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SWD urges public to be alert to fraudulent money-lending advertisements

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

SWD urges public to be alert to fraudulent money-lending advertisements     ​
     The fraudulent money-lending advertisements falsely claimed that the SWD, together with various banks, would provide interest-free loans to elderly and low-income persons. The advertisements also included a photo of the Causeway Bay Social Security Field Unit of the SWD. The SWD clarified that it had not provided such loans or placed the advertisements in question. The case has been reported to the Police. The social media platform has also been informed to follow up on the fraudulent advertisements.
      
     Anyone who has clicked on the unknown hyperlink of the advertisements or provided his/her personal information to any suspicious website should contact the Police. For enquiries, please call the SWD’s hotline at 2343 2255.
Issued at HKT 15:30

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Hong Kong Space Museum to launch new sky show “Shenzhou 13 – Space Travel”

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Hong Kong Space Museum to launch new sky show “Shenzhou 13 – Space Travel”  
     On October 16, 2021, the three astronauts went aboard Shenzhou-13 to the Tiangong Space Station, where they stationed and began their six-month space mission. Through the cameras operated by the astronauts, audiences will be enthralled by an immersive journey, piercing through the atmosphere, understanding daily life and work at the space station, and marvelling at the shimmering sea of city lights during a glimpse of our magnificent blue planet from a unique perspective.
 
     Enhanced with computer animation, the show presents various stages of the in-orbit assembly of the Tiangong Space Station and recreates the docking process of the Shenzhou spacecraft with the Tianhe Core Module. Audiences will also witness the historic moment when Wang Yaping became the first Chinese female astronaut to walk in space as she successfully completed her extravehicular mission.
 
     The 28-minute show will be run until February 14, 2027. Screening times are 3.30pm and 8pm on weekdays, and 2pm and 6.30pm on weekends and public holidays. Tickets priced at $30 (front stalls) and $40 (stalls) are now available at the Hong Kong Space Museum Box Office and URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
     The Hong Kong Space Museum, located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, is closed on Tuesdays (except public holidays).
Issued at HKT 15:00

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Housing Bureau announces Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing has dropped by around five months to 4.7 years, marking lowest record in over eight years

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Housing Bureau announces Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing has dropped by around five months to 4.7 years, marking lowest record in over eight years 
CWT shortened 1.5 years to 5.0 years for first time in comparison to 6.1 years before current-term Government
 
     This record is calculated based on general applicants (i.e. family and elderly one-person applicants) that were housed to public rental housing (PRH) or Light Public Housing (LPH) in the past 12 months as at end-March 2026. Compared with the highest level of 6.1 years before the current-term Government took office, the CWT has been shortened by nearly one and a half years, and has fallen below 5.0 years for the first time.
 
8 400 general applicants housed with nearly half in LPH
 
     “In the first quarter of 2026, we have succesfully arranged a total of about 8 400 general applicants to be housed to PRH or LPH, including about 1 200 newly completed PRH flats, about 3 300 recovered PRH flats, and about 3 900 LPH units. Nearly half (47 per cent) of them were housed to LPH units, which is significantly higher than the proportion in the last quarter (16 per cent),” said the spokesman for HB.
 
Waiting time for LPH only three years on average
 
     “The waiting time of general applicants who were housed to LPH in the past 12 months is only 3.0 years on average. Since the waiting time of general applicants housed to LPH is obviously shorter, the increased proportion of LPH has effectively led to a decrease in the overall CWT. In fact, the waiting time for PRH units in the urban district in the past 12 months was about six years, while the waiting time for LPH units in the New Territories was only about two years, with a difference of four years. The bureau hopes that families in need will make the most appropriate decision for their family members, particularly for the health of elderly members and the growth of children,” said the spokesman for HB.
 
