Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force, they should assess the risk of heat stroke to their employees and adopt effective preventive measures such as providing cool drinking water, setting up temporary sunshade and providing mechanical aids to reduce physical exertion of employees. Employees should drink water regularly and be mindful of their physical condition. If early heat stroke symptoms such as headache and thirst appear, they should inform their supervisors and seek medical help immediately.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning.

     To prevent heat stroke, avoid prolonged activities outdoors.

     If engaged in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible.

     Drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

     If you feel sick, consult a doctor right away.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (July 28). They are, on Hong Kong Island, Society for Abandoned Animals Limited; in Kowloon, Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children; and in the New Territories, Evangelical Lutheran Church Social Service – Hong Kong, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.

     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on July 28 is as follows:
 

     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the Charitable Fund-raising Control Team at 2832 4311 during office hours. Information on the flag days of the month is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap). For enquiries about the detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.

     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).
 
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, watched a Cantonese opera performance by children and teenagers from Hong Kong, met separately with the Minister of Science and Technology and the President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), as well as visited the university students participating in the Beijing Palace Museum Conservation Internship Programme yesterday (July 27) in Beijing.

     Accompanied by the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, Mrs Lam visited the Guardian Art Center in the morning. The Centre is a new one-stop cultural landmark integrating art exhibition, auction, art warehouse, art education, authentication and restoration, and hotel. Mrs Lam briefed the management of the Centre on the cultural development in Hong Kong in recent years and the West Kowloon Cultural District project.

     Mrs Lam, along with the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang and Mr Chan, then met the CAS President, Professor Bai Chunli, and attended a lunch hosted by him. At the meeting, Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude to Professor Bai for the valuable advice he tendered on Hong Kong's development on innovation and technology (I&T) during his visit to Hong Kong last year and to CAS for arranging an internship programme in Beijing for Hong Kong university students. She said the programme is very beneficial to them and hopes the same will be organised next year. Noting that the achievements made by Hong Kong on I&T development in the past year is inseparable from the support of the Central Government, she expressed the hope that the CAS will continue to support Hong Kong, including participating in the research clusters on healthcare technologies and on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies to be set up in Hong Kong, as well as bringing together academicians from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to advance the development of I&T in Hong Kong. As an organisation directly under the State Council, the CAS is the nation's highest academic institution on natural science, integrating the functions of a scientific research institute, an academic society and an education organisation.  

     In the afternoon, Mrs Lam and the other officials, accompanied by the Director of the Palace Museum, Dr Shan Jixiang, met the students participating in the Beijing Palace Museum Conservation Internship Programme. She thanked the Palace Museum and related units for continuing to conduct the internship programme and including students from Macao this year. Young people from Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are able to exchange and learn from one another, and deepen the knowledge on the culture and history of the Palace Museum and China, broadening their horizon. Mrs Lam also visited the Palace Museum Furniture Gallery which features priceless furniture collected by the Palace Museum including chairs used by the emperors. The exhibits may be displayed at the Hong Kong Palace Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District in the future.

     At the meeting with the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr Wang Zhigang, that followed, Mrs Lam said she was very pleased to visit the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) again since her last visit in August last year and thanked for the staunch support of MOST for I&T development in Hong Kong. Noting that she is advancing the city's I&T development in accordance with the eight-pronged approach set out in her Policy Address delivered last year and some achievements have been made in various aspects, she said that the new policy instructed personally by the President allowing universities and research institutions in Hong Kong to apply for central fiscal science and technology projects and the use of funding in Hong Kong is most encouraging to the science and technology sector in Hong Kong. She added that the support of the MOST is very important to I&T development in Hong Kong and she welcomed the visit by Mr Wang to Hong Kong any time to discuss further on strengthening of collaboration. 

     Accompanied by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, and Mr Chan, Mrs Lam watched a performance by the Sing Fai Cantonese Opera Promotion Association from Hong Kong in the evening, which is part of a Chinese opera show that brings together different local opera performances from across the nation. After the performance, Mrs Lam, together with the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Luo Shugang, Director of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Zhang Xiaoming and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Wang Zhimin, visited the backstage to meet with the 30 children and teenage performers, two of them performed in front of President Xi in the West Kowloon Cultural District when he paid an inspection visit to Hong Kong last year. Mrs Lam conveyed to them President Xi's warm regards, and congratulated them for their successful performances in Beijing. The Association also presented a souvenir to Mr Luo to express their gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its arrangement which provides the Association with a precious opportunity to perform in Beijing.

     Mrs Lam will depart from Beijing this morning (July 28) and return to Hong Kong in the afternoon.

                          

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (July 27) that Sheung Shui Swimming Pool in North District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of faeces in the pool.

     It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.

     The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.