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RTHK：Video News
Hosted by RTHK.HK · EN
Video news from Hong Kong and around the world.
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Crowds fired up for PLA charm offensive
Oct 1Tap to summarizeHong Kong residents turned up in droves on Wednesday for a close look at two People’s Liberation Army naval vessels docked in the city as part of National Day celebrations, with many saying the ships showed China’s growing strength and military power. The vessels – training ship Qi Jiguang and dock landing ship Yimengshan – arrived on Tuesday for a port call and are berthed at the Ngong Shuen Chau Naval Base on Stonecutters Island. They are open to the public until Thursday and will depart on Friday. Many residents queued early in the morning to ensure they could get on board. One woman said she arrived around 7am because she was so eager to see the ships and their weapons. A young boy said he was most excited over the opportunity to see “how big” the vessels are. Visitors took photos with navy service personnel, toured weapon systems and collected commemorative stamps in special booklets. Navy personnel were roundly applauded for staging a musical performance on the pier. Navy cadets explained the ships’ weapon systems as well as daily life aboard the vessels to visitors. One cadet, Jing Haifeng, said: “Hong Kong visitors asked us whether being in the military is tough, and how we feel about coming to Hong Kong. "We feel that residents here really care about us, and this exchange brings us closer together.” As for the visitors, some said they were glad for the opportunity to see the country's military capabilities during the National Day, calling them a symbol of the nation's prosperity and strength.
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Festive vibes packing hotels, spurring East Dam worry
Oct 1Tap to summarizeA hotel representative said more mainland families are spending the National Day Golden Week holiday in Hong Kong this year as it overlaps with the Mid-Autumn Festival. Alan Chan, chief operations officer at Miramar Group, told RTHK the company's hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai are more than 90 percent full and that room rates have gone up by 9 to 11 percent from a year ago. He said spectacles like the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance are a proven attraction for tourists. "Because the National Day Golden Week holiday this year is quite long, and it overlaps with Mid-Autumn Festival, the festive atmosphere is strong," he said. "When it comes to travelling, Hong Kong's festive atmosphere is better than foreign places." As for the High Island Reservoir East Dam, New Territories South East constituency lawmaker Stanley Li said the popular tourist attraction could be inundated with taxis, even though the Transport Department has arranged for the number of minibuses heading to the scenic area to be stepped up during the Golden Week holiday. The stepped-up service will see at least 30 minibuses, along with standby vehicles and drivers, operate over the eight-day mainland break, instead of the four that usually ply the route during weekends and other public holidays. However, Li said: "Tourists, especially those from the mainland, may head to East Dam directly by taxi once they pass through border checkpoints. So you have people heading there from different places, and you don't know [how they get there]. So it is difficult to tell. "Also, the passenger volume of a taxi is low. A minibus has more than a dozen seats, while a taxi only has a few. So I'm a bit worried, and I expect there could be hundreds of taxis causing congestion there." But Li believes the number of taxis is sufficient to handle the expected surge in tourists, as not all minibuses were used up when the same arrangement was put in place during the Labour Day Golden Week. More than 1.5 million visitors and about 1,200 tourist groups are expected to head to Hong Kong between October 1 and 8.
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HK will align with national development: CE
Oct 1Tap to summarizeChief Executive John Lee said on Wednesday Hong Kong will actively develop in line with the country’s strategies while leveraging the city’s unique advantages. Speaking at a National Day reception, Lee praised China’s achievements, saying the nation has made an extraordinary journey to prosperity and strength and is now firmly established as the world’s second-largest economy by achieving a remarkable rate of progress that is admired globally. Lee outlined three main priorities for Hong Kong as it supports the nation’s development goals. First, he stressed the importance of safeguarding national security while co-ordinating security and development. "Safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests is the highest principle of One Country, Two Systems," Lee said. "The government is committed to continuously enhancing the legal system and enforcement mechanism for safeguarding national security to ensure security and promote development, striving for a vibrant economy, pursuing development and advancing infrastructure construction." He added the government seeks to ensure the upcoming Legco election will be successfully held. "We will devote all efforts in preparing for the upcoming general election for the eighth-term Legislative Council on December 7 this year, ensuring that the election is conducted in a fair, just, honest, safe and orderly manner." Second, Lee stressed the need to facilitate economic growth and improve people's livelihoods. He said stronger economic development would boost demand, increase government revenue and allow more investment in infrastructure and public services, ensuring that the benefits of growth are shared across society. Third, Lee said the government would press ahead with implementing measures set out in his Policy Address last month and deepen reforms. "I attach great importance to swiftly resolving livelihood issues, as well as setting out long-term planning and systematic layout," he said. The CE said government policies have helped to boost Hong Kong’s international ratings, its competitiveness as a financial centre, its ability to attract talent, and its standing as one of the world’s safest cities – showing that the administration is moving in the right direction. Before the reception, a flag-raising ceremony was held at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai. Those in attendance included Lee and his wife, senior government officials, Executive Council members, as well as Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference vice chairman and former chief executive CY Leung and two other former CEs Donald Tsang and Carrie Lam. Flag-raising ceremonies were also held at the Office of the Commissioner for China's Foreign Ministry and Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong.