Current average quarterly supply more than doubled that of three years before current-term Goverment
 
     In fact, since the first LPH project began allocation in March 2025, the Government’s overall supply of subsidised rental housing has increased to about 7 500 units per quarter, which is more than double the average quarterly supply of about 3 500 units during the three years before the current-term Government took office (i.e. from 2019-20 to 2021-22), showing that the supply has significantly increased. This fully highlights the original policy intent of the LPH to promptly assist residents in alleviating their hardships, which has not only played a key role in shortening the waiting time for PRH, but also improved the living conditions and quality of life of low-income families. Furthermore, as compared with subdivided units, residents who are housed to LPH can also save an average of over $50,000 in rent per year, which can be accumulated as family savings to plan for a better future.
 
Further reductions in PRH waiting queue with general applications significantly reduced by more than 30 per cent over past 5 years or so
 
     In addition, with the Government’s multipronged approach to expedite the turnover of PRH flats, the number of PRH general applicants has further decreased. As at end-March 2026, there were about 103 400 general applications for PRH, and about 81 100 non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota and Points System. As compared with the highest level of 156 400 cases and 143 700 cases of general applications and non-elderly one-person applications, the application number reduced significantly by more than 30 per cent and over 40 per cent respectively. Among them, the number of non-elderly one-person applicants aged below 30 recorded an even sharper decline of about 60 per cent over the 10-year period, from about 71 300 as at end-March 2016 to about 29 500 as at end-March 2026, clearly demonstrating that the PRH waiting queue is being reduced.
 
Slight fluctuations expected in near term amid PRH completion peak over next five years
 
     As the number of general applicants to be housed to PRH or LPH in the next quarter may be lower than this quarter, the CWT in the next quarter is expected to slightly fluctuate; it is nevertheless anticipated to be capped at 5.0 years, indicating that the CWT is still on a downward trend.
 
     Looking ahead to the next five years starting from 2026-27 onwards, the overall public housing production (including LPH) will be about 196 000 units, over 80 per cent higher than when the current-term Government took office. Among them, about 115 000 PRH flats will be completed during this period, reaching the peak in supply. In respect of LPH, about 9 650 units have been completed and have now been fully occupied as at the first quarter of 2026, and about 20 150 and 200 units will be successively completed in the remainder of 2026 and early 2027 respectively, gradually moving towards the target of completing the construction of about 30 000 LPH units by 2027-28.
 
CWT entering new stage and moving towards 4.5 years target
 
     Under the current-term Government’s unremitting efforts to “enhance speed, quantity, quality and efficiency” over the past four years, the back-loaded situation has been completely reversed by the public housing production. This shift has enabled faster fulfilment of the housing needs of low-income families. The CWT will move towards the target of reducing it to 4.5 years in 2026-27.
Issued at HKT 14:36

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FEHD releases second batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

FEHD releases second batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May  

District

District     Among the second batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering eight survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering five survey areas in May, all were below 10 per cent, except for Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui in Central and Western District; Chai Wan, North Point and Quarry Bay in Eastern District; Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District; Wong Tai Sin East in Wong Tai Sin District; Kowloon Tong in Kowloon City District; Kwun Tong Central in Kwun Tong District; Fanling North in North District; as well as Sheung Kwai Chung in Tsuen Wan District.
      
     With reference to the data from the past few years, the gravidtrap indexes start to rise from April or May every year. The actual timing of the increase and its extent are affected by factors like weather and rainfall. Entering the humid and rainy season, the conditions are favourable for mosquito growth and breeding, and the overall trend and extent of the rise of gravidtrap indexes this year are similar to those of previous years. In response to the rise of gravidtrap indexes, the FEHD, together with relevant departments and stakeholders, has implemented rapid response measures and deployed targeted actions.
      
