The "Anti-drug Info Zone: Stride Ahead Into A Drug-free Future" Roving Exhibition (Anti-drug Roving Exhibition) will be held at Citywalk 2 in Tsuen Wan tomorrow (October 19) and October 20. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition at the event hall on the UG/F of Citywalk 2 from 10am to 9pm.
           
     The Anti-drug Roving Exhibition is co-organised by the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau and the Action Committee Against Narcotics, and is designed with the theme of interstellar space. Drugs are portrayed in the exhibition as aliens that should be defeated. This visual representation helps present the adverse effects caused by drugs on one's mind and body in a vivid manner. By seeing the aliens, everyone will be strongly reminded again to stay away from drugs at all times, and be aware of the dire consequences of committing drug crimes.
           
     Including elements of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and multimedia, the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition is divided into different theme zones with games, digital exhibition panels and a photo booth to spread anti-drug knowledge to visitors and provide them with information about criminal liability for drug offences, as well as how to seek help and so on. Anti-drug videos, animations and leaflets will also be available at the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition to provide visitors with precise anti-drug information. After this seventh stop, the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition will be held at different places including tertiary institutes until the end of March next year.

     Furthermore, the ND has been closely monitoring drug trends in and outside Hong Kong and is carrying out preventive education and publicity in a timely manner to deepen the public's understanding of the harmful effects caused by drug abuse. The ND has produced an animated video about the harmful effects of abusing "space oil", which depicts a youngster falling into a drug abyss after inhaling "space oil" through vaping. "Space oil" is a kind of liquid that has harmful substances illegally added to it. Usually, its main ingredient is etomidate, an anaesthetic that can only be prescribed by a doctor according to the law. Anyone who illegally possesses and uses this substance commits an offence. "Space oil" may also be mixed with other drugs, including cannabis and ketamine (commonly known as "K"), etc. "Space oil" can cause addiction as well as serious physical and mental harm, and even death. Therefore, vaping "space oil" is the same as taking drugs. The animated video will be shown at the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition. Members of the public are also encouraged to watch the animated video on the relevant ND's webpage (www.nd.gov.hk/en/space_oil.html) and official accounts ("narcotics.divisionhk") on Facebook and Instagram.
 
     Apart from the animated video on "space oil", the ND's official accounts ("narcotics.divisionhk") on Facebook and Instagram also provide the latest anti-drug information. The public are welcome to follow the accounts. The website (www.nd.gov.hk) of the ND also contains detailed information about dangerous drugs, including frequently asked questions about cocaine, cannabis and methamphetamine (commonly known as "Ice"), as well as updates on the Anti-drug Roving Exhibition (www.nd.gov.hk/en/rovingexhibition.html). If members of the public encounter any drug problems, they can message 98 186 186 on instant messaging applications WhatsApp and WeChat, or call the 24-hour hotline 186 186 to seek information or assistance from professional social workers.

     Starting from November 1, the Government will temporarily exempt full-time non-local undergraduate students from the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs with a view to enhancing their personal exposure and knowledge for working in Hong Kong to incentivise them to stay in Hong Kong for development after graduation. 

     Since last November, the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs for full-time non-local postgraduate students of locally accredited local programmes have been temporarily exempted. With a "No Objection Letter" (NOL) issued by the Immigration Department (ImmD), full-time non-local postgraduate students are allowed to take up part-time employment. No restrictions are imposed on the number of hours or the location of the part-time work. The arrangement has received positive feedback since its launch. "The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address" announced the temporary exemption of the restrictions on taking up part-time jobs will be extended to full-time non-local undergraduate students.

     A Government spokesman said today (October 18), "The arrangement for extending the exemption measures to around 20 000 full-time non-local undergraduate students aims at easing local manpower shortages by making better use of the potential talent residing in Hong Kong. Allowing full-time non-local undergraduate and postgraduate students to engage in part-time work will help attract more foreign students to pursue studies in Hong Kong and prepare them for long-term development in Hong Kong after graduation, thereby expanding the local potential talent pool. The Government will review the whole exemption arrangement next year."

     The ImmD will issue NOLs setting out the suspension arrangement to all eligible students through their institutions. They are not required to submit applications separately. Students approved for visas/entry permits on or after November 1 will also be issued with the NOLs.  

     Enquiries on the suspension arrangement can be made to the ImmD through hotline (2824 6111), by fax (2877 7711) or by email (enquiry@immd.gov.hk).

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, will depart for Beijing tomorrow (October 19) to attend the Annual Conference of the Financial Street Forum 2024.
 
