Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-raising ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 8am today (August 21) will be cancelled.

     If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-raising ceremony may be resumed without further notice.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (August 21). They are, on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong Christian Mutual Improvement Society; in Kowloon, Hong Kong Rehabilitation Power; and in the New Territories, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
      
     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people to distinguish among the three flag-selling activities.
      
     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on August 21 is as follows:
 

 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities, including any updated information, covered by the issued Public Subscription Permits have been published on the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing information on contact methods of the flag-selling organisations and the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/ngo/controlofc/flagdays) for reference. For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678.
      
     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (August 20) opposed Bloomberg's biased report on the submissions made by some organisations on the proposed legislative framework to enhance protection of computer systems of critical infrastructures, taking the views of the submissions out of context.

     In the one-month consultation of the legislative framework ended on August 1, the HKSAR Government received 53 submissions, in which 52 submissions supported the legislation and made constructive suggestions, including those from the Asia Internet Coalition, the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

     The proposed legislative framework only concerns protecting the Critical Computer Systems (CCSs) of the Critical Infrastructure Operators (CIOs), which in no way involves the personal data and business information. Relevant legislation already exists in other jurisdictions, such as the Mainland, Macau SAR, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, the European Union and Singapore.

     "Information Technology" (IT) is one of the sectors to be regulated under the proposed framework. IT or IT related sectors are also regarded as critical infrastructures in the relevant legislation in other jurisdictions (such as the United States, Australia and Singapore). Only individual organisations, instead of the entire IT sector, having regard to the following factors, will be designated as CIOs to be regulated under the new regime, i.e.

(a) implications on essential services and important societal and economic activities in Hong Kong if there was damage, loss of functionality, or data leakage;
(b) level of dependence on information technology;
(c) importance of the data controlled; and
(d) degree of control on the critical infrastructure.

     The proposed legislation does not have extraterritorial effect. The Commissioner's Office will only request information accessible to CIOs and will allow reasonable time for preparation.

     CIOs have the responsibility of properly responding to cyberattacks. Only when a CIO is unwilling or unable to respond to an incident on its own would the Commissioner's Office consider applying to a Magistrate for a warrant to connect to the CCSs or install programmes in the CCSs in view of necessity, appropriateness, proportionality and public interest. Relevant regulators in other jurisdictions (such as Australia and Singapore) also have similar powers.

     The HKSAR Government has been engaging and will continue to engage all industry stakeholders in formulating the legislative regime and the related Codes of Practice.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Tin Shui Wai Hospital made the following statement today (August 20) regarding an incident of a physiotherapist suspected to have been indecently assaulted:

     A physiotherapist was suspected to have been indecently assaulted while performing suctioning procedure for a 68-year-old male patient in a ward on August 16. The therapist reported the incident to her supervisor immediately and decided to report to the Police yesterday (August 19). A man was subsequently arrested by the Police in the ward.

     The hospital is highly concerned about the incident and expressed sympathy to the therapist concerned. The hospital has provided support to her. The hospital resolutely adopts a zero-tolerance attitude to this incident, strongly condemns indecent acts, and will follow up seriously and fully co-operate with the Police investigation.

     The hospital has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.

      Presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the second edition of the Asia+ Festival will be held from September to November, highlighting the arts and culture of nearly 30 countries from Asia, the Middle East and Belt and Road regions.
 
      The Asia+ Festival 2024 programme parade was held today (August 20) at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Addressing the event, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that the inaugural Asia+ Festival last year was a tremendous success with an attendance of over 62 000. The festival is an initiative to tie in with the National 14th Five-Year Plan, under which Hong Kong is actively developing into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, giving full play to its unique strengths as a city where different cultures converge. At the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation hosted by President Xi Jinping last year, the festival was recognised as an item on the list of "People's Livelihood and People-to-people Connectivity Projects".
 
      Mr Yeung also added that the second edition of Asia+ Festival is even larger in scale, with the number of performances and activities increasing from 29 last year to over 100, thanks to the unfailing support of various Consuls-General and overseas cultural organisations in Hong Kong. The "Middle Eastern Series" is a new addition this year that showcases programmes blending the styles of the Middle East and the West. The festival will further engage with local communities by exploring new venues and organising more outreach activities, in an attempt to bring citizens closer together and offer visitors a taste of the multicultural vibrancy and vitality of Hong Kong.
 