     For Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui in Central and Western District; Chai Wan, North Point and Quarry Bay in Eastern District; Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau in Southern District; Wong Tai Sin East in Wong Tai Sin District; Kowloon Tong in Kowloon City District; Kwun Tong Central in Kwun Tong District; Fanling North in North District; as well as Sheung Kwai Chung in Tsuen Wan District, which recorded indexes exceeding 10 per cent, in accordance with the mechanism implemented by the FEHD in response to the chikungunya fever (CF) situation (i.e. strengthening mosquito control work in areas with a gravidtrap index between 10 per cent and 20 per cent, instead of 20 per cent or above under the original mechanism), the FEHD is collaborating with relevant departments and stakeholders to identify locations with high mosquito infestations and carry out intensive and targeted mosquito control measures. In particular, the gravidtrap data for Chai Wan showed that areas with more mosquito problems included hospitals, parks and public and private housing estates; the gravidtrap data for North Point and Quarry Bay showed that areas with more mosquito problems included parks and public and private housing estates; the gravidtrap data for Fanling North showed that areas with more mosquito problems included parks, public and public housing estates and village houses; the gravidtrap data for Kowloon Tong showed that areas with more mosquito problems included parks, schools and private housing estates; and the gravidtrap data for Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui, Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau, Wong Tai Sin East, Kwun Tong Central and Sheung Kwai Chung showed that areas with more mosquito problems included parks, schools and public and private housing estates.
      
     In response to the high-risk areas identified in the said survey areas, the FEHD has initiated three prosecutions against relevant construction site contractors following the discovery of mosquito breeding at construction sites in Southern District, Kowloon City District and Kwun Tong District. Furthermore, following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers at a total of five parks, a construction site, three public housing estates and two private housing estates in Central and Western District, Kowloon City District, Kwun Tong District and Tsuen Wan District, the FEHD has issued 11 statutory notices to the relevant venue management companies, construction site contractors, estate management companies and property management companies, requiring the clearance of such items within a specified timeframe. The FEHD and the relevant departments are following up on the mosquito control work, and will also organise exhibitions, distribute leaflets and posters, and notify residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, advising property management agents and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures. In addition, the FEHD will strengthen the monitoring of the gravidtrap index in the areas to review the effectiveness of the mosquito control work.
      
     The FEHD has so far released two batches of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in May 2026, covering 22 survey areas. Among these 22 survey areas, four recorded a decrease or remained unchanged as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month (i.e. April 2026), representing that the areas’ mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Seven other areas recorded a slight increase, but the indexes were lower than 10 per cent.
 
     Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:     Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of CF transmission.
      
     Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#Issued at HKT 14:00

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EDB holding Hong Kong International Visual Arts Education Symposium 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

EDB holding Hong Kong International Visual Arts Education Symposium 2026       
     Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Secretary for Education Dr Gloria Chan said that the EDB is committed to developing homegrown talent and empowering young people to master the global visual language, thereby actively strengthening Hong Kong’s position as the creative capital of Asia. This symposium would help foster creativity and innovation, and nurture young talent in support of Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
      
     The three-day symposium aims to enhance the learning and teaching of visual arts and design, promote understanding of the latest developments in design and the application of innovative technologies within the industry among participating teachers and students, cultivate visual thinking and higher-order thinking skills, strengthen vocational and professional education and training, and provide a platform for exchanges between local and overseas students and teachers.
      
     The symposium brings together local and international experts and academics in visual arts and design to deliver keynote speeches and to conduct workshops and consultation sessions for participants. Organised around three sub-themes, namely “Design and Technology”, “Design and Thinking”, and “Design and Heritage”, the symposium aims to deepen participants’ understanding of the latest trends in design education and related fields, while inspiring cultural creativity and innovative vitality.
      
     In addition to local visual arts teachers, representatives from the arts education sectors in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Macao will also attend the symposium to foster professional exchange and collaboration to jointly nurture the next generation. The enthusiastic participation of local and overseas experts and representatives highlights Hong Kong’s distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world.
      
     The symposium is supported by 13 local tertiary institutions and academic partners, including City University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong Design Institute, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Lingnan University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Education University of Hong Kong, the Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, and the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (listed in no particular order).
      
     Also, outstanding innovative design works by primary, secondary and tertiary students in Hong Kong will be exhibited at the Exhibition Gallery of the Hong Kong Central Library during the symposium, and the public is welcome to view them during the library’s normal opening hours.
      
