again as the weather gradually turns colder in the first quarter of this year. It cannot be ruled out that the circulating virus strains may change. Therefore, I once again urge all individuals aged six months or older, except those with known contraindications, who have not yet received SIV to act promptly. Although there are some antigenic differences between the currently circulating influenza A (H3) virus strain and the virus strain contained in the vaccine, SIV can still offer protection against the variant strain of subclade K, as well as the influenza A (H1) and influenza B strains included in the vaccine. Those who contracted influenza during the summer influenza season should still receive the 2025/26 SIV, if they have not yet done so, to guard against other circulating virus strains that may emerge during the forthcoming winter influenza season,” Dr Tsui added.
 
2025/26 SIV Programmes
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     Getting vaccinated against influenza is one of the most effective ways to prevent influenza and its complications. It also reduces the risk of serious illness or death from infection. With the concerted efforts of all sectors of the community (including the medical sector, schools, parents and residential care homes), as of December 28, 2025, over 1.89 million doses of influenza vaccine were administered under various SIV programmes in the year 2025/26, representing an increase of approximately 4.7 per cent compared with the same period in the previous influenza vaccination season. Regarding schools, to boost SIV rates, enrolment for the SIV School Outreach Programme has started earlier since the beginning of June last year. The CHP has also introduced enhancement measures, allowing all schools to choose either the live attenuated influenza vaccines (i.e. nasal LAIV) and the “hybrid mode”, which allows schools to choose both the injectable inactivated influenza vaccines and the nasal LAIV during the same or different outreach vaccination activities. Vaccination rates among schoolchildren in different age groups are two per cent to nine per cent higher compared to the same period last year.
      
     “The SIV coverage rate for children aged six months to under two years remains relatively low at about 22 per cent. Although this represents approximate five per cent point increase compared to the same period last year, it is still lower than that of other age groups. Through the Primary Healthcare Commission, the CHP has urged family doctors to assist in encouraging parents to give consent for their children to receive SIV. The Government has opened all 29 of the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) for all children aged six months to under two years to receive the vaccine; as well as the District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses and their service outlets under the Primary Healthcare Commission in the 18 districts, and 74 Family Medicine Clinics and 38 public hospitals of the Hospital Authority to provide more choices for the public. For the list of vaccination venues, please refer to the CHP’s Vaccination Schemes       
     He reminded the members of the public to maintain good personal, hand and environmental hygiene. Furthermore, high-risk persons should receive COVID-19 booster doses at appropriate times to lower the risks of serious illness and death. Public with respiratory symptoms, even if the symptoms are mild, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly to lower the risk of spreading the disease to high-risk persons.
      
     Members of the public may refer to the CHP’s COVID-19 & Flu ExpressIssued at HKT 20:00

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Import of poultry meat and products from areas in Poland and Japan suspended

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 2) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Żagań District of the Lubuskie Region in Poland, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Miyazaki Prefecture in Japan respectively, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 870 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland, about 1 540 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 219.73 million poultry eggs from Japan in the first nine months of last year.

     “The CFS has contacted the Polish and Japanese authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

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Supercomputing sparks AI innovation

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

To promote the development of the local artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, the Government has allocated $3 billion for the launch of a three-year AI Subsidy Scheme to support eligible organisations such as local universities, research institutes and enterprises in leveraging the computing power of Cyberport’s AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC) to achieve scientific breakthroughs. 

Popular applications

Projects from around 20 universities, institutions and companies have been approved for funding, with the average subsidy reaching 70% of the list price for the services.

Deployment of the AISC started in December of 2024 and its average utilisation rate has been nearly 80%.

The University of Hong Kong is one of the institutions participating in the programme.

Researchers at the university’s Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering have developed a generative AI capable of real-time 3D scene generation and rendering.

Concept shaping

The department’s Associate Professor Ngai Wong said this generative AI can turn concepts or product ideas into images, creating something from nothing.

“For example, if we do interior design, we do not need to physically build the interior or the model for it. We can just use a voice prompt to change the interior design into a different style.”

“Another big application scenario is in the gaming industry. So, I can create some fancy environment. I can just voice it out and then the AI model will generate and create that for me.”

The technology is suitable for various applications, ranging from professional industry presentations to video game design.

Mr Wong added that unlike many global AI initiatives, the department is focused on compressing these models. By making them compatible with low-end edge devices, such as mobile phones and desktop computers, the team aims to broaden the market reach.

Research empowerment

Cyberport said in order to speed up AI development in Hong Kong, a ready-to-use AI supercomputing centre could help to support all these projects.

“The reason is if every applicant has to purchase the Graphics Processing Unit resources and then host the resources and form an IT team to maintain it, it is actually not only a problem of cost and also a problem of time,” explained Cyberport Head of Business Development Crystal Fok.

“Cyberport aims to introduce more diverse types of AI models to enhance the AI ecosystem, enabling the technology to benefit society and assist various industries,” she added.

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Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu and Mrs. Wu Attended Christmas and Birthday Celebration Hosted by the 101 Senior Friendship Society of Australia

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

The 101 Senior Friendship Society of Australia hosted a luncheon today to celebrate Christmas and members’ birthdays. Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu and Mrs. Wu, accompanied by colleagues, attended the event today.
DG Wu expressed his sincere appreciation to President Hsieh Mei-Feng, all former presidents present, and overseas community affairs members for their long-standing support for TECO and Taiwan. DG Wu also extended his warm wishes to all the birthday celebrants for a happy birthday, and wished everyone a joyful Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

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Appeal for information on missing woman in Tai Po (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Police today (January 2) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Tai Po.

     Chan Wai-yim, aged 70, went missing after she left a hospital on Chuen On Road on December 31, 2025. Staff of the hospital made a report to Police on the same day.

     She is about 1.65 metres tall and of thin build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and short curly black hair. She was last seen wearing a black long-sleeved top, black checkered trousers and white socks without shoes.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 5239 7701 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

     

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Government announces senior appointment (with photo)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Government announced today (January 2) that Miss Linda So Wai-sze, Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, will take up the post of Director, Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, on January 5, 2026.

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, “Miss So is a seasoned Administrative Officer with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that she will continue to serve the community with professionalism in her new capacity.”

     A brief biographical note of Miss So is set out below:

Miss Linda So Wai-sze
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     Miss So joined the Administrative Service in July 1996 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2024. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Home Affairs Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Bureau, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau, the Home Affairs Department, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Education Bureau and the Chief Executive’s Office. She was Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport of the former Transport and Housing Bureau from July 2016 to September 2017, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation from September 2017 to November 2022, and has been serving as Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, since December 2022.