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RTHK:Video News
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Content provided by RTHK.HK. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by RTHK.HK or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Video news from Hong Kong and around the world.
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205 episodes
Mark all (un)played …
Manage series 1004804
Content provided by RTHK.HK. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by RTHK.HK or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Video news from Hong Kong and around the world.
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205 episodes
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RTHK:Video News
The Hospital Authority (HA) on Friday said it will beef up manpower and bed capacity to guard against a potential surge in patients during the upcoming holiday period. This came as the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reported a mild increase in both Covid and influenza cases, with the numbers expected to rise further in January. The HA said it will activate special measures for peak periods from Saturday, including reducing non-urgent hospital admissions and boosting manpower in public hospitals by 10 to 20 percent. Dr Larry Lee, a chief manager with the authority, told a press conference that he's confident public hospitals have enough capacity to cope with a surge in demand. "The most important bit of it is to increase the bed turnover, including making use of our command centre and the day centre, so that we can aim our patients not lasting too long in our hospitals so that we can cater more emergency admissions," Lee said. "According to experience, our measures have improved and enhanced our capability to cope with the increased demand. So if the situations and the service activity will be similar to last year, I think we can cope with it." Lee said the HA will also relaunch a special refund arrangement at accident and emergency departments to ease the pressure on services. Patients who don't want to wait any longer to be seen can apply for a refund of the HK$180 fee within 24 hours of registration. The CHP, meanwhile, appealed to high-risk individuals to get flu vaccines to protect themselves.…
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Thirty-nine people were arrested this week on suspicion of staging traffic accidents to try to defraud the government out of money granted to injured victims, police said on Friday. The suspects, aged between 19 and 48, are suspected of making false claims worth a total of HK$2 million in relation to 33 allegedly fake accidents. "Earlier this year, an internal audit by the Social Welfare Department found fraudsters using falsified documents to apply for the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme," Senior Inspector Lam Tsz-lim said at a press briefing. "Police investigations found some of these claims were linked to an organisation which orchestrates staged traffic accidents. One such incident involved 13 people." Lam noted that 275 people were arrested last month over suspicious claims under the scheme worth a total of HK$14 million. The police said money was not paid out in relation to most of the suspicious claims connected to the latest arrests. The Social Welfare Department said it verifies every application stringently and is carrying out more random checks on medical certificates submitted by applicants. "If false medical information, fraudulence or other criminal elements are suspected, the SWD will refer the case to the police for investigation and recover the overpaid assistance payments from the relevant applicants," a spokesperson said in a statement. The department also warned that people convicted of providing false information to obtain money from the accident victims scheme risk a jail term of up to 14 years.…
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RTHK:Video News
A spending bill backed by Donald Trump failed in the US House of Representatives on Thursday as dozens of Republicans defied the president-elect, leaving Congress with no clear plan to avert a fast-approaching government shutdown that could disrupt Christmas travel. The vote laid bare fault lines in Trump's Republican Party that could surface again next year when they control the White House and both chambers of Congress. Trump had pressured lawmakers to tie up loose ends before he takes office on January 20, but members of the party's right flank refused to support a package that would increase spending and clear the way for a plan that would add trillions more to the federal government's US$36 trillion in debt. "I am absolutely sickened by a party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility and has the temerity to go to the American people and say you think this is fiscally responsible," said Republican Representative Chip Roy, one of 38 Republicans who voted against the bill. The package failed by a vote of 174-235 just hours after it was hastily assembled by Republican leaders seeking to comply with Trump's demands. A prior bipartisan deal was scuttled after Trump and the world's richest person Elon Musk came out against it on Wednesday. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson provided no details when reporters asked him about next steps after the failed vote. "We will come up with another solution," he said. Government funding is due to expire at midnight on Friday. If lawmakers fail to extend that deadline, the US government will begin a partial shutdown that would interrupt funding for everything from border enforcement to national parks and cut off paychecks for more than two million federal workers. The US Transportation Security Administration warned that travellers during the busy holiday season could face long lines at airports. The bill that failed on Thursday largely resembled the earlier version that Musk and Trump had blasted as a wasteful giveaway to Democrats. It would have extended government funding into March and provided US$100 billion in disaster relief and suspended the debt. Republicans dropped other elements that had been included in the original package, such as a pay raise for lawmakers and new rules for pharmacy benefit managers. At Trump's urging, the new version also would have suspended limits on the national debt for two years -- a move that would make it easier to pass the dramatic tax cuts he has promised. Johnson before the vote told reporters that the package would avoid disruption, tie up loose ends and make it easier for lawmakers to cut spending by hundreds of billions of dollars when Trump takes office next year. "Government is too big, it does too many things, and it does few things well," he said. (Reuters)…
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President Xi Jinping on Friday directed Macau to diversity its economy as one of his four “hopes” for its new administration, after swearing in the SAR’s new Chief Executive, Sam Hou-fai. The president expressed confidence the SAR will open up new horizons for development and keep creating new glories. In a speech marking the 25th anniversary of Macau's return to the motherland, Xi also laid out his expectations for the government to improve governance, build a high-level platform to enhance China’s connections with the international community, and safeguard social harmony and stability. The president urged the gambling hub to cultivate new industries in alignment with China's national development strategies. "At present the overall situation in Macau is stable, but the internal and external environment is undergoing profound changes," Xi said. "Efforts should be made to promote moderate economic diversification... [with a] focus on cultivating new industries with international competitiveness." President Xi also highlighted the importance of Hengqin Island, which was partly leased to Macau to boost its land supply for non-gaming development. "The central government decided to develop Hengqin with the goal of fostering Macau's development of a diversified economy and to facilitate the living and employment of Macau residents," Xi said. "There can be no development of industries and projects that do not align with this positioning." He also highlighted the crucial role that the One Country, Two Systems model has played in ensuring the city’s success in the past 25 years. "Macau's splendid achievements since its return to the motherland is proof to the world that 'One Country, Two Systems' has a clear systemic advantage and strong vitality," Xi said, adding that the framework "must be adhered to over the long term." He added that young people in the city should continue to build on the successes of One Country, Two Systems, and urged authorities to help nurture the next generation. “The SAR government and all sectors in society should care more about them and help them develop, and create a better environment and conditions for them,” Xi said. “I hope all young people will care about Macau and the country, set lofty goals, be pragmatic, and fulfil the role of builders and successors of the cause of One Country Two Systems.” The president said Macau has been shining like a “bright pearl” and that its people have benefitted from its economic and social development over the years. “The sense of gain, happiness and security of Macau residents have strengthened significantly,” Xi said. (Additional reporting by agencies) _____________________________ Last updated: 2024-12-20 HKT 13:20…
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The Transport Department on Friday said it will implement a smart highway system at Ting Kau Bridge by the end of this month. It said the system has the ability to detect traffic accidents, and make appropriate arrangements to ensure a smooth traffic flow. Speaking on an RTHK programme, Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Strategic Studies) Leung Sai-ho said the Automatic Incident Detection System can notify staff at the Tsing Ma Control Area in 10 seconds if it notices any abnormalities. "In cases in which a car suddenly stops moving, or slows down, or drives in the opposite direction, or objects fall on to the road, the system can analyse footage and deduce that a traffic incident has happened and tell our staff to act," he said. "If we do not have such systems, we will have to detect incidents through the human eye, which would take minutes," he added. Leung said on-site staff may open up the hard shoulder of Ting Kau Bridge southbound to ease traffic flow, along with lane control signals and variable message signs to allow vehicles to pass by. He added message boards have already been installed along the road, aiming to provide real-time information to drivers. The system will be in place on December 29 for a one-month trial. The department said a mid-term review would be conducted in around six months if the scheme runs smoothly. Leung said the department would analyse traffic data collected and fine tune its implementation of the system. Wesley Wan, honorary life president of the Hong Kong Automobile Association, told RTHK that the city's drivers are familiar with having variable message boards on highways. "They [drivers] are already used to the notice board and the electronic notice on the highway. But I've noticed many times the government puts on some road safety message instead of the road information on the spot. They should inform motorists of the real-time information on the highway instead of just a road safety message," he said. Wan also said the one-month trial period may be too short for data to be collected. "They [the government] spent a lot of time to install the system for this trial. So my question is, why just a one month trial? If we are lucky that there's no accident happening during this month, then we'll have no data. So I think the trial, with all this preparation work, the trial should be longer," he said.…
