In connection with a murder and wounding case happened in Yuen Long on January 22, Police further arrested a 20-year-old man and a 42-year-old man for murder and wounding with intent, and a 23-year-old man for assisting offenders in Lantau North yesterday (March 27).

     In the murder and wounding case, a 24-year-old man died and a 28-year-old man was injured.

     The 20-year-old man and the 42-year-old man have been laid holding charges of one count of murder and one count of wounding with intent respectively; while the 23-year-old man has been laid a holding charge of one count of assisting offenders. The case will be mentioned at Tuen Mun Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow morning (March 29).

     Police had arrested another 11 men and two women, aged between 18 and 31, in suspected connection with the case earlier, for offences such as murder, wounding, assisting offenders and trafficking in dangerous drug.

     For the seven men who had been charged earlier, the case was mentioned at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts and Fanling Magistrates’ Courts on January 25 and 27, and February 18 respectively. The other four men and two women were released on bail and are required to report back to Police in late April.

     Active investigation by the Regional Crime Unit of New Territories North is under way. Anyone who witnessed the case or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3356.

     The third Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival (PCF), organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will kick off in April themed "More Than Joy". By exploring the classics of Hong Kong's master comedians and discovering elements of hilarity in music, images and text, audiences can appreciate how pop culture can be transmitted and transformed, and how integration and breakthroughs are possible in addition to joy and laughter. Opening week programmes will feature "Silhouette Resonance x The Banquet (1991)" and music carnival "ImagineLand 2025", inviting the public to immerse themselves in the charm of pop culture.
 
Opening Week Programmes
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Silhouette Resonance x The Banquet (1991)
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     Kicking off the festival is the opening programme "Silhouette Resonance x The Banquet (1991)" to be staged on April 4 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre. Renowned musician Ng Cheuk-yin will reimagine beloved songs from classic comedy films with fresh arrangements, while pop singer Alfred Hui, the a cappella choral theatre company Yat Po Singers, and beatboxer Heartgrey (Eric So) will perform together with a live band. Following the performance, there will be a screening of "The Banquet" (1991) (4K digitally restored version), a comedy produced to raise disaster relief funds for flood relief, directed by Tsui Hark, Clifton Ko, Cheung Tung Joe and Alfred Cheung, featuring a cast of legendary stars. The opening programme, blending entertainment with cultural artistry, offers audiences a fresh and inspiring perspective on the vibrancy of Hong Kong's pop culture.
 
ImagineLand 2025
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     Another highlight of the PCF is an outdoor music carnival "ImagineLand 2025" to be held on April 5 and 6 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, the Central Lawn & Event Trellis of Salisbury Garden, the Avenue of Stars free of charge. Supported and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the two-day carnival features both daytime and evening programmes. "Go Beyond Concert", "Comics Fun Experience Gallery" and "Funarts Corner" will be available during the day, whereas film programme "Movie Under the Stars" will be held at night. "Go Beyond Concert" will showcase three stages featuring over 35 musicians and artists from Hong Kong and eight countries and regions including Mainland China, Japan, Korea, the United States, Australia, France, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. The event showcases boundless possibilities of music across the performances. Major line-ups of local artists include Ivana Wong, Joey Tang, Yatfung, Cloud, Ashley Lin, Pandora, Chu Wan-pin and more, performing mesmerising popular songs and original works.
 
     In addition to the music concert, "Comics Fun Experience Gallery" will display Hong Kong comics and animation from different eras to highlight the creativity of local artists. Visitors can learn about the history of Hong Kong's comics and animation while taking photos with comic characters. In addition, "Funarts Corner" will offer workshops on art, music, and crafts for public participation. In the evenings, "Movie Under the Stars" will screen local comedies: "Table For Six" (2022) and "Forbidden City Cop" (1996) on April 5 and 6 respectively, allowing audiences to enjoy outdoor films while relaxing on the lawn.
 
     Other festival highlights include:
 
Film Screening
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     Apart from "The Banquet" (1991), the Hong Kong Film Archive will hold a "Laughter Double Bill: Hong Kong Comedy Film Spectacular" film screening, showcasing eight pairs of thematically related classic films from the 1940s to the 2000s, including "Black Rose" (1965) (2K Digital Version) and "92 The Legendary la Rose Noire" (1992), "The Judge Goes to Pieces" (1948), and "Justice, My Foot!"(1992), showcasing the comedic sparks of master comedians from different eras while illustrating the evolution of Hong Kong comedy films.
 