      Some of the festival programmes are introduced below:
 
Dance × Technology
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Opening Programme: "The Accountants"
Chinese and Indian dancers transform into accountants in a friendly battle centred on data and cultural stereotypes. Cross-disciplinary artist and Head of Culture of 2012 London Olympic Games, Keith Khan; choreographer Xie Xin, often referred to as the "Epitome of Chinese Modern Dance"; and sought-after Indian choreographers Terence Lewis and Mahrukh Dumasia come together for this uplifting and high-tech visual spectacle.
 
"+1+1+1+"
Japanese media arts pioneer Daito Manabe, choreographer MIKIKO and her dance company ELEVENPLAY have worked closely together for years. Among their collaborations is the world-famous "Tokyo Presentation" at the 2016 Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony. This time, their arts tech showpiece creates a hyperreal digital odyssey using holographic projection.
 
Music Masters
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Piano Recital by Krystian Zimerman
Widely regarded as one of the world's greatest pianists, Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman limits the number of concerts he gives each year. His return after a 12-year hiatus will feature two recitals with partly different programmes, including his highly acclaimed interpretations of works by Chopin and Szymanowski, and possibly Debussy.
 
Elīna Garan�a Gala Concert
The internationally acclaimed Latvian mezzo-soprano breaks the rule that sopranos always draw the most attention among divas. Garan�a's Hong Kong debut will cover a fine selection of opera excerpts and songs, including the arias by the title role in "Carmen", which won her worldwide fame. Under the baton of Karel Mark Chichon, the Macao Orchestra will perform in the concert.
 
Middle East Colours
________________
 
"The Woven Sounds"
Persian carpet-making is a world-famous craft in which the weaver sings about the intricate patterns while working. Iranian ethnomusicologist and musician Mehdi Aminian will lead his ensemble in a performance that revives this fading tradition.
 
Concert by Kinan Azmeh
Syrian-born award-winning clarinettist Kinan Azmeh is a core member of the Silk Road Ensemble founded by Yo-Yo Ma. His distinctive voice blends Arabic and Western influences, and was hailed by "The New York Times" as "intensely soulful… virtuoso". In his Hong Kong debut, Azmeh will be joined by percussionist John Hadfield and five emerging local musicians.
 
Beyond the Usual
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"After the Rain"
Toolbox Percussion, media arts collective Dimension Plus and Singaporean composer Lee Jiayi transform the Western Salt Water Service Reservoirs into a striking chamber for a site-specific multimedia music journey. Audiences will travel through a hillside cavern with a specially designed rainstick to explore the intricate relationship between humanity, technology and climate change.
 
"Post Capitalistic Auction"
In this alternative yet authentic auction co-created by Mainland Chinese artist Jingyi Wang and local curator Kyle Chung, audiences will have the opportunity to bid on their favourite artworks in tangible or intangible ways they can think of, before taking the pieces home. The auction comes with a showcase and fringe activities, offering multiple perspectives to contemplate the value of art.
 
"Atonement"
This suspenseful production by Malaysian theatre group MUKA Space is adapted from "Den Skyldige", the Best Film at the Robert Awards, Denmark's equivalent of the Oscars. It also won five awards at the prestigious ADA Drama Awards in its home country.
 
Together as One
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"Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances 2024" Outdoor Carnival and "Sartorial Splendour – National Costume Exhibition"
Under the theme of "Celebration in Splendour", the carnival will feature ethnic music and dance portraying the culture landscape of more than 20 Asian countries, along with booths and workshops displaying handicrafts, ethnic costumes and snacks. The exhibition, themed around wedding and festive costumes, shows the charm of different peoples on celebratory occasions.
 
      The second Asia+ Festival will also feature musical "Finding Mr. Destiny", the K-Pop Community Festival, folk music and dance show "Borderless Stage: HARMONY", exhibitions "We Weave Our World" and "I Love Sushi", as well as film screenings from the "Coming of Age Fest". There will also be workshops, talks and masterclass for individual programmes. Tickets will be available from tomorrow (August 21) at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk)*, with Asia+ Festival Stage Programmes booking discount schemes, early bird discount and other discount schemes. Telephone booking hotline number is 3166 1288; audiences may also use the mobile ticketing application URBTIX. For programme enquiries, please call 2370 1044 or visit www.asiaplus.gov.hk/2024/en/.
 
*Except for the musical "Finding Mr. Destiny"