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     Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon from December 24 (Tuesday) to December 25 (Wednesday) to facilitate the public to celebrate the festive season.
 
Hong Kong Island
———————
 
A. Crowd safety management measures
 
     As a large number of people is expected, crowd management measures will be implemented in Lan Kwai Fong area. Please follow the Police’s instruction and queue patiently.
    
     Members of the public are urged not to bring or discharge aerosol spray in the vicinity as it may be hazardous to people nearby. Members of the public are also reminded to look after the accompanying children and elderly.
 
B. Road closure
 
     The following roads will be closed from 2pm on December 24 to 5am on December 25:
 
– D’Aguilar Street between Wyndham Street and Wellington Street;
– Lan Kwai Fong;
– Wing Wah Lane;
– Wo On Lane;
– Wellington Street between Wyndham Street and D’Aguilar Street; and
– On Lan Street.
 
     Depending on the crowd situation, the following roads may be closed:
 
– Stanley Street between D’Aguilar Street and Cochrane Street;
– Wyndham Street between Glenealy and Queen’s Road Central;
– D’Aguilar Street between Queen’s Road Central and Wellington Street;
– Wellington Street between D’Aguilar Street and Cochrane Street;
– Cochrane Street between Wellington Street and Stanley Street;
– Lyndhurst Terrance; and
– Queen’s Road Central between Pedder Street and Pottinger Street.
 
     In order to facilitate the dispersal of worshippers from St. Joseph’s Church after the Christmas Eve Mass, the rightmost lane of Garden Road between Kennedy Road and Upper Albert Road will be closed to all vehicular traffic at anytime, depending on the crowd conditions.
 
C. Suspension of on-street parking spaces
 
     All on-street parking spaces on the following streets will be suspended from 1pm on December 24 to 5am on December 25:
 
– Stanley Street near D’Aguilar Street;
– On Lan Street; and
– Wyndham Street between Arbuthnot Road and D’Aguilar Street.
 
Kowloon
———-
 
A. Crowd safety management measures
 
     Christmas Eve celebration is expected to attract a large number of people to the Tsim Sha Tsui area. Depending on the prevailing situation, Police will implement crowd safety management measures.
 
B. Road closure and traffic diversions
 
Phase I (from 6pm on December 24)
 
     The following roads will be closed:
 
– Hung Hom Bypass between Salisbury Road and Hung Hom Road;
– Hung Hom Bypass between Salisbury Road and Metropolis Drive;
– Southbound Salisbury Road between Hong Chong Road and Hung Hom Bypass;
– Salisbury Road and Salisbury Road Underpass between Science Museum Road and Kowloon Park Drive;
– The U-turn slip road leading from eastbound Salisbury Road to westbound Salisbury Road;
– Hong Wan Path;
– Mody Lane;
– Mody Road;
– Mody Square;
– Granville Square;
– Granville Road between Chatham Road South and Science Museum Road, except for franchised buses and green minibuses (GMBs);
– Southbound Chatham Road South between Cheong Wan Road and Salisbury Road;
– Southbound Chatham Road South between Cheong Wan Road and Granville Road, except for franchised buses and GMBs;
– Northbound Chatham Road South between Granville Road and Salisbury Road;
– Carnarvon Road between Granville Road and Nathan Road;
– Hau Fook Street;
– Cameron Lane;
– Cameron Road;
– Humphreys Avenue;
– Prat Avenue;
– Hart Avenue;
– Hanoi Road;
– Bristol Avenue;
– Minden Row;
– Minden Avenue;
– Blenheim Avenue;
– Middle Road;
– Northbound Nathan Road between Austin Road and Salisbury Road;
– Southbound Nathan Road between Granville Road and Salisbury Road;
– Southbound Kowloon Park Drive between Canton Road and Salisbury Road;
– Southbound Canton Road between Kowloon Park Drive and Salisbury Road;
– Ashley Road;
– Hankow Road;
– Lock Road;
– Haiphong Road;
– Ichang Street;
– Peking Road;
– The slip road near Xiqu Centre leading from westbound Austin Road West (at-grade section) to eastbound Austin Road West;
– The left lane of Austin Road West leading to Austin Road West roundabout;
– The slip road near The Harbourside leading from eastbound Austin Road West (at-grade section) to westbound Austin Road West;
– Museum Drive; and
– Cultural Drive.
 