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Trump tells generals US faces 'war from within'
Sep 30Tap to summarizeUS President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the military should use US cities as training grounds for a "war from within," in a speech to a rare meeting of top officers. Republican Trump told hundreds of generals and admirals summoned from around the world to be ready for a greater role in crackdowns on Democrat-run cities, including Chicago. The assembled top brass were separately warned by Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth of a different challenge, as he vowed to eliminate "fat generals" and to roll back what he called "decades of decay." "I told Pete, we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military," Trump said in front of a huge American flag at a military facility in Quantico, Virginia. Trump added that "we're going to straighten them out one by one, and this is going to be a major part for some of the people in this room. That's a war too – it's a war from within." Trump began his speech by railing against so-called "woke" practices in the US military, saying that under his administration, it was now "reawakening the warrior spirit." His hour-long address then took on an even more overtly political tone, in a break with previous presidents who have tended to avoid domestic politics when addressing troops. Former Fox News host-turned Defence Secretary Hegseth summoned the meeting last week before Trump then announced that he would also speak. Speculation had swirled about the purpose of gathering the whole US top brass in one place, with talk of a major military announcement. But in the end it was largely a doubling down on restoring what Iraq war veteran Hegseth called the "military ethos." Striding the stage, Hegseth told all ranks they must now take a physical fitness test twice a year. "It's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon," he said. Hegseth also insisted on "grooming standards" including short hair and shaving, adding: "If you want a beard you can join special forces. If not, then shave. We don't have a military full of Nordic pagans." He also declared an end to "ideological garbage," citing concerns over climate change, bullying, "toxic" leaders and promotions based on race or gender as examples. The speeches by Trump and Hegseth came as the US military faces controversy both at home and abroad, with Trump deploying troops in Los Angeles and Washington, and shortly in Portland, Oregon and Memphis, Tennessee. (AFP)
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HK$3bn scheme to support academic research: CE
Mar 21, 2025Tap to summarizeChief Executive John Lee on Friday said the city will soon launch a HK$3 billion scheme to support local academic and scientific research, as authorities ramp up efforts to transition Hong Kong into a global innovation and technology centre. Lee made the remarks at the opening of the International Academicians Hong Kong Forum in Wan Chai, where he noted that the role of scholars and scientists is critical in aiding Hong Kong's technological transition, amid evolving and unprecedented global challenges. The forum also marked the founding of the International Alliance of Academicians (IAA). "Knowledge knows no borders, our shared challenges require shared solutions. The government is committed to cultivating a dynamic environment, one that champions innovation and technology, in every sector and industry, every institution and corner of our community," he told participants. "We will soon launch a Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme, worth HK$3 billion, or nearly US$400 million. It will help fund groundbreaking basic research driven by world-class researchers and academics," he said. He added that the completion of the first three buildings in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park will also help provide the "hardware" for local I&T development, and that the alliance could serve as the "soft power". Separately, Nancy Ip, President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who chairs the IAA, said that Hong Kong is an ideal base for the alliance. "Given its international status and dynamic academic and research sectors, Hong Kong is ideally positioned to foster scientific cooperation among leading scholars from around the world. This global alliance will also solidify Hong Kong's reputation as an international innovation and technology centre," she said. The IAA alliance is made up of 100 academics from around the world, and aims to enhance global collaboration among scientists and academics.
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All eyes on safety in low-altitude test runs
Mar 21, 2025Tap to summarizeTransport chief Mable Chan said on Friday most pilot projects in Hong Kong's first-ever low-altitude economy test run will be operated manually and within the line of sight. The Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox trials will test airspace management, flight operations and emergency responses to support the use of unmanned aircraft. The initial phase, comprising 38 projects, is set to begin next month at Science Park, Cyberport and on some