The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, attended a press conference in Guangzhou today (November 8) to introduce the progress of preparation for the 15th National Games (NG).
 
     Speaking at the press conference, Mr Yeung said that the preparation for the NG in Hong Kong is smooth and Hong Kong will organise test events for various competition events and cross-boundary events so as to get well prepared for the official events.
 
     Other officials attending the press conference were the Director of the Department of Publicity of the General Administration of Sport of China, Mr Gao Chao; Vice Chairperson of the Guangdong Executive Committee of the 15th National Games Mr Cui Jian; and the Head of the Preparatory Office for the 15th NG, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) in Macao, Mr Pun Weng-kun.
 
     The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) will also organise the one-year countdown event for the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in Hong Kong tomorrow (November 9), and members of the public can share the joy of welcoming these two mega sports events to be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time.
 
     A carnival will be held from 2.30pm to 5.30pm at the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section) tomorrow. The carnival offers a variety of activities, such as a cultural performance, an exhibition of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and virtual reality games and booths featuring the sports events of the Games to be held in Hong Kong. Members of the public are welcome to join.
 
     The carnival will be cancelled if tropical cyclone warning signal No. 3 or above, or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force at 11am tomorrow. Members of the public should pay attention to the latest announcement.
 
     Furthermore, roving exhibitions themed 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held in more than 30 sports centres under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department from tomorrow to introduce the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and the history of the NG, the NGD and the NSOG, and the Hong Kong team's past achievements in these events. The first exhibition will take place at the Harbour Road Sports Centre, 27 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, running from tomorrow until December 5, 2024.
 
     To raise the public awareness of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG, and to encourage members of the public to support and participate in these national mega sports events, promotional activities under the theme of the 15th NG, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held in 18 districts across Hong Kong.
 
     The NG, held once every four years, is the nation's highest-level and the largest national multi-sport event. The 15th NG will be held from November 9 to 21, 2025, lasting for a total of 13 days. Hong Kong will organise eight competition events, namely, Basketball (men U22), Track Cycling, Fencing, Golf, Handball (men), Rugby Sevens, Triathlon and Beach Volleyball; as well as one mass participation event, Bowling.
　　
     The 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG will be held from December 8 to 15, 2025, lasting for a total of eight days. Hong Kong will organise four competition events, namely, NGD events Boccia, Wheelchair Fencing, Para Table Tennis (TT11), NSOG event Table Tennis; and one mass participation event, Para Dance Sport.

  

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (November 8) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 12 kilograms of suspected ketamine with an estimated market value of about $5.8 million.

     A 62-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, today. During Customs clearance, the batch of suspected ketamine was found concealed in the false compartment of his check-in suitcase. The male was subsequently arrested.

     A holding charge with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug has been laid against the arrested man. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (November 9).

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

     Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

     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 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) is holding the Exhibition of Winning Entries of the "Maker in China" SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest Hong Kong Chapter (MiCHK) for two consecutive days starting today (November 8). Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition.
 
     The Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, accompanied by the Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Tony Wong, visited the exhibition today to learn more about the achievements of the MiCHK over the years. The competition allowed Mainland investors and enterprises to gain a better understanding of the innovative technology products and solutions of the local industry, thereby enabling local innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises to tap the Mainland market. The Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (LOCPG), Mr Yang Jian, joined the event to show his support.
 
     With an aim of promoting the development of I&T by SMEs, the MiCHK is an I&T contest organised by the DPO, the China Centre for Promotion of SME Development of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, the Department of Youth Affairs of the LOCPG, and the China International Cooperation Association of SMEs. The exhibition is one of the events celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and it will let members of the public experience the I&T developments of the country and Hong Kong.
 
     The exhibition is being held at Covered Piazza, Ground Floor, Times Square, Causeway Bay and is open from 10am until 7.30pm. It showcases the participating projects of the winning teams of the MiCHK in the past years. Exhibiting projects are grouped into three categories, namely "Life and Health Technology", "Artificial Intelligence and Data Science" and "Advanced Manufacturing and New Energy Technology", for members of the public to get a glimpse of the proud achievements of I&T in Hong Kong.
 
     The winning teams of the MiCHK have showcased their I&T achievements and interacted with visitors on-site. There is also a prize quiz for visitors to understand the latest I&T developments. In addition, the "iAM Smart" mobile registration team has assisted members of the public to register for "iAM Smart+" to enjoy the convenience of one-stop e-Government services.

          

     At about 9.30am today (November 8), around 70 workers engaged in a public housing development project at Tung Chung Area 100 gathered at Ying Tung Estate and later proceeded to the construction site nearby to demand their outstanding wages payment. Representatives of the main contractor (Aggressive Construction Company Limited) were present at the site to understand the situation, and a chief architect of the Housing Department (HD) also reached to the site to assess the situation and render appropriate assistance. The Police and officers of the Labour Department also quickly arrived at the site to maintain order and handle the situation.

     The Housing Authority (HA) has always processed the payment to the main contractor according to the contract provision and established mechanism, and has instructed the main contractor to properly handle the wage arrangements for the workers of its sub-contractors and resolve any issues of outstanding wages payment. Top management of the HD has required the main contractor to actively resolve the wage arrears of the workers and targeted to settle the outstanding payment in November. The HA attaches great importance to workers' rights and will closely monitor the progress while working with the main contractor to resolve the wages issues.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 8) that a sample of frozen confection imported from Singapore was detected with total bacterial count exceeding the legal limit. The affected batch of product has been marked and sealed, and has not entered the market. The CFS is following up on the incident.

Product details are as follows: 

Product name: The Ice Cream & Cookie Co. Hazelnut Cacao Frozen Dessert
Brand: The Ice Cream & Cookie Co.
Place of origin: Singapore
Importer: Creme Concepts (HK) Limited
Packing: 473 ml
Best-before date: March 24, 2026

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample at the import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test results showed that the total bacterial count of the sample was 71 000 per gram, exceeding the legal limit."

     Under the Frozen Confections Regulation (Cap. 132AC), frozen confection for sale should not contain more than 50 000 bacteria per gram. The maximum penalty for offenders is a fine of $10,000 and three months' imprisonment upon conviction. The fact that the total bacterial count exceeded the legal limit indicated that the hygienic conditions were unsatisfactory, but did not mean that consumption would lead to food poisoning.

     The CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity. An investigation revealed that the affected batch of the product is still stored in the importer's warehouse. It has not entered the local market. The CFS will temporarily suspend the permission to import for sale of the product concerned granted earlier to the importer. Other types of similar products of the same brand being sold in the market are not affected.

     The CFS will inform the Singapore authority of the incident, and will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action.