     For details, please visit the EDB’s website (www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/kla/arts-edu/hivaes/index.htmlIssued at HKT 12:58

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Summer Family Cine Fest to take families into fantastical cinematic world

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Summer Family Cine Fest to take families into fantastical cinematic world  
     “The Last Whale Singer” (2025) tells the story of Vincent, a humpback whale who becomes silent after losing his parents. With help of friends, he breaks free from his self-imposed shackles and triumphs over a powerful foe with his singing voice, protecting the ocean. “Rufus – The Sea Serpent Who Couldn’t Swim” (2025) follows a young sea serpent, who is teased and isolated for being unable to swim, finding his courage to confront his greatest fear for saving his home from danger. In “The Songbirds’ Secret” (2025), Lucie discovers that her family’s secrets, which are connected to her mother’s childhood trauma, are hidden in the small town that she is spending her holidays. To help her mother heal, Lucie decides to embark on an adventurous journey of uncovering secrets.
 
     “Tales from the Magic Garden” (2025) tells the story of three siblings, following in their grandmother’s footsteps by spinning thrilling and imaginative tales with boundless creativity in order to bring back joy to the family. In “Lampo the Travelling Dog 2” (2025), after recovery from surgery paid with funds raised by a celebrity dog named Lampo, Zuzia returns home only to find that her beloved Lampo has disappeared. In search of Lampo, she sets off on an adventure with friends. Inspired by the story of the pioneering paleontologist, “Mary Anning” (2025) follows the extraordinary journey of Anning’s dedication to research in order to unravel the mysteries behind a cryptic fossil pattern left by her late father.
 
     In “Vinski and the Invisibility Powder” (2021), a boy receives a bottle of magical powder and uses it only for mischief at the beginning, but eventually learns to master it to fight against criminals, and becomes the unseen hero of his home town. Exploring themes including self-image of adolescents with empathy and humour, “Living Large” (2024) follows teenager Ben, who is determined to lose weight after being bullied for his body size and embarrassed in front of his crush. In “I Accidentally Wrote a Book” (2024), Nina lost her mother from a young age. Under the guidance of a writer living next door, she learns to soothe her grief and open her heart to a new life chapter with writing. 　　
     Veteran dubbing artists Yip Ka-man and Kinson Lai will perform live Cantonese dubbing for “Mumbo Jumbo”, “Tales from the Magic Garden” and “Vinski and the Invisibility Powder” with no subtitles. “Kitz the Cat’s – Secret of the Space Station” is in Cantonese, with English also available through the headphone system, with no subtitles. Other films will feature Chinese and English subtitles.
 　　
     Apart from the feature films, the FPO has hand-picked 21 animated short films from around the world to present three Animation & Shorts Carnival programmes, titled “Wings and Feathers”, “Challenges and Fun with Bestie” and “Creative Power and Imagination”. Professional actor and drama tutor Man Jai (Raymond Chan) will host the programmes and interactive activities in Cantonese.
 
     The FPO will also present a two-day event titled Summer of Light: Cinema in Motion at Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre on July 11 and 12. The event consists of free activities and ticketed workshops in which the public can participate. Details will be available in early June on the FPO website www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp 
     Tickets are priced at $88 and will be available from tomorrow (May 15) at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk 
     For details of other IAC programmes, please visit the website www.hkiac.gov.hkIssued at HKT 12:55

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Public rental waiting time 4.7 years

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Housing Bureau announced today that the latest quarterly Composite Waiting Time for Subsidised Rental Housing (CWT) is 4.7 years, 0.4 years down from the last quarter, marking the lowest record in over eight years.

This figure is calculated based on general applicants (ie family and elderly one-person applicants) that were housed to public rental housing (PRH) or Light Public Housing (LPH) in the past 12 months as at end-March 2026, the bureau explained.

It also highlighted that compared with the highest level of 6.1 years before the current-term Government took office, the CWT has been shortened by nearly 1.5 years, and has fallen below five years for the first time.

