Tag Archives: China

     The Asia+ Festival, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will present participatory music programme “After the Rain” at the Western Salt Water Service Reservoirs, which is opening for public performances for the first time. Local music group Toolbox Percussion, media arts collective Dimension Plus and Singaporean composer Lee Jiayi will attempt to broaden public imagination and experience with a bespoke multimedia music journey that unveils the mystery of the hillside cavern.
 
     Built in rock caverns, the Western Salt Water Service Reservoirs has occasionally been used as a filming location. It will be open for the first time for public performances. In their quest to explore the intricate relationship between humanity, technology and climate change, the artists seamlessly meld live music and interactive multimedia design with the environment. Louis Siu, executive artistic director of Toolbox Percussion, hopes that audiences of “After the Rain” will realise that water resources are indeed hard to come by.
 
     During the programme, attendees will each be given a specially designed rainstick and walk through a tunnel about 100 metres long to interact with percussionists. Ink projections on the walls will fuse with people’s silhouettes, together shaping a unique sonic and visual landscape.
 
     Both Louis Siu and Lee Jiayi had played in an orchestra before, but they were not entirely satisfied with performing a pre-existing repertoire. Over the years, they have been working with people from diverse backgrounds, such as photographers, choreographers, designers and visual artists, in their challenge to the usual definition of music. Their creative partner Keith Lam from Dimension Plus is also a boundary-pusher who is keen on offering new sonic experiences by, for instance, transforming a theatrical space into a cave-like structure using AI-generated imagery.
 
     Multimedia music programme “After the Rain”, in 28 performances altogether, will be held at the Western Salt Water Service Reservoirs with details as follows:
 
October 30, November 1, 6 and 8 (Wednesdays and Fridays): 7pm and 8pm
November 2, 3, 9 and 10 (Saturdays and Sundays): 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 7pm and 8pm
 
     Tickets priced at $360 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app “URBTIX”.
 
     The programme contains strobe lighting effects. Attendees are required to walk in the reservoir area and should assess whether their physical condition allows them to participate and whether they need to be accompanied by a carer. Attendees are advised to arrive at the venue early for admission. There will also be a fee-charging activity titled “Immersive Cavern Walk”, where the reservoir decorated with interactive multimedia design is open for public tours during specific non-performance hours. For access information of the reservoir and other programme details, please refer to asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/aftertherain.
 
     The second Asia+ Festival is running from September to November, highlighting the arts and culture of nearly 30 countries from Asia and the Belt and Road regions. Apart from stage programmes, there are also thematic exhibitions, an outdoor carnival, film screenings, outreach activities and more, numbering over 100 in total. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/.

          

     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 October 9 to noon today (October 10), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 137 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 50 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 91 240 samples of food imported from Japan (including 58 166 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 20 556 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for North Lantau Hospital (NLTH) gave the following update today (October 10): &nbsp… read more

     Hong Kong Customs, on September 25, detected a smuggling case of suspected scheduled agarwood at the Tuen Mun River Trade Terminal and seized about 1 tonne of suspected scheduled agarwood with an estimated market value of about $18 million.

     Through risk assessment, Customs on that day selected for inspection a 20-foot container arriving in Hong Kong from Nansha, Guangdong. Upon examination, Customs officers found the batch of suspected scheduled agarwood therein.

     In the operation, Customs arrested a 35-year-old woman suspected to be connected with the case.
      
     Hong Kong Customs will continue to closely co-operate with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to combat cross-boundary smuggling of endangered species.
      
     Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing an endangered species without a licence is liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

  

     Hongkong Post announced today (October 10) that, as advised by the postal administration of New Caledonia, mail delivery services to New Caledonia previously impacted by protests have returned to normal. read more