Sam Hou-fai was on Friday sworn in as Macau's chief executive in an inauguration ceremony officiated by President Xi Jinping. The new Macau CE's oath was administered by the president. In his inauguration speech, Sam said he “felt honoured of taking the great responsibility” of being the SAR’s leader. He vowed to lead the new administration to unite all sectors of the community, and to fully, faithfully and resolutely implement One Country, Two Systems. Sam stated that he and his governance team would bear President Xi's speech in mind and take on the great responsibility of leading the SAR. “We will make every effort in making Macau as a city with rule of law, vitality, culture and happiness,” Sam said. “With the solid backing of our country, and the united efforts of our citizens, we are confident and capable of making greater achievements [under] One Country, Two Systems. We will make Macau, which is ‘a pearl on the nation's palm', be brighter,” he said. Sam also said in safeguarding the nation's sovereignty and development interests, his administration would continue to strengthen patriotic education. The new CE added he would improve efficiency and governance to provide more convenient services to citizens. Sam said he appreciated the country's support and the efforts of the three former Macau chief executives. _____________________________ Last updated: 2024-12-20 HKT 13:02…
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A flag-raising ceremony was held in Macau on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SAR. The national anthem was played at the ceremony as the national flag and the Macau regional flag were raised. Incoming Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai and director of Beijing's liaison office in Macau Zheng Xincong attended the flag raising, along with the officials of the SAR's next administration. Later in the morning, at 10am, President Xi Jinping will attend Sam's inauguration, and that of other government officials. The president is in Macau for a three-day visit. _____________________________ Last updated: 2024-12-20 HKT 08:30…
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RTHK:Video News
President Xi Jinping has called on Macau to better integrate into the country's strategic development and continue to strive for more, saying the SAR has what it takes to "fly high". Stating his three expectations on Thursday, the president urged the city to align with the motherland's developments; to gather people who safeguard One Country, Two Systems and love Macau; and to undergo reforms and innovate. "[Macau] must keep an eye on the overall strategies of the rejuvenation of the Chinese civilisation and changes in the world," Xi addressed a dinner reception celebrating the 25th anniversary of the SAR's establishment. "It should keep up with the trend of the times, further find its own positioning, plan for the future development of Macau, be more proactive in aligning with national development strategies such as the Greater Bay Area, and make greater achievements on the international stage," he continued. The president praised the outgoing Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng and his administration, saying the past five years had been "extraordinary" in the city's history, navigating constant changes in the world and challenges presented by the Covid pandemic. "With the strong support of the central government and the motherland, Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng and the fifth-term government have united and led all sectors of Macau to overcome difficulties, and to be pragmatic," Xi said. "[They] have promoted the continued improvement of the economy, with various undertakings making comprehensive progress and writing a new chapter in the successful implementation of One Country, Two Systems with Macau characteristics." Ho, for his part, told the crowd that his administration had implemented the principle of "patriots governing Macau", safeguarded national security, promoted moderate economic diversification, improved governance, and better integrated into the nation's development. "The motherland is the strongest backing for Macau's prosperity and stability. The country has always regarded Macau as its 'crown jewel', cared about the well-being of compatriots, continued to introduce a series of policies and measures beneficial to Macau, and constantly provided new opportunities, space and motivation for Macau's development," Ho said. He also thanked Xi and the central government for their trust and support, while giving his backing for his successor Sam Hou-fai in leading the new government and the SAR. The president and the guests were then treated to a gala show featuring musical performances, dances, acrobatics among others. The congregation joined Xi in singing "Ode to the Motherland", wrapping up the hour-long event on a high note.…
MTR passengers will get the chance to travel on panda-themed trains from Thursday, as part of a wider campaign to welcome the city’s four new pandas. The corporation is one of the many businesses joining the “Come and Enjoy a Pandastic Hong Kong” campaign, organised by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Ocean Park. Two trains on the South Island Line and one Airport Express train have been decorated with pandas and will commence service on Thursday evening. “December is the month of the pandas. If we read the news in the last few days we see there’s a lot of new attractions rolled out to celebrate or to share the joy of the pandas with the public,” MTR managing director Jeny Yeung told a media briefing. “So MTR is also launching a series of activities and decorations in our trains so that when our passengers are going to different destinations including when they are visiting the pandas they can have a very joyful experience,” she said People will also be able to see panda decorations at Ocean Park Station and at Admiralty Station, where LED pillars with 3D animations of a giant panda waving its arms will also greet passengers. At Lo Wu Station, Lok Ma Chau Station, West Kowloon Station, as well as stations along the South Island Line and Airport Express, MTR staff will be attaching panda plushies to their uniforms. The campaign will run until mid-February.…