Exhibitions
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     "Comic Fun for All: The Magic of Hong Kong Comedy Comics", running from May this year to March 2026 at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, will showcase exhibits related to Hong Kong comedy comics from different periods. The exhibition will also feature the creative concepts and artistic features behind them, showing the unique charm of Hong Kong comedy comics.
 
     Another exhibition, "Legends of HK Film Comedies, 1980s and 1990s", to be held from May to October at the Hong Kong Film Archive, will feature a wide selection of highlights from different films, offering an amusing window into the past. In-depth analysis of the films by renowned actors and behind-the-scenes filmmakers will also be offered to reveal the essence of Hong Kong humour.
 
Library Activities
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     To support the PCF's theme of "More Than Joy", the Hong Kong Public Libraries will organise a series of activities under the theme of "Happy Reading" from April to August. This will feature book displays with themes "Delightful Comics", "Into the World of Movies" and "Music Delights: from Classical Music to Popular Songs". It will also include subject talks on "Hong Kong Comics" and "Hong Kong Style Humor Films", as well as workshops on "Digital Art – Creative Comic Drawing" and "National Games Comics Path", all aimed at sharing fun and happiness through comics, music and films. The "Meet-the-Authors 2025" will focus on "Joyful Writing" to explore writing and positivity. In April, Dr Chan Kai-tai, a psychiatrist and lyricist, will speak on "When Words meet Music and Mind: Cantopop and Well-being" to explore how the lyrics of Cantopop promote our mental well-being.
 
Performing Arts
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     The 2025 Fiesta of Music Office Bands, Choirs and Orchestras-Bands "The Animated Melodies – Our Nostalgic Memories" will be held at Yuen Long Theatre in April, showcasing all-time favourite theme songs from animations such as "Nintama RantarÅ�" and "The Lion King", and a medley of works by Akira Toriyama to transport audiences back to nostalgic moments. Another two "Let's Have Fun with Music" concerts by Pan Asia Symphony Orchestra in May will blend the best of classical and pop music. To heighten the excitement, original animations crafted by local talents will be woven into the concert, making it a truly engaging and enjoyable concert.  Meanwhile, "Vivek Mahbubani Stand-up Comedy – Funny made in Hong Kong" by Hong Kong born stand-up comedian Vivek Mahbubani will feature jokes about the funny things of Hong Kong's golden standard of "fast, beautiful and awesome" in June. 

     In pop music, "Ko Shan Fest" will be staged at Ko Shan Theatre in June, featuring two concerts curated by renowned producer and music director Carl Wong. Wong will collaborate with bands with diverse backgrounds and styles to reintroduce audiences to the history and culture of Hong Kong band music. Another two "Music & Laughs" concerts will be held in July at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Curated by veteran producer Edward Chan in collaboration with pop music artists and the Symphonic Pops Orchestra and band, the performance invites the audience to explore together: What is comedy? Several popular artists will join this feast and details will be announced later.
 
     Alongside the above programmes, several industry partners will be offering a range of events as part of the festival, which are not to be missed. These include "My Stage@HKCC 2025/26 – Saturday Music Live" by Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups; "2025 Hong Kong Reading +" by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation; "JITN – SHAG" by the Jazz World (Hong Kong) Ltd & Count-in Music Ltd; "Cinema Day 2025" by Hong Kong Theatres Association Ltd; "Cherish Tonight" concerts by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra; and the "4th HK Comics Support Programme" by the Hong Kong Comics & Animation Federation.
 
     Hong Kong's pop culture has drawn inspiration particularly from humour, a constant trendsetter that has left a deep footprint on many aspects of the city's rich and colourful pop cultural landscape. The PCF 2025, with more than 20 programmes, will not only delight audiences with exciting performances and works but will also offer an insight into the development paths of Hong Kong's pop culture along the line of "happiness". By participating in these activities, audiences will be able to discover their own happiness.
 
     For more details, please visit the website: www.pcf.gov.hk, or call 2601 8703 for enquiries.

              

     Police today (March 28) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Kwun Tong.

     Li Chung, aged 54, went missing after she left her residence on Wan Hon Street in the afternoon on March 26. Her family made a report to Police on the next day (March 27).
  
     She is about 1.63 metres tall, 55 kilograms in weight and of thin build. She has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. She was last seen wearing a white long-sleeved shirt, black trousers, black sneakers and carrying a white recycle bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0335 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station

  

     The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, continued his visit to Beijing. He visited the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) today (March 28) and the Supreme People's Court (SPC) yesterday (March 27), and met with the Prosecutor-General of the SPP, Mr Ying Yong, and Vice-president of the SPC Mr Mao Zhonghua respectively.
 