     During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:
 
– Traffic along southbound Hung Hom Road will be directed from Hung Hom Bypass to Cheong Tung Road roundabout;
– Traffic along eastbound Metropolis Drive cannot turn right to southbound Hung Hom Bypass;
– Traffic along southbound Hung Hom Bypass must turn right to westbound Metropolis Drive;
– Traffic along westbound Cheong Wan Road leading to Chatham Road South must turn right to northbound Chatham Road South or go straight to westbound Austin Road, except for franchised buses and GMBs;
– Franchised buses and GMBs along southbound Chatham Road South must turn left to eastbound Granville Road;
– Franchised buses along southbound Nathan Road must turn right to westbound Public Square Street or westbound Jordan Road;
– Traffic along westbound Jordan Road cannot turn left to southbound Canton Road, vehicles must go straight to Nga Cheung Road direction or turn left to southbound Wui Man Road;
– Traffic along southbound Canton Road must make a U-turn to northbound Canton Road outside China Hong Kong City;
– Traffic along northbound Kowloon Park Drive cannot turn left to southbound Canton Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Salisbury Road must turn left to northbound Kowloon Park Drive;
– Traffic along northbound Kowloon Park Drive cannot turn right to Peking Road;
– Westbound Granville Road between Nathan Road and Carnarvon Road will turn to eastbound contraflow, while traffic along southbound Nathan Road will be instructed to turn left to eastbound Granville Road;
– Traffic along Science Museum Road cannot turn to Mody Road and Granville Road;
– Traffic along southbound Salisbury Road near Hong Chong Road will be diverted to Tsim Sha Tsui East;
– Traffic along eastbound Granville Road must turn left to northbound Chatham Road South;
– Traffic along eastbound and westbound Austin Road West cannot enter the slip roads of Austin Road West; and
– Traffic along southbound Nga Cheung Road cannot turn to Museum Drive. Vehicles will be directed to eastbound Austin Road West or northbound Nga Cheung Road.
 
Phase II (from 6.30pm on December 24)
 
     The following roads will be closed:
 
– Northbound Kowloon Park Drive between Canton Road and Salisbury Road; and
– Salisbury Road between Canton Road and Kowloon Park Drive.
 
Phase III (from 11.45pm on December 24)
 
     Canton Road between Austin Road and Kowloon Park Drive will be closed. The following traffic diversions will be implemented:
 
– Traffic along southbound Canton Road cannot go straight. Vehicles must turn left to eastbound Austin Road or turn right to westbound Austin Road West;
– Traffic along eastbound Austin Road West cannot turn right. Vehicles must turn left to northbound Canton Road or go straight to eastbound Austin Road; and
– Traffic along northbound Gateway Boulevard must leave from northbound Kowloon Park Drive.
 
Contingency plan
 
     If necessary, the following roads will be closed:
 
– Nathan Road between Jordan Road and Austin Road;
– Eastbound Bowring Street between Pilkem Street and Nathan Road;
– Eastbound Tak Shing Street between Tak Hing Street and Nathan Road;
– Southbound Nathan Road between Austin Road and Granville Road;
– Pine Tree Hill Road;
– Hillwood Road;
– Carnarvon Road between Kimberley Road and Granville Road;
– Shun Yee Street;
– Granville Circuit;
– Northbound Chatham Road South between Observatory Road and Granville Road;
– Kimberley Road between Nathan Road and Observatory Road;
– Kimberley Street;
– Granville Road between Nathan Road and Chatham Road South;
– Austin Road West roundabout between Austin Road West and the exit and Museum Drive;
– Nga Cheung Road between Jordan Road and Austin Road West;
– Hung Luen Road between Wa Shun Street and Hung Lok Road;
– Oi King Street; and
– Kin Wan Street.
 
     During the above road closure period, the following traffic diversions will be implemented:
 
– Traffic along southbound Nathan Road must turn right to westbound Jordan Road;
– Traffic along westbound Jordan Road cannot turn left to southbound Nathan Road;
– Traffic along westbound Austin Road and southbound Cox’s Road cannot turn to Pine Tree Hill Road;
– Traffic along Observatory Road cannot enter westbound Kimberley Street;
– Traffic along northbound Pilkem Street cannot turn right to eastbound Bowring Street;
– Traffic along eastbound Bowring Street must turn to northbound Pilkem Street;
– Traffic along westbound Jordan Road  heading to Nga Cheung Road will be diverted to Kowloon Station Public Transport Interchange;
– Traffic along westbound Austin Road West must go straight to Nga Cheung Road elevated road;
– Traffic along southbound Nga Cheung Road entering Austin Road West roundabout must turn left to eastbound Austin Road West;
– Traffic along westbound Hung Luen Road must turn left to eastbound Wa Shun Street;
– Traffic along Wa Shun Street must turn right to eastbound Hung Luen Road;
– Traffic along southbound Hung Lok Road cannot turn left to eastbound Hung Luen Road; and
– Traffic along eastbound Hung Luen Road must turn left to northbound Hung Lok Road.
 
C. Suspension of bus termini

     The following bus termini will be suspended until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

     The Tsim Sha Tsui East (Mody Road) Bus Terminus will be suspended from 5.30pm on December 24.

     The Star Ferry Bus Terminus will be suspended from 6.30pm on December 24.

     The China Hong Kong City Bus Terminus will be suspended from 11pm on December 24.
 
D. Suspension of car parks
 
     All car parks within the above closed road area will be suspended until the road closure is lifted.
 
