Public library opening hours for Mid-Autumn Festival

     A Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (September 10) that Hong Kong public libraries, including Hong Kong Central Library and the mobile libraries, will be closed at 5pm on the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 24, Monday), except for those libraries closed on Mondays, and the Provisional North Lamma Public Library Service Stop which will close at 4.30pm.
 
     The opening hours of all public libraries on the day following the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25) will be the same as those for public holidays, except for the Provisional North Lamma Public Library Service Stop which is closed on Tuesdays.
 
     Details can be obtained from notices posted at all public libraries and the website at www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/locations/opening-hours.html, or call 2921 0208 for enquiries.




Hong Kong percussionist Sophia Woo and acclaimed former students to collaborate for percussion concert

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the Percussion Concert "Legacy" in October.
 
     Well known Hong Kong percussionist Sophia Woo will collaborate with four of her former students for a unique percussion experience. The group promise excellent musicality and fine technique on a variety of instruments, and will perform a selection of the most exciting percussion music from Europe, the United States and Asia.
 
     The programme will include world premieres for two commissioned works, "Yuen" and "Memento", written by Pius Cheung and Chi Him Calvin Chiu, as well as Owen Clayton Condon's "Fractalia", Marcus Ström's "Ettena", Steve Reich's "Nagoya Marimbas", Iannis Xenakis's "Okho", Astor Piazzolla's (arranged by Pius Cheung) "Verano Porteño", Johann Sebastian Bach's (arranged by Samuel Chan) "French Suite No. 5 in G Major" and Hiroyuki Yamazawa's "Blue Wing".
 
     Well known as a percussionist and music educator in Hong Kong, Sophia Woo has been a percussionist for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra for over 20 years. She is currently a teacher at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University. A keen educator, she has taught many rising stars in the percussion field. Four of them, namely Sabrina Ma, Raymond Vong, Samuel Chan and Pius Cheung, will join her for this concert.
 
     Originally from Hong Kong, Berlin-based percussionist Sabrina Ma graduated from the University of Michigan and the Hochschule für Musik in Karlsruhe, and has won major international music competitions. She has played with a wide range of composers, theatre-makers and artists and is active as a soloist and chamber musician.
 
     Raymond Vong obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the HKAPA. He is currently Principal Percussionist of City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. He is also a teaching faculty member of the HKAPA and the executive director of the Macau Percussion Association.
 
     Samuel Chan has won many international percussion competitions and has worked with famous orchestras around the world, performing at prestigious venues like Lincoln Centre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Elbphilharmonie and more.
 
     Marimbist and composer Pius Cheung is a special guest of the concert. He has profound knowledge of percussion and composition and is currently an assistant professor and chair of percussion at the University of Oregon. 
 
     Percussion Concert "Legacy" will be staged at 8pm on October 16 (Tuesday) at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall. Tickets priced at $150 and $200 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/tc/music/programs_631.html.




EMSD announces test results of LPG quality in August 2018

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (September 10) announced that the department collected nine liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) samples from auto-LPG filling stations and LPG terminals on a random basis in August 2018 for laboratory tests. The results showed that the LPG quality of all these samples complied with auto-LPG specifications.

     The detailed test results are available on the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/emsd/eng/sgi/lpg_smpl_analysis.shtml). Enquiries can also be made to the EMSD's hotline on 2333 3762.

     In addition, the EMSD has been vetting independent third-party test reports submitted by LPG supply companies for each shipment to ensure that the quality of imported LPG complies with the specified requirements.




Fintech Co-operation between Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Central Bank of Brazil (with photo)

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) signed a Co-operation Agreement yesterday (9 September) to enhance collaboration between the two central banks involving fintech issues, with a view to encouraging and enabling innovation development in financial services in both markets, and supporting innovative financial businesses in expanding to each other's jurisdictions.
      
     The Co-operation Agreement was signed between the Chief Executive of the HKMA, Mr Norman Chan, and the Governor of the BCB, Mr Ilan Goldfajn, in Basel. Under the Co-operation Agreement, the HKMA and BCB will collaborate on the referral of innovative businesses, information and experience sharing, and joint innovation projects.
      
     Mr Chan said, "I am pleased to have signed a fintech co-operation agreement with Governor Ilan Goldfajn of the BCB in Basel today.  The signing of this agreement signifies the commitment by both sides to further strengthen the collaboration between Hong Kong and Brazil, the largest economy in Latin America, in the development of fintech."
      
     Mr Goldfajn said, "BCB recently put forward a number of regulations fostering the development of the fintech sector as well as enhancing cyber resilience in Brazil. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with Hong Kong, which is one of the main financial technology hubs in Asia.  This co-operation agreement entails sharing of experiences and best practices, and will enable us to both monitor technological changes in financial markets from a broader perspective and adapt the regulatory environment to innovative business models."

Photo  



Missing man in Tsuen Wan located

     A man who went missing in Tsuen Wan has been located.

     Lau Yiu-lung, aged 62, went missing after he left an elderly home on Tsuen King Circuit on September 7 afternoon. Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

     Police located the man on Lockhart Road, Wan Chai yesterday afternoon (September 9). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.