     This year's annual conference, themed "Trust and Confidence – Work Together to Promote Financial Openness, Cooperate for Shared Economic Stability and Growth", will be held in Beijing from October 18 to 20. More than 500 guests from over 30 countries and regions worldwide will attend the annual conference to exchange views on current economic and financial hot topics.

     Mr Hui will deliver a keynote speech at the main forum tomorrow on empowering industries through financial support to drive high-quality development.

     The Financial Street Forum was founded in 2012. The Annual Conference of the Financial Street Forum has been enhanced as a national, global and professional forum since 2020. This year's annual conference is jointly hosted by the Beijing Municipal People's Government, the People's Bank of China, the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Xinhua News Agency and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.
 
      Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong on October 20. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, will act as the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

     Organised by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) along with media partner South China Morning Post, the InnoTech Forum 2024 took place today (October 18) at the Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel and was attended by over 200 guests. Through keynote addresses, in-depth panel discussions and presentations, the full-day forum provided audience members with an engaging discussion on the development of Hong Kong's innovation ecosystem, long-term strategic plans and the practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and new energy technologies in reshaping the city and the economy. 

     During his keynote address at the forum, the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, "AI remains a key driver of I&T and business development. The Government has invested billions of dollars in cultivating an all-round AI ecosystem here in Hong Kong. Cyberport will soon put into operation its AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC) to support the strong computing demand from universities, research institutes and the industry. To support the commissioning of the AISC, the Government has allocated $3 billion to launch a three-year AI Subsidy Scheme. The Policy Address announced that the Government will pilot the use of a generative AI document processing copilot application, developed on the basis of a locally trained large language model, within the Government. In fact, a number of the hundred digital government and smart city initiatives that the Government presses ahead for rollout this year and next will make use of AI technology. Hong Kong stands on the cusp of making ground-breaking strides by capitalising on the vast potential of AI and other cutting-edge technologies. We are partners in this journey to seize the opportunities that lie ahead."

     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, "In pursuit of carbon neutrality, green transformation is becoming a global trend and this will continue in the coming decades, triggering tremendous demands for green energy and various low-carbon technologies. Hydrogen is a secondary carrier of energy and is highly energy-efficient with less polluting potential. The Government published the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong in June this year. The Strategy puts forward four major strategies, namely improving legislations, establishing standards, aligning with the market, and advancing with prudence, with a view to getting the laws, standards and the basic infrastructure ready so as to create an environment conducive to the development of hydrogen energy in a prudent and orderly manner. By leveraging our advantage as an international hub, backed by our motherland and with innovation and devotion of the city, we can position Hong Kong as a key driver of hydrogen economy, towards carbon neutrality as well as a sustainable and prosperous future."

     The discussion at the forum explored the importance of AI and new energy in integrating sustainability and resilience into modern cities, with panel discussions on the following topics:
 

• developing the AI ecosystem for long-term success with a focus on recent advancements in Hong Kong, including the development of cutting-edge infrastructure, talent cultivation, commercialisation of research, and financial incentives, and how a robust and sustainable AI ecosystem can benefit Hong Kong;
• real-life applications of AI in Hong Kong and beyond highlighting the latest trends and developments of AI innovations and how the city's connected innovation system supports their growth on a global scale;
• How hydrogen is emerging as a core new energy priority, in line with the Hong Kong Government's recently published hydrogen development strategy; and
• imagining Hong Kong's future with innovative energy projects and how the city will evolve as these technologies mature and scale.

     The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, said, "This Forum has fostered meaningful dialogue, inspired new ideas and catalysed further collaboration between the Government, industry, academia and relevant stakeholders. As indicated in “The Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address” a couple of days ago, the Government has always spearheaded and enhanced the development of Hong Kong's I&T industries and will continue to do so. Working together, we believe Hong Kong can remain at the forefront of innovation, harnessing the power of both AI and energy technologies to build a prosperous and sustainable future."

     The Head of Innovation and Technology at InvestHK, Mr Andy Wong, said, "AI is one of the strategic pillars in our Government's agenda to drive digital economy. To accelerate its development, the Government is establishing the AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC) and has set aside $3 billion to support the use of AISC financially. On the hydrogen front, legislation and standards shall be optimised to align with technology and market development, as well as enabling the trial of different hydrogen-related projects. All these will further propel Hong Kong to be a top-notch international innovation and technology hub, as well as a 'living lab' for technology to be adopted in other markets."

    

     Police today (October 18) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Mong Kok.

     Yeung Kam-fai, aged 59, went missing after he was last seen in a shopping mall on Hoi Wang Road yesterday (October 17) afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.  
     
     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 60 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a brown striped shirt, dark green trousers, black sneakers, brownish-black plastic glasses and a blue mask.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.