     All vehicles parked illegally during the implementation of the above special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing. 
 
     Actual implementation of traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

    

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on December 20 to noon today (December 23), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 289 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 150 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 106 940 samples of food imported from Japan (including 69 392 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 24 268 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, December 23, 2024 is 107.5 (up 0.3 against last Saturday’s index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, December 21, 2024 is 107.2 (down 0.3 against last Friday’s index). read more

     To promote sustainable youth community education, the Correctional Services Department today (December 23) launched an initative called Captain Gor Union and its mobile application, establishing a membership system for the Rehabilitation Pioneer Programme (RPP) to recruit primary and secondary students as members, so as to nurture in a more systematic manner a new generation of young people with an affection for the country and Hong Kong and a positive mindset.
      
     Named after Captain Gor, the mascot of the CSD’s youth uniform group Rehabilitation Pioneer Leaders (RPLs), Captain Gor Union aims to recruit primary and secondary school students as non-uniformed group members and arrange for them to participate in various activities related to national security, national education, crime prevention, anti-drug, support for rehabilitation and cultural exchange, with a view to disseminating to them the messages of “safeguarding our country and home, leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation”. It will also enable the Department to recruit young people with potential to join the RPLs, so as to inject new blood into the team.
      
     The Captain Gor Union mobile application was also launched today, allowing young people to register as members and get the latest information on membership and activities. To encourage youths to pursue independent and continuous learning, the application features a reward programme where members can “upgrade” through challenges and redeem gifts.
      
     The CSD launched the RPP in September 2008 to disseminate to young people the messages of safeguarding the country and home, leading a law-abiding and drug-free life as well as supporting offender rehabilitation. The RPLs, a youth uniformed group, was set up in 2018 to recruit young talent with leadership potential to enhance their sense of belonging to the country and their social responsibility, as well as to encourage them to actively contribute to the society in the future by helping to promote law-abiding and inclusive values for a better Hong Kong.
      
     The Captain Gor Union mobile application can be downloaded for free from Huawei AppGallery, Apple App Store and Google Play, or by scanning the QR code in the Annex. read more

     Muse Fest HK 2024, launched by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in November, has successfully concluded, attracting more than 630,000 people to participate in more than 70 delightful programmes organised by the LCSD museums and art spaces, representing a 20 per cent increase in participants as compared to last year. This year marked the 10th edition of Muse Fest under the same theme “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums”, introducing Hong Kong’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage and artistic diversity. Notably, the two-day inaugural event of Muse Fest 2024, Fun@Museum Carnival, received an overwhelming response, having attracted the participation of more than 25,000 members of the public and tourists, which was three times the number compared to last year.
 
     The Fun@Museum Carnival, focusing on Chinese culture, was a collaborative curation by the LCSD cultural sections, which featured a total of 24 diverse performances and interactive workshops on the development and inheritance of Chinese culture and history at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui on November 2 and 3. Highlights included performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items such as the lion dance, fire dragon dance and puppetry. Apart from taking photos, visitors could try to dance the lion and unicorn, and join workshops to make flower buttons, lion head crafts and postcards. The Waxing in Conservation booth of the LCSD Conservation Office invited visitors to experience using wax materials to protect various types of artifacts and make magnets as souvenirs. The Gear Up – Nano World Outreach Programme booth presented by the Science Promotion Unit of the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Library-on-Wheels outreach truck and the Cosmic Voyage Treasure Hunt Activity organised by the HKSpM also attracted families to share the fun.
 
     The November weekends saw fun days at various museums, including the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum, the Hong Kong Railway Museum, the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the ICH Centre at the Sam Tung Uk Museum as well as the Oil Street Art Space (Oi!). The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, held special events on two evenings, staging an outdoor immersive light show “Gentle Smoke of Tea” on the museum’s façade, and a concert, interactive display and exhibitions in the museum. Furthermore, the exclusive events, Meet the Curator – Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence and The Fireboat Then and Now Guided Tour – A Fireman Leads the Way, organised for LCSD Museum Pass holders were well received.
　　
     In addition, 12 Guangdong and Macao museums from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance also joined this year’s Muse Fest. Specifically, the Shenzhen Museum introduced the Shenzhen Branch of Hong Kong Museum Festival 2024 – The Beauty of Ingenuity series of research activities, which received an enthusiastic response. Programmes such as wood carving and gilding, a woodworking activity with mortise and tenon joinery, seal engraving, printmaking and a drama education class were highly popular. The relevant online social media platforms received a total of over 75,000 hits. The events were widely covered by the media in the Mainland.
 
     To extend the museum experience journey and deepen the public’s knowledge of the history of museums, art, culture, science and films, Muse Fest’s Selected Museum Publications and Souvenirs Mega Sale will continue until March 31, 2025, offering discounts of up to 50 per cent for selected museum publications and souvenirs. Members of the public are welcome to visit the LCSD museums to make their purchases.