The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETONY) hosted a special reception in honour of Louis Koo last night (July 19, New York time) to celebrate his remarkable achievements in the creative industry in Hong Kong and Asia.

     Koo was in New York to receive the Extraordinary Star Asia Award for Exceptional Contribution to Asian Cinema presented by the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF). He brought to Film at Lincoln Center the North American premieres of his two new productions: "Vital Signs" and "The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell". Some 150 guests from the state and city governments, diplomatic circles, business sector, think tanks and cultural organisations joined Koo and his team, including Director Cheuk Wan-chi of "Vital Signs", for a jovial evening. 

     In her welcoming remarks, the Director of the HKETONY, Ms Candy Nip, praised Koo for being a versatile actor, a passionate producer, an advocate for artistes, and a generous philanthropist. "Louis fully lives up to the dynamism and energy of the arts and cultural scene of Hong Kong," Ms Nip said.

     "We would also like to thank the Festival for its zealous partnership with our office in showcasing Hong Kong movies and film talents in the Big Apple over the past 14 years," she added.

     In addition to the two productions of Koo, seven other Hong Kong films were featured at the Hong Kong Panorama sponsored by the HKETONY during the NYAFF, including the world premiere of "Back Home". Please visit here for more details.

              

     â€‹Correctional officers at the Hei Ling Chau Correctional Institution stopped a fight among persons in custody yesterday (July 19).

     At 9.35pm yesterday, four male persons in custody aged between 22 and 40 engaged in a fight inside a dormitory. Officers at the scene immediately called for reinforcements to help stop the fight.

     During the incident, three persons in custody sustained injuries to their hands, face, head, etc. After examination and treatment by the institution Medical Officer, two of them were referred to a public hospital for further treatment while the other person in custody did not need to be sent to a public hospital. The remaining person in custody did not sustain any injury.

     The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.

     The four persons in custody were sentenced to imprisonment for the offences of wounding with intent, forcible detention of a person with intent to procure a ransom for his liberation and trafficking in a dangerous drug.

     The Department of Health (DH) today (July 20) released the Thematic Report of Iodine Status (Population Health Survey (PHS) 2020-22), which presents the iodine status of the general population of Hong Kong. The survey revealed that the iodine intake for persons aged 35 or above is insufficient and they are advised to increase their iodine intake to maintain adequate iodine nutrition.

     The PHS 2020-22 is a territory-wide population health survey and was conducted between November 2020 and February 2022. The survey interviewed more than 16 000 land-based non-institutional persons aged 15 or above in Hong Kong, and among them over 2 000 respondents further completed the health examination. Part I and Part II of the PHS 2020-22 were published in last December and in April respectively. The thematic report on iodine status released today analyses the health examination findings on urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and gives an account of the iodine status of the local population.

     The survey found that the median UIC of persons aged 15 to 84 was 91.3 μg/L. The median UIC for females (88.1 μg/L) was lower than that of males (93.7 μg/L). Among different age groups, the median UIC in younger age groups was observed to be higher. The median UIC of persons aged 15 to 34 was 107.5 μg/L, while that of persons aged 35 to 54 and 55 to 84 was 92.7 μg/L and 79.8 μg/L respectively. According to the epidemiological criteria set by the World Health Organization (the cut-off of 100 to199 μg/L for median UIC is classified as adequate iodine intake), iodine intake was insufficient with mild iodine deficiency status for persons aged 35 or above, while persons aged 15 to 34 was classified as having adequate iodine intake.

     A spokesman for the DH emphasised that iodine is an essential micronutrient required for normal thyroid function, growth and development. Throughout the course of life, inadequate dietary intake gives rise to iodine deficiency which may result in goitres and hypothyroidism as well as a spectrum of iodine deficiency disorders including impaired mental functioning.

     Iodised salt and iodine-rich food provide sources for maintaining adequate iodine nutrition. However, the use of iodised salt among local domestic households and consumption of seaweed (a type of iodine-rich food) was not common among respondents according to the survey findings. Only 21.0 per cent of the interviewees reported the use of iodised salt at home and only 8.7 per cent of them reported consuming seaweed at least once per week.

     The abovementioned findings of the PHS 2020-22 are consistent with the previous Iodine Survey conducted in 2019. The survey at that time revealed that the iodine intake of school-aged children was considered adequate, while that of pregnant and lactating women was insufficient (except pregnant women taking iodine-containing supplements at an average daily intake of equal to or above 150 ug/day).

     The DH and the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have jointly set up the Working Group on Prevention of Iodine Deficiency Disorders, with representatives from the Hospital Authority, the Hong Kong College of Community Medicine, the Hong Kong College of Family Physicians, the Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Hong Kong College of Paediatricians, and the Hong Kong College of Physicians. After reviewing the key findings of this study and the latest scientific evidence, the Working Group opined that members of the public should increase iodine intake to maintain adequate iodine nutrition and made the following joint recommendations:
 

1. Consume iodine-rich foods
   • Consume food with more iodine as part of a healthy balanced diet.  Seaweed, kelp, seafood, marine fish, eggs, milk and dairy products are food rich in iodine;
   • When choosing iodine-rich snacks, avoid those which are high in salt or fat content;
2. Use iodised salt
   • Use iodised salt instead of ordinary table salt, keeping total salt intake below 5 grams (1 teaspoon) per day to lower the risk of raised blood pressure;
   • As iodine content in iodised salt may be affected by humidity, heat and sunlight, iodised salt should be stored in a tight and coloured container and kept in a cool dry place;
   • To minimise loss of iodine through the cooking process, in particular from prolonged boiling and pressure cooking, add iodised salt to food as close to the time of serving as possible;
   • Persons with thyroid problems should seek medical advice regarding use of iodised salt;
3. Additional measures for pregnant and lactating women
   • Take iodine-containing supplements containing at least 150 μg iodine per day;
   • Seek medical advice if in doubt;
   • Persons with existing medical conditions or thyroid problems should consult healthcare professionals and take supplements as instructed.

