Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Happy Valley today (January 22). 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 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 to 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.

     The overall Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) caseload in December 2019 showed a drop of 181 cases, representing a decrease of 0.1 per cent compared with that of November, according to the latest CSSA caseload statistics released by the Social Welfare Department today (January 22).

     The total CSSA caseload at the end of December stood at 220 175 (see attached table), with a total of 311 339 recipients.

     Analysed by case nature, low-earnings cases registered a month-to-month decrease of 1.4 per cent to 3 002 cases. Both old age cases and single parent cases fell slightly by 0.3 per cent to 136 050 cases and 23 678 cases respectively.

     Unemployment cases rose by 1.4 per cent to 12 570 cases. Ill-health cases edged up by 0.5 per cent to 23 917 cases while permanent disability cases increased by 0.4 per cent to 16 923 cases.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 is 105.9 (up 0.1 against yesterday's index).

     The Hong Kong Space Museum is staging a new special exhibition "2020 Astronomical Events" from today (January 22) at the foyer to feature six spectacular astronomical events happening this year. The exhibition explains the details and phenomena of the events, while serving as a practical guide to help visitors pick the best dates, times, locations and tools to observe them.
 
     The six events featured in the exhibition include "grouping of the four planets with the moon" in late March, the "serial phenomena of Jupiter's moons" on June 11 to 12, and the "partial solar eclipse" on June 21. Visitors will also be able to gather information on the "Perseid meteor shower" in mid-August, the "Geminid meteor shower" in mid-December and the "Jupiter-Saturn conjunction" on December 21.
 
     Admission to the exhibition is free. It will run until September 21 in two phases; the first three events will be presented during the first phase from January to June, while the remaining three will be introduced in the second phase from June to September.
 
     The exhibition is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and organised by the Hong Kong Space Museum. For details of the exhibition, please visit the website at hk.space.museum or call 2721 0226 for enquiries.
 
     The Hong Kong Space Museum is located at 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

    Hong Kong's annual "Jazz Marathon" will be held on April 25 (Saturday) at the Arena of the Queen Elizabeth Stadium, featuring acclaimed local and international jazz musicians.

     The all-day jazz music event will bring together renowned jazz players of many nationalities to jam and perform various jazz styles. Artists from France, India, Italy, Japan, the Mainland, Russia and the United States will collaborate with local musicians to create a borderless jazz soundscape. The event is presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and details of the concerts are as follows:
 
Day Marathon Concert (2.30pm – 6pm)
Session One
Performers: Atlantis Trio – pianist Roberto Olzer (Italy), sitar player Deobrat Mishra (India) and tabla player Prashant Mishra (India)
Special guest: flute and Chinese flute player Zhang Zhi-yong (Hong Kong)
 
Session Two
Performers: Marc Berthoumieux Band featuring Giovanni Mirabassi – accordion player Marc Berthoumieux (France), pianist Giovanni Mirabassi (Italy), bass guitarist Laurent Vernerey (France) and drummer Stephane Huchard (France)
 
Session Three
Performers: Kazumi Watanabe All-Star Band (Japan) – guitarist Kazumi Watanabe, bass guitarist Tetsuo Sakurai, saxophonist Toshiyuki Honda and percussionist Tomohiro Yahiro
 
Night Marathon Concert (7.15pm – 10.45pm)
Session One
Performers: saxophonist Igor Butman (Russia) and pianist A Bu (Mainland)
Special Guest: bassist Justin Siu (Hong Kong)
 
Session Two
Performers: Grace Kelly Band (United States) – saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly, pianist and keyboardist Devon Yesberger, bass guitarist Julia Adamy and drummer Ross Pederson
Special guest: guitarist Alan Kwan (Hong Kong)
 
Session Three
Performers: Ozmosys (United States) – drummer Omar Hakim, keyboardist Rachel Z, electric bass guitarist Linley Marthe and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel
 
     Tickets are priced at $160, $260, $360 and $480 for the Jazz Marathon Day Concert and $180, $280, $380 and $520 for the Jazz Marathon Night Concert.
 
     Workshops (to be conducted in English) will be held on April 24 (Friday). Tickets are priced at $100 for all four sessions. Details are as follows:
 
Session One (2pm) Committee Room, Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Topic: Rare Instruments in Jazz
Speakers: Deobrat Mishra (sitar), Prashant Mishra (tabla), Marc Berthoumieux (accordion), Zhang Zhi-yong (flute/Chinese flute)
 
Session Two (3.15pm) Committee Room, Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Topic: Saxophone Meeting
Speakers: Igor Butman, Grace Kelly
 
Session Three (4.30pm) Committee Room, Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Topic: Meeting with the Supergroups
Speakers: Kazumi Watanabe All-Star Band, Ozmosys
 
Session Four (6pm) Arena, Queen Elizabeth Stadium
Topic: Piano Meeting
Speakers: Roberto Olzer, Giovanni Mirabassi, A Bu
 
    All tickets are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). An early bird discount of 30 per cent for any standard Marathon Pass is available on tickets purchased no later than March 13 (Friday). For telephone credit card bookings, please call 2111 5999. For programme and workshop enquiries and other concessionary schemes, please call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_944.html.