Tag Archives: China

     The Education Bureau (EDB) today (February 15) announced that the third round of the Basic Law and National Security Law Test (BLNST) in the 2023/24 school year will be open for application from 9am on February 16 to 5pm on February 29. The test will be held on April 6 (Saturday).
      
     The target participants for the third round of the test are persons with a bachelor’s degree or those who will attain a bachelor’s degree in the 2023/24 or 2024/25 academic year and are planning to join or change to another secondary school, primary school or kindergarten to take up a teaching post. Applications can be made through the EDB’s online application system (www.edb.gov.hk/en/blnst). Limited places for the test will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who have already obtained a pass result in the BLNST organised by the EDB, the Civil Service Bureau or recruiting departments/grades for degree holders will not be accepted to sit the test again.

     Starting from this school year, all newly appointed teachers in public sector schools, Direct Subsidy Scheme schools and kindergartens joining the Kindergarten Education Scheme (including newly joined teachers and teachers changing schools) are required to pass the BLNST in order to be considered for appointment. The requirement applies to all ranks of the teacher grade including principals.

     The EDB is conducting five rounds of the BLNST for degree holders and non-degree holders respectively in this school year. Details are available on the EDB webpage (www.edb.gov.hk/en/blnst). The fourth round will be open for non-degree holders and will be held on June 16 (Sunday). The fifth round will be open for degree holders and will be held on July 20 (Saturday). Relevant arrangements will be announced in due course. read more

     The Government announced today (February 15) the launch of the 2024 Greater Bay Area (GBA) Youth Employment Scheme, which is open for application year round this year. Enterprises can submit job vacancies with a validity period up to December 31 starting from today to employ Hong Kong young people to work in GBA Mainland cities. 

     The GBA Youth Employment Scheme encourages enterprises to offer jobs and hire young people to work in GBA Mainland cities, so as to foster their career development and the exchange of talent in the GBA. Starting from this year, apart from receiving job vacancies from enterprises and job applications from eligible young people year round, the scheme also introduces flexibility measures to allow enterprises to apply for an extension of deploying the young people to work in Hong Kong or Mainland cities outside the GBA, and hire qualified young people previously employed for student intern positions. Enterprises can submit job vacancies through the scheme website (www.jobs.gov.hk/gbayes) from today.

     Enterprises with businesses in both Hong Kong and GBA Mainland cities are eligible to join the scheme. Participating enterprises shall employ eligible young people in accordance with Hong Kong laws, offer them a monthly salary of not less than HK$18,000 and station them in GBA Mainland cities to work and receive on-the-job training. The Government will grant a monthly allowance of HK$10,000 to enterprises for each employed young person for a period up to 18 months.

     Young people participating in the scheme should be Hong Kong residents lawfully employable in Hong Kong and have earned bachelor’s degrees or above from 2022 to 2024. Job vacancies under the scheme, upon the Labour Department’s vetting, will be uploaded to the scheme website starting from March 1 for eligible young people to apply. The employed young people and enterprises may forthwith agree on the effective dates of employment contracts. The deadline for eligible young people to apply for job vacancies under the 2024 scheme will fall on December 31. For details of the scheme, please visit the scheme website or call the hotline 2969 0446/2969 0460. read more

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled “Occupational Health of Office Workers Series (I) Health Hints on the Use of Computer” on February 22 (Thursday) at 3.30pm at the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay. The talk will briefly introduce the Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation, and elaborate on the occupational health hazards and preventive measures associated with prolonged use of computers, so as to enhance employees’ occupational health awareness. Demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises will also be included.
 
     The LD will hold another talk entitled “Manual Handling Operations and Prevention of Back Injuries” on February 26 (Monday) at 3.30pm at the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. The talk will introduce the structure and functions of the back, causes and preventive measures of back injuries, and proper manual handling operations, with demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises.