President Xi Jinping visited the Macau University of Science and Technology on Thursday morning on the second day of his trip marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the SAR. Xi’s motorcade arrived at the university before 10am amid tight security. The president toured two state-level laboratories at the university, one in traditional Chinese medicine and the other in lunar and planetary science. He had exchanges with faculty, researchers and students, according to Xinhua News Agency. University president Joseph Lee quoted Xi as saying Macau could work with the mainland in areas such as Chinese medicine. "[Xi] believes the research for Chinese medicine should be combined with the latest biomedicine to lead the world, and that Chinese medicine will take up a very important position in the world," Lee said. He added the president noted the achievements of the Macau Science 1, a low-latitude satellite constellation with high-precision geomagnetic field measurements. Kong Chi-meng, Macau's director of education and youth development, said Xi was satisfied with the development of higher education in the SAR and praised the territory's patriotic education. The president also visited the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in the morning. Xi had warm exchanges with residents living and starting businesses in the cooperation zone, and with people involved in the zone's planning, construction, management and services, according to Xinhua. He is expected to visit other places in Macau this afternoon and attend a gala dinner and a variety show in the evening. Also on Thursday morning, a museum near the Ruínas de São Paulo welcomed First Lady Peng Liyuan. Peng spent around an hour at the museum and met a group of pupils. "[Peng] urged the kids to study history and culture well, so that they could better understand their own place and offer help in the future," said Macau's culture chief Leong Wai-man. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee will lead a delegation to Macau to attend the celebration events today. Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Justice Secretary Paul Lam will be among those joining Lee on the visit. _____________________________ Last updated: 2024-12-19 HKT 16:13…
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The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on Thursday said the local property market showed signs of stabilising with transactions increasing steadily and prices rising marginally after the US Federal Reserve started cutting interest rates in September. With another quarter of a percentage point cut overnight, the Fed has cut interest rates by an accumulative 100 basis points since September. HKMA's chief executive Eddie Yue said a lower borrowing cost environment would be beneficial to the local economy and the real estate market, reducing the loan burden of home buyers. But he stressed there are many other factors affecting the economy and the housing market. He said whether local borrowing costs would drop further following the latest cut by the Fed would depend on local funding supply. "Banks will normally take into account factors like funding supply and demand in the interbank market, the level of interbank rates, and their own funding cost structure to assess the merits and extent of adjustment if there's any," Yue said. He called on borrowers to exercise caution as the future outlook on interest rate cuts remains uncertain. "Interest rates might still remain at a relatively high level for some time and the extent and pace of future interest rate cuts are subject to considerable uncertainty. The public should carefully assess and continue to manage the interest rate risk when making property purchase, mortgage or other borrowing decisions," he added. The HKMA reduced the base rate to 4.75 percent with immediate effect on Thursday according to the established mechanism. HSBC and Bank of China (Hong Kong) announced cuts in their best lending rates in Hong Kong by 12.5 basis points to 5.25 percent. The new lending rates take effect at HSBC on Friday and at Bank of China (Hong Kong) next Monday. The lenders were also trimming their savings rate by the same margin to 0.25 percent per annum on deposits above HK$5,000. _____________________________ Last updated: 2024-12-19 HKT 12:39…
Chief Executive John Lee on Wednesday greeted members of the public as he visited a panda carnival in Tsim Sha Tsui. Lee visited several stalls at the fair, chatted with their operators as well as passers-by, took selfies with them and bought 38 panda dolls. He also went to a bar, had a drink and talked to a customer from Sweden who was in Hong Kong to develop her design business. "We have long stays. We have short stays. That's Hong Kong. In fact, this is the world. Looking around, people are so mobile, so they tend to really float around. It's a global village," Lee told the Swedish visitor. "So I'm very glad to see that you are bringing Swedish culture [to the city]. That is what Hong Kong people love - to try everything. They appreciate the different characteristics of different countries." It was Lee's second district visit in a week.…
