Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden event #dundeewestend
Red flag hoisted at Stanley Main Beach
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 15) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.
Children and families enjoy cruise travel to celebrate 10th Anniversary of Child Development Fund (with photos)
The complimentary cruise tour engaged 83 participants in the CDF projects as well as their family members and mentors from six CDF project operators. They would be offered the special arrangement to tour around operations of a cruise ship and learn about the work of cruise staff during the trip, while having the opportunity to enjoy family time with refreshments and recreational activities onboard, before disembarking in Nansha this evening.
The programme is a prelude to the CDF’s 10th anniversary celebrations. The aims of CDF are to broaden children’s horizons, enhance their abilities and personal qualities, and enrich their social experience to nurture their personal development.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Dr Law Chi-kwong, and the Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare and Chairman of the Steering Committee on the CDF, Ms Chang King-yiu, also officiated at the ceremony.
Since its establishment in 2008, the CDF has been providing grass-root youths with appropriate guidance, widening their exposure and planning for future. So far, six batches of CDF projects operated by non-governmental organisations as well as four batches of school-based projects operated by schools have been rolled out, benefiting over 14 000 underprivileged youths.
We need a Statement on Syria
I trust tomorrow when Parliament meets the government will update us on its thinking on Syria and give MPs every opportunity to examine the position now reached.
I assume the limited action the UK took with allies early on Saturday morning is the end of the military intervention planned following the use of chemical weapons in Syria. I stressed before the event that we should not fly our jets into Syrian airspace, run the risk of killing Russian personnel and damaging Russian equipment, and risking killing civilians. It appears we have avoided all of those dangers. It is now important we show we do not intend to escalate from here. I am glad the PM did tell us she has no plan to intervene in the civil war or seek regime change as those options would require considerable and sustained force and be full of risk.
Labour will doubtless wish to explore the legal base for the action.
Many MPs will want to know how successful it was in destroying chemical weapons production facilities and chemical weapons stocks, the stated targets. We await the full Intelligence evaluation and assume Russian claims to have shot down most of the missiles are false. We will also wish to be reassured that attacking chemical weapons stocks did not lead to damaging release of any of the chemicals, or to the death or injury of people on the ground.
It will also be interesting to hear the governments evaluation of whether this will either prevent or deter future use of these munitions by the Syrian regime. Has the attack crippled their capacity to make and use these weapons? Or did it do such damage that they will conclude it is not a good idea to do it again?
There should be no escalation of this action and a careful consideration of the results of this mission.