     For access to the Thematic Report on Iodine Status and the Joint Recommendation on Iodine Intake for Members of the Public, please visit www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/37474.html.

     A spokesman for the Development Bureau (DEVB) said on July 19 that the DEVB and the Buildings Department (BD) are highly concerned about the recent series of incidents of fallen concrete or rendering from external walls of buildings, and the problem of non-compliance with statutory notices under the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme (MBIS) as revealed. The Government understands that some buildings served with MBIS notices have already taken follow-up actions, but the relevant work was delayed due to the pandemic in recent years. The latest weather has also made the deteriorating external walls susceptible to changes. As steered by the DEVB earlier, the BD has completed reviewing the list of buildings that have not complied with the MBIS notices in respect of the common parts. The BD will prioritise the follow-up and enhance enforcement efforts. Generally speaking, the Government will proactively provide support to building owners who are determined to comply with the MBIS notices early, with a view to completing the inspection and repair works soon. If the owners' corporation (OC) or owners neglect the MBIS notices leading to poor progress, the BD will take enforcement actions and initiate prosecutions in a strict manner.
 
     As stipulated in the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123), under the MBIS, owners of buildings aged 30 years or above (except domestic buildings not exceeding three storeys) and served with statutory notices are required to appoint a Registered Inspector (RI) to carry out the necessary prescribed inspection and repair works.
 
     The BD has completed reviewing the number of statutory notices served and their compliance status. So far, some 4 800 buildings have outstanding MBIS notices, with details as follows:
 

     The DEVB and the BD have devised action strategies against the abovementioned buildings with expired MBIS notices that have not been complied with, so as to prioritise the follow-up and enhance enforcement efforts. Detailed actions are as follows:
     
(i) For the 1 800 buildings with RIs appointed

     1 300 of them had already completed inspection and are awaiting commencement or completion of repair works, while the remaining 500 have yet to complete inspection. The BD will issue letter to the relevant RIs as soon as possible, seeking their progress update to the BD within a month's time, as well as urging them to expedite the inspection and/or repair works. If one's progress is unsatisfactory without reasonable excuse, depending on the circumstances, the BD will issue warning letter, and instigate prosecution proceedings to the OC or relevant owners by the end of this year.

(ii) For the 900 buildings not yet appointed with RIs

     It is aware that around 150 of the buildings have participated in the OBB 2.0 as Category 1 buildings (Note 2). The BD will issue warning letter to relevant building owners or OCs, requesting them to expedite the appointment of RI to conduct the inspection, and to report to the BD in a month's time the progress or concrete work plan. If one's progress is unsatisfactory without reasonable excuse, depending on the circumstances, the BD will instigate prosecution proceedings to the OC or relevant owners by the end of this year. At the same time, with assistance from the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and the Urban Renewal Authority (URA), the BD will invite the remaining eligible buildings to join the OBB 2.0, providing support to those who are determined to comply with the MBIS notices early. In addition, the BD will assess the risk of the abovementioned buildings (with factors such as building conditions, potential risk to the public, whether it is facing major traffic road, etc), and arrange manpower for the use of drones to conduct special survey on the external walls of buildings with higher risks, with a view to verifying their conditions as soon as possible. If necessary, the BD will arrange government contractor to carry out emergency repair works on behalf of the owners, then recover the costs from them afterwards.
     
     The BD understands that owners or OC might face practical difficulties in carrying out or organising the necessary inspection and repair works. As such, the BD will work with the URA and the HAD to strengthen the support for OC or owners. Focusing on buildings that have not yet appointed RIs, the three parties will proactively get in touch with relevant OC and property management companies, strengthening the provision of information, co-ordination, technical and financial support, including assisting in the formation of OC, applying for OBB 2.0, attending OC meetings to introduce the OBB 2.0. The three parties will also jointly organise district briefings on the procedures of complying with MBIS notices (e.g. appointment of RIs and contractors, organisation of owners' meetings, etc). In addition, the URA will also expedite the handling of OBB 2.0 applications.

     The DEVB and the BD will closely monitor the progress and effectiveness of the abovementioned actions, while keeping under review the strategy for follow-up actions.
     
     The Government reminds that it is building owners' responsibility to ensure their properties are well maintained and in safe conditions, including to conduct regular inspections and timely repair of their properties. Adhering to the principle of "prevention is better than cure", the Government has been adopting multipronged measures to require property owners to fulfil their responsibilities in enhancing building safety. The new round of the OBB 2.0 is now open for applications until September 30, 2023, with relaxed application criteria, including adjusting the building age limit and maximum rateable value requirements, so as to widen the number of beneficiary buildings.

Note 1: A scheme with $6 billion injected by the Government and implemented by the URA, to subsidise eligible owners in co-ordinating inspection and repair works in respect of common parts under the MBIS. Buildings that are able to co-ordinate the necessary works among themselves are considered as Category 1 buildings. The BD will exercise its statutory power in carrying out the necessary inspection and repair works on behalf of the owners, with the cost be recovered from the owners after completion of works, for Category 2 buildings. Eligible owners can apply for OBB 2.0 subsidy to reimburse for part or all of the cost of the works.

Note 2: Refers to residential units with average rateable values not exceeding $187,000 per year (urban area, including Sha Tin, Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan) or $143,000 (New Territories, not including Sha Tin, Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan).

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Ping An OneConnect Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to a fraudulent mobile application (App), which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press releases is available on the HKMA website.

     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the App concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.