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Crowd control and set-up procedures are just a few of the measures that authorities will be taking note of, as Kai Tak Arena prepares for its inaugural concert on Friday. Authorities said around 5,500 ticket holders are expected to attend the Chill Thai Music Festival, featuring local boy band Mirror. Commissioner for Sports George Tsoi said doors will open for concert goers at 4.30pm, with the performance set to start at 6.30pm and wrap up before 10pm. Tsoi said the arrangements for sporting events and concerts differ significantly. "For concert events, it involves more set-ups, the stage arrangement, which we do not have during the sports events. There's also rehearsals that we are going to test for a concert event," he said. "Apart from the above, the spectators' arrival and dispersal patterns of concert events are quite different from typical sports events." Tsoi said concert goers should have already gotten their tickets in advance, adding that there will be no on-site ticket sales. "For the ticketing arrangements for these concerts, they are all distributed through the events organisers, so participants and spectators should have got their tickets by now. They are not required to get their tickets on site," he said. "I think this arrangement would ensure orderly pedestrian flow during the concerts and during the starting time of the concerts." He also reminded attendees that umbrellas, outside food and drink, water bottles, professional photography equipment, and support signs larger than 38cm long, 20cm wide and 30cm high are prohibited. Tsoi added these restrictions align with those at concerts held at AsiaWorld-Expo and the Hong Kong Coliseum. Meanwhile, Kai Tak Mall had its soft opening on Wednesday, featuring a sports recreation facility and around 200 shops with over 80 percent leased. Crystal Wong, head of retail at Kai Tak Sports Park, said the mall would discuss flexible operating hours with merchants during major events and performances, adding the mall can maintain a steady flow of visitors before and after shows and games. "The mall allows customers to come earlier to shop and enjoy meals. They don't have to come last minute just for their event. It's to give people more diverse options and creates a better experience," she said.…
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Sports sector lawmaker Kenneth Fok on Wednesday urged young athletes and their parents to remain vigilant when signing contracts with sports bodies. This came after the family of a young skateboarder successfully terminated a contract with a local association for the sport. It claimed to be able to nominate the athlete to compete in international competitions. "The chairman of the association told me that he had the authorisation to nominate my daughter to participate in the Asian Games and even the Olympic Games. Everything went through a phone call, but this is the main reason why I signed the contract without deep thinking," the athlete's father surnamed Su said. Su signed the five-year contract back in 2021. However, no regular training was provided for his daughter, and he was asked to pay more than HK$100,000 for training and enter competitions that anyone could sign up for themselves. He said he never received any receipts regarding his payments. When Su expressed his wish to terminate the contract this February, the sports body raised harsh conditions on his daughter. "They demanded us to either pay HK$300,000 as a termination fee, or my daughter [would] not [be] involved in any skateboarding activity in a year," he said. A termination agreement was made in July after lawyers got involved in the dispute. Fok said parents can refer to membership information under sports associations to verify the authenticity of various sports bodies. "If in doubt, [parents] can contact SF&OC (Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China) or responsible national sports associations, to inquire more about the association or entity that you are involved with, to make sure that they are promoting the sports in a positive way, and not making any alternative claims that may not meet their expectation," he said. "We welcome different sports entities, stakeholders to contribute to sports in Hong Kong. Everyone has a right to push sports. But if such organisations are making claims, do double check and stay alert," he added.…
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Development Secretary Bernadette Linn on Wednesday shot down a lawmaker's suggestion that people fined for carrying out large-scale unauthorised building works be allowed to keep them if they aren't considered dangerous. The government is hoping lawmakers will agree to amend the Buildings Ordinance. Under its proposal, the maximum fine for unauthorised building projects will go up from HK$400,000 to HK$2 million, alongside the existing risk of a two-year prison term. At a Legco development panel meeting, legislator Wendy Hong asked whether people could be exempt from demolishing or rectifying large-scale illegal structures that do not pose any danger after they pay the fine. Linn said the government does not want to "go down such a route" or mislead future generations into thinking they can "pay to break the law". It is also difficult to guarantee the long-term structural integrity of the works, she added. "A professional may be able to inspect it (unauthorised building works) with the naked eye and say that it is safe, but don't forget that at the time of construction, no building plan was submitted and probably they didn't have any construction records," Linn explained. At the meeting, Linn also reassured owners' corporations that they will not be prosecuted immediately after being served a notice to carry out mandatory building inspection, as long as they begin to take action.…
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