A former foreign domestic helper (FDH) was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to defraud and was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment on November 21 by the Shatin Magistrates' Courts.
 
     The 53-year-old Filipina former FDH was a holder of recognizance form, which prohibits her from taking any employment. During a previous investigation into a case relating to overstaying ex-FDHs taking up unapproved employment in Hong Kong, the Immigration Department (ImmD) discovered that the former FDH acted as a middleman and recruited two Hong Kong residents to be false employers for remuneration. By using false residential and financial proofs, and a false FDH contract, the former FDH conspired with others to defraud the ImmD and arranged for foreign nationals to obtain FDH visas to work in Hong Kong illegally.
 
     The ImmD subsequently mounted operations, during which the former FDH, two false employers and two false FDHs involved were arrested. One of the false FDHs had been convicted earlier for conspiracy to defraud and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment. More suspects could be arrested and charged as the investigation is continuing.
 
     "It is an offence to make a false representation to an immigration officer. Offenders are liable to prosecution and to a maximum fine of $150,000 and imprisonment for 14 years. In addition, anyone who commits the offence of conspiracy to defraud is liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 14 years. Furthermore, it is an offence to make, possess or use false instruments. Upon conviction, offenders are liable to a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment," an ImmD spokesman said.
 
    The spokesman warned, "As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment."

     â€‹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 November 21 to noon today (November 22), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 150 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category. 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 52 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 101 605 samples of food imported from Japan (including 65 246 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 22 714 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will stage the "City Portraits: Hong Kong Film and Literature" exhibition at the Exhibition Hall of the HKFA from November 29, 2024 to May 4, 2025. The exhibition combines film excerpts, oral history segments, photographs and videos on the transformation of written words into moving images in films to explore the interaction between film and literature in Hong Kong from the mid-20th century to the new millennium in a multifaceted manner.
 
     The creation of a film often starts with a script, which is usually inspired by literature. While local directors and screenwriters constantly seek inspiration from novels or stage plays and turn them into touching films full of Hong Kong characteristics, many novelists and playwrights are also active in the film industry, adapting works of themselves or others for the screen or collaborating with directors to write new stories and scripts. This cross-disciplinary collaboration between filmmakers and writers, bringing inspiration to each other through interactions, is a distinctive feature of Hong Kong's film culture.
 
     This exhibition is comprised of four zones, recounting films related to Hong Kong urban literature from the 1930s to the new millennium. It demonstrates the long-lasting and close relationship between Hong Kong's films and literature, as well as the changes in the daily lives of local people over the decades.
 
     The first zone, "Footprints", features photos of early writers and filmmakers, along with relevant film stills through which visitors can learn about the interaction, fusion and mutual inspiration between Hong Kong films and literature.
 
     Two programmes of videos will be shown in the second zone "Screening Room: Time Flows Like a Song". "Programme One: Writers and Movies" showcases excerpts from films of masterpieces from various writers and screenwriters such as "The Rich House" (1942), adapted from Lui Lun's novel "Clara" by himself; and "The Greatest Wedding on Earth" (1962), adapted from Qin Yifu's original work and scripted by Eileen Chang. "Programme Two: Lyricists and Songs" features an array of memorable songs from films to highlight how lyricists put the stories of films into words and add more charm to the film. The songs include "Selling Wonton" from the film "It's Always Spring" (1962) with lyrics by Evan Yang, composed by Yao Min and sung by Li Mei, as well as "The Last Rose" from "Lost Romance" (1986) with lyrics by Cheng Kok-kong, composed by Lam Man-yee and sung by Jenny Tseng.
 
     In the third zone, "From Words to Images", films including "The Seaman and the Dancing Girl" (1961) and "Diary of Monita" (1968) are taken as examples to illustrate how filmmakers extract the essence of literary works, and turn stories into scripts to create unique films with images.
 
     The fourth zone, "Oral History Excerpts: Stories Behind Screenwriters", concludes the entire exhibition with invaluable interview excerpts of screenwriters from different eras including clips from interviews with several legendary figures in the past, such as Chen Dieyi, who was also a lyricist, and wildly talented broadcaster Li Ngaw on their creative insights. There are also more recent interview excerpts, including novelist, lyricist, screenwriter and director Erica Li and Kong Ho-yan, who became a screenwriter after creating an online novel under the pseudonym "Mr. Pizza"; and more.
 
     To tie in with the exhibition, the HKFA will present the screening programme "Dancing Between Words and Images – Hong Kong Film and Literature" from December 1, 2024, to February 23, 2025, screening 17 Hong Kong films adapted from or inspired by literary works at the Cinema of the HKFA to show the intricate ties between film arts and literature.
 
     This exhibition is one of the programmes of the Muse Fest HK 2024. Admission is free. For details of the exhibition, please visit www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/2024/literature-exhibition/pe-event-2024-literature-exhibition.html or call 2739 2139.

            

     Forty-four convictions were recorded in October 2024 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department.
 
     Six of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, 12 were under the Noise Control Ordinance, three were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, three were under the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance, 17 were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance, and three were under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.
 
     A company was fined $15,000, which was the heaviest fine in October, for failing to take measures to control air pollutant emission.

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (November 22) gazetted the 2024 Edition of both the Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency of Building Services Installation (BEC) and the Code of Practice for Building Energy Audit (EAC), pursuant to section 40 of the Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance (BEEO), to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings' services installations and promote decarbonisation of buildings.
      
     Following the enactment of the BEEO in 2012, the BEC and the EAC were promulgated in the same year and are reviewed once every three years. In the course of the review process, the EMSD examines the global development of relevant technology and energy efficiency standards to keep the Codes of Practice abreast of the times.
      
     The new edition of the BEC uplifts the energy efficiency standards with an improvement of more than 20 per cent as compared with the 2015 edition. By 2035, the estimated annual energy saving is expected to be around 5.4 billion kWh from buildings in Hong Kong (compared with 2015), which will help Hong Kong achieve the carbon neutrality target before 2050 as set out in the Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050.
      
     The new editions of the BEC and EAC will take effect on August 23, 2025. For more details about the BEEO and the two Codes of Practice, please visit the EMSD's website (www.emsd.gov.hk/beeo).