     Both talks will be given in Cantonese by the LD’s occupational hygienist and occupational health nurse. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. Interested participants can register online (www.oshsreg.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 2852 4040.
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     Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (February 15). The arrangements will come into effect one and a half hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

A. Traffic arrangements before the commencement of the first race

1. Road closure

     Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp outside the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) will be closed except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel.

2. Traffic diversions

– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the up-ramp outside HKJC will be re-routed one way northbound;
– Traffic along eastbound Queen’s Road East heading for Wan Chai and Happy Valley will be diverted to turn left to Morrison Hill Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along Queen’s Road East cannot turn right to Wong Nai Chung Road except for vehicles heading for Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Queen’s Road East will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Morrison Hill Road to turn right at the junction of Wong Nai Chung Road and Queen’s Road East; and
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley or Racecourse will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, southbound Morrison Hill Road, Sports Road and Wong Nai Chung Road.

B. Traffic arrangements before the conclusion of race meeting

1. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– The up-ramp on Wong Nai Chung Road outside HKJC leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Queen’s Road East and the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Village Road and the Public Stands of HKJC;
– Westbound Leighton Road between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
– Southbound Morrison Hill Road between Leighton Road and Queen’s Road East.

     In addition, southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between the up-ramp leading to Aberdeen Tunnel and the Public Stands of HKJC will be closed from about 10 minutes before the start of the last race.

2. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race:

– Eastbound Queen’s Road East at its junction with Morrison Hill Road will be reduced to one-lane traffic heading for northbound Canal Road flyover;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Wan Chai will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, U-turn slip road beneath Canal Road flyover, Canal Road West and Hennessy Road;
– Traffic from Cross Harbour Tunnel heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via the down-ramp leading from southbound Canal Road flyover to Canal Road East, eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road will be diverted to turn left to eastbound Leighton Road;
– Traffic along southbound Morrison Hill Road heading for Happy Valley will be diverted via eastbound Leighton Road and Wong Nai Chung Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Leighton Road will be diverted to Wong Nai Chung Road.

C. Learner drivers prohibition

     Learner drivers will be prohibited to turn left from Caroline Hill Road to Leighton Road between one and a half hours before the start of the first race and one hour after the last race. In addition, learner drivers will be prohibited from accessing the following roads within the above period of time:

– Shan Kwong Road between Yik Yam Street and Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Village Road between its upper and lower junctions with Shan Kwong Road;
– Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Leighton Road;
– Canal Road East; and
– The service road leading from Gloucester Road to Canal Road flyover.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     Parking spaces on southbound Wong Nai Chung Road between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be suspended from 11am to 7pm during day racing, from 4.30pm to 11.59pm during evening racing, and from 5pm to 11.59pm during night racing.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the above affected areas will be towed away without prior notice.

     Actual implementation of road closure and traffic diversion will be made by the Police at the time depending on traffic conditions in the areas. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of Police on site. read more

     Police today (February 14) reclassified a case of administering drugs to obtain or facilitate unlawful sexual act reported in Tsim Sha Tsui on March 15, 2023 as manslaughter.
     
     At around 1pm on that day, Police received a report from a hotel staff member on Chatham Road South that a 25-year-old man was lying unconsciously in a hotel room.
 
     Police officers sped to the scene and the 25-year-old man was certified dead at scene.
 
     The Regional Crime Unit of Kowloon West took over the case. After an in-depth investigation, Police arrested a man who is now 29-year-old for administering drugs to obtain or facilitate unlawful sexual act and theft in Kowloon on March 16, 2023.
     
     Police laid a charge against the arrested man with one count of administering drugs to obtain or facilitate unlawful sexual act on March 18, 2023. The case was first mentioned at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on March 20, 2023.
           
    After further investigation and seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice, the case was reclassified as manslaughter. The investigation also revealed that the arrested man was involved in similar cases. The charges against the arrested man were one count of manslaughter; three counts of using drug, matter, or thing in order to commit indictable offence; four counts of theft; two counts of administering drugs to obtain or facilitate unlawful sexual act; two counts of non-consensual buggery; and one count of administering noxious thing with intent to injure. The hearing of the case will continue at Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (February 15). read more