In the first quarter of 2026, the bureau has arranged about 8,400 general applicants to be housed to PRH or LPH. These units included about 1,200 newly completed PRH flats, about 3,300 recovered PRH flats, and about 3,900 LPH units. Around 47% of the applicants were housed to LPH units, significantly higher than last quarter’s proportion at 16%.

 

The average waiting time of general applicants who were housed to LPH in the past 12 months is three years.

The waiting time for PRH units in the urban districts in the past 12 months was about six years, while the waiting time for LPH units in the New Territories was only about two years.

 

Since the first LPH project began allocation in March 2025, the Government’s overall supply of subsidised rental housing has risen to about 7,500 units per quarter, which is around double the average quarterly supply of 3,500 units during the three years before the current-term Government took office.

 

As at end-March 2026, there were about 103,400 general applications for PRH, and about 81,100 non-elderly one-person applications under the Quota & Points System. Compared with the highest level of 156,400 cases and 143,700 cases of general applications and non-elderly one-person applications, the number of applications reduced significantly by over 30% and over 40% respectively.

Among them, the number of non-elderly one-person applicants aged below 30 recorded a sharp decline of about 60% over the 10-year period, from about 71,300 at end-March 2016 to about 29,500 at end-March 2026.

The bureau said the CWT is anticipated to be capped at five years, indicating a downward trend.

For the next five years from 2026-27 onwards, the overall public housing production, including LPH, will be about 196,000 units, 80% higher than when the current-term Government took office. About 115,000 PRH flats will be completed, reaching the peak in supply. In respect of LPH, about 9,650 have been fully occupied as at the first quarter of 2026; while about 20,150 and 200 units will be successively completed in the remainder of 2026 and early 2027, gradually attaining the target of completing the construction of about 30,000 LPH units by 2027-28.

The CWT will move towards the target of reducing it to 4.5 years in 2026-27, the bureau added.

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Taiwan Textile Research Institute | A Slice of Running Shoe | Melt-Blown 3D Technology

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

“A Slice of Shoe” solves the inefficiency of conventional shoe manufacturing, which requires multiple steps-pattern-making, cutting, stitching, and adhesive bonding-generating scrap and mixed materials that are difficult to recycle. TTRI uses a robotic arm with fiber-spraying technology to spray-weave a seamless 3D upper in 30 seconds, forming a shoe under 150 g in one step with no stitching or adhesives. Production time drops by over 80% and labor by 90% versus traditional processes. The mono-material construction enables direct recycling without disassembly, cutting material costs by 40% and reducing landfill waste. This scalable platform creates industrial value across footwear and sportswear, advancing circular economy and sustainability goals.

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Taiwan Textile Research Institute | AI Sensing Yoga Wear | Deformation Yarn & Integrated Weaving

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Conventional smart sportswear requires attaching external sensor modules or circuit boards, raising cost and limiting washability. AI Sensing Yoga Wear solves this by weaving deformation-sensing and elastic yarns directly into fabric during manufacturing, making the garment itself a real-time motion sensor with no added hardware-fundamentally different from prior processes that attach electronics onto textiles. The result is a soft, machine-washable garment paired with an AI app for real-time voice-guided posture correction. Production cost and complexity drop by nearly 50%, enabling mass production. The technology creates new industrial value in a smart-textile category extensible to medical monitoring and rehabilitation, aligning with SDG 3 and SDG 9.

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Taiwan Textile Research Institute | CellNet Leukocyte Depletion Filter | Supercritical Fluid Process Technology

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Traditional blood filter manufacturing uses solvent-based hydrophilization, consuming large volumes of water, generating chemical wastewater, and emitting significant carbon. TTRI’s SCF Process replaces solvents with supercritical carbon dioxide, achieving hydrophilization through physical implantation under fully anhydrous, solvent-free conditions-a fundamental shift from chemical treatment. carbon dioxide is captured from the atmosphere and recycled in a closed loop with zero net emissions, eliminating all solvent use and wastewater generation. Per-unit cost drops by 57% and carbon emissions fall by over 80%. With global demand of approximately 120 million units per year, this technology creates substantial industrial value. Products are currently under quality verification at Taiwan Blood Donation Center.