     Mr Lam attended the seminar of the National Prosecutors College under the SPP this morning and shared with over 1 000 participants on-site and online the work of the Department of Justice in prosecution and safeguarding public interests under the principle of "one country, two systems". Mr Lam then had a working lunch with the First Deputy Prosecutor General of the SPP, Mr Tong Jianming, to learn more about the college's initiatives in nurturing high-level and high-quality prosecutorial talent in the country.

     In the afternoon, Mr Lam met with Mr Ying and discussed over dinner the strengthening of legal exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland. They also exchanged views on issues of mutual concern.

     Mr Lam attended the first session of a thematic seminar on foreign, Hong Kong and Macao-related series organised by the SPC yesterday. With over 100 Mainland judges from the SPC, circuit courts and National Judges College attending the seminar held in a hybrid format, Mr Lam shared with them the characteristics of Hong Kong's common law system under the principle of "one country, two systems" and ways to leverage the advantages of Hong Kong's common law system in contributing to the country's high-quality development. In the evening, Mr Lam met with Mr Mao, and exchanged views on issues including promoting the nurturing of the country's foreign-related legal talent.

     Mr Lam will conclude his visit and return to Hong Kong after a meeting with the President of the SPC, Mr Zhang Jun, tomorrow (March 29).

          

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is committed to safeguarding the environment, with tackling air pollution to protect public health being one of its core priorities. In addition to stringent enforcement, the Government also continually reviews and refines relevant legislation while promoting public education to foster a healthy and pleasant living environment for all. The recent amendment to the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO) is one such significant initiative.
 
     To more effectively combat unlicensed specified process (SP) operations, the Government has amended the APCO by introducing a statutory closure notice mechanism and refining the scope of "cement works" and the definition of "premises" under specified processes. This aims to prevent misinterpretation or circumvention of regulations. The Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Bill 2024 (Amendment Bill) was passed at its third reading during the Legislative Council meeting on March 19, 2025. The legislation has been gazetted today (March 28) and will come into effect on April 11.
 
     An EPD spokesperson stated that the Amendment Bill empowers the Director of Environmental Protection to issue a closure notice to premises if he or she has reasonable cause to believe that unlicensed SP operations are taking place. This has proven decisive in addressing illegal operations by two concrete batching plants (CBPs) located at 20 and 22 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong. Following the passage of the Amendment Bill, the department has already received notification from the owner of the CBPs, indicating that, except for the works relating to the demolition of the concerned plants, they will cease all operations of concrete batching process and related operations by early April.
 
     Under the APCO, SPs (including cement works) are identified as major sources of significant air pollution and must obtain a valid SP license under the APCO to operate. Due to the failure to meet the relevant requirements of the APCO, the renewal of SP licenses for the two CBPs  at 22 and 20 Tung Yuen Street in Yau Tong were refused by the EPD in April 2021 and April 2022, respectively. The operator subsequently lodged appeals to the Air Pollution Control Appeal Board, and after the appeals were dismissed, they continued to operate without valid SP licenses by resorting to judicial reviews and various legal proceedings. This has resulted in a persistent air pollution and environmental nuisance, affecting the lives and health of nearby residents and causing significant distress.
 
     The EPD has been making unremitting efforts to follow up the operation of these two CBPs, and has been employing a two-pronged strategy of continuous enforcement actions and legislative amendments to tackle these illegal operations that would harm the environment and public health. To date, there have been a total of 39 summonses for criminal prosecution against the operator. On October 4, 2024, the operator was convicted of two offences at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Court for failing to comply with the requirements of the air pollution abatement notice. Another 28 summonses are scheduled for hearing on April 7, 2025, while the remaining nine summonses of non-compliance are still in process.
 
     The spokesperson said the EPD will continue to closely monitor the situation. If the two concerned CBPs are found to persist in operating without SP licenses in defiance of licensing requirements after the Amendment Bill takes effect, the EPD will take stringent actions under the newly amended Ordinance to halt such unlicensed SP operations and protect the health of Yau Tong residents.
 
     "To meet industry needs and market developments, the EPD introduced a series of measures in mid-November last year to streamline the application and processing procedures for specified process licenses for cement works. These include simplifying application forms and required documents, as well as enabling applicants to conduct simple air quality assessments through an online platform. The industry has generally responded positively to these changes. These measures have proven effective, significantly reducing the time required for processing license applications related to cement works," the spokesperson added.