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Author Archives: hksar gov

HAD opens temporary heat shelters

     The Home Affairs Department is opening 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (August 7).
      
     The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
      
     For further information, please call the department’s hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
      
     The heat shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern –
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai –
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
 
     In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf. read more

Hong Kong’s latest foreign currency reserve assets figures released

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (August 7) that the official foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong amounted to US$419.3 billion as at the end of July 2024 (end-June 2024: US$416.3 billion) (Annex).

     Including unsettled foreign exchange contracts, the foreign currency reserve assets of Hong Kong at the end of July 2024 amounted to US$418.7 billion (end-June 2024: US$416.0 billion).

     The total foreign currency reserve assets of US$419.3 billion represent over five times the currency in circulation or about 39 per cent of Hong Kong dollar M3.
 
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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund’s data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with International Monetary Fund’s Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS). The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund’s Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA’s policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of August 2024, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

August 7 SDDS International Reserves
(Hong Kong’s Latest Foreign Currency Reserve Assets Figures) 
August 14 SDDS Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank
(Analytical Accounts of the Exchange Fund) 
August 30 SDDS Template on International Reserves and
Foreign Currency Liquidity 
August 30 Exchange Fund Abridged Balance Sheet and
Currency Board Account 
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OFCA announces 5G Campus Application Competition 2024 finalists

     The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) announced today (August 7) the list of 10 school teams that have qualified for the final round of the 5G Campus Application Competition 2024.
 
     OFCA is organising the Competition for the second year under the theme of “5G x AI – Smart Living and Learning Anytime Anywhere” to enhance students’ understanding of the enormous potential of fifth generation mobile (5G) technology and its extensive innovative applications, as well as to inspire them to apply 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in creating smart living and learning experiences.
 
     Launched in May this year, the Competition consists of two contest rounds. The first-round submission of entries closed at the end of July, with entries by 43 teams from 37 schools received. The entries were rich in content, covering a wide range of innovative applications of 5G and AI technologies in various aspects, such as enhancing students’ learning efficiency, improving facilities and the environment on campus and in the neighbouring community, and providing diversified learning and teaching experiences. The submissions fully demonstrated the innovative ideas of the participating teams in the applications of 5G and AI technologies.
 
     The first-round judging panel comprised representatives from OFCA and the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the co-organiser of the Competition. After a detailed assessment based on the scoring criteria, the following 10 school teams have been shortlisted to compete in the final round (listed in alphabetic order of the school names):
 

Team Entry title
Baptist Lui Ming Choi Secondary School LMC Skill Tube
CCC Chuen Yuen College AI-Powered 5G Recycling Bins: A Sustainable Revolution
Cumberland Presbyterian Church Yao Dao Secondary School Campus Intelligent Patrol and Duty Device
HKUGA College SchoolSPARK Campus App
Po Leung Kuk Ma Kam Ming College Play, INNOVATION, Exercise (P.I.E.)
Pok Oi Hospital 80th Anniversary Tang Ying Hei College AI Learning System for Recognising Bird-chirping Sound
Raimondi College EatSmart Campus App
S.K.H. St. Mary’s Church Mok Hing Yiu College 5G x AI in Sonata Exhibition
S.K.H. Chan Young Secondary School Bus Route Planner and Optimizer
St. Paul’s Secondary School Eye-know Smart Glasses
 
     The finalists will be invited to participate in the 5G and AI Themed Mobile App Development Training Workshop to understand more about how to create advanced mobile applications through hands-on projects. They will attend the final round competition to be held on November 30 to give presentations of their entries with demonstrations to the final round judging panel, which comprises representatives from OFCA, the academic sector and research institutes as well as experts from industry and will decide on the winners based on the scoring criteria. The award presentation ceremony will be held on the same day.
 
     For more details and the latest news of the Competition, please visit the thematic website. read more

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected cannabis buds worth about $1.2 million (with photo)

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs yesterday (August 6) seized about 4.5 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds with an estimated market value of about $1.2 million in Hung Hom and Jordan. A man suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.

     During an anti-narcotics operation conducted in the vicinity of Hung Hom yesterday evening, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and found about 1kg of suspected cannabis buds inside a recycle bag carried by him. He was then arrested. Customs officers later escorted the man to his rented sub-divided flat in Jordan for a search, and further seized about 3.5kg of suspected cannabis buds there.

     The arrested man, who claimed to be a construction worker, has been charged with two counts of trafficking in a dangerous drug. He will appear at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (August 8).

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Photo  
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