Launched in September last year, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department's Interactive Learning Centre features the latest technological advancements such as virtual reality and 3D hologram projections to enable trainees to practise procedures under a safe environment.
      
     News.gov.hk spoke to one of the department's senior engineers and two technician trainees to find out how applying innovation and technology to talent training helps enhance their efficiency.
      
     The story appears on news.gov.hk today (July 28) in text and video format.

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (July 28) will be cancelled.

     Police earlier received applications to conduct public events in various locations in Yuen Long district yesterday afternoon (July 27). Since the activities have high safety risks, Police issued notices of objection against the public events. However, some protestors still gathered in Yuen Long yesterday and committed a series of violent acts, showing disregard for the safety of the residents and other people in the area. Police expressed condemnation against them.

     At around 3pm, some protestors started to block the roads and surround Yuen Long Police Station. At the same time, Police discovered that there were a large number of protestors gathered in Nam Pin Wai, Yuen Long. Some of them used metal poles, self-made shields to attack Police officers and charge police cordon line. They even removed fences from roads to form road blocks. Before 5pm, some people surrounded and vandalised a Police vehicle on Yuen Long On Lok Road, causing danger to the life of the Police officers onboard. The police vehicle later left the scene with the assistance of other police officers during the dispersal operation.

     Before conducting the dispersal operation, Police appeal to members of the public gathering in Yuen Long at scene and through social media and issuing press statements, urging them to leave as soon as possible. After repeated but futile warnings, Police took actions to disperse the protestors at around 5pm. During the dispersal, Police appealed to them to leave via a suggested route. Throughout the whole operation, all members of the public were able to leave via the Yuen Long MTR station.

     During the dispersal, some protestors hurled bricks, threw glass bottles containing suspected corrosive fluid as well as smoke-producing material at police officers and targeted strong laser beam at them. Therefore, Police had to use appropriate force including tear gases, 40mm react round and rubber bullets to stop the violent acts.

     During the operation, Police arrested 11 men, aged between 18 and 68, for offences including unlawful assembly, possession of offensive weapon, assaulting police officer and assault.

     At least four police officers were injured during the operation.

     Police’s provision of emergency service to members of the public has been severely affected. The Report Room service in Yuen Long Police Station has been suspended from around 5.10pm to around 7pm. During the service suspension, there were calls of 999 hotline in Yuen Long district not being able to be handled immediately. Police had to redeploy other resources to follow up.

     Police condemn the deliberate attacks by violent protestors and stress that Police will investigate all illegal and violent acts. Police are capable and determined to maintain law and order in society and do not tolerate any violent acts.

     In response to the public procession and public meeting in Yuen Long yesterday (July 27), a Government spokesman made the following response:

     The Government deeply regretted that some people still took part in the public procession and public meeting in Yuen Long, despite the prohibition and objection by the police. Although these activities were illegal, the Government took all practicable actions, including special traffic arrangements, to ensure public safety.

     After the public procession, some radical protesters violently charged police's cordon lines, vandalised a police vehicle and blocked roads. The Government strongly condemned the protesters for breaching the public peace and breaking the law deliberately. The police will take serious follow up actions with those violent protesters.

     On the advice of the Central People's Government, the National Flag and the HKSAR Regional Flag displayed at the Central Government Offices, Tamar and Government House will be flown at half staff on Monday (July 29) as a token of mourning by the HKSAR Government for the late Mr Li Peng, former Premier of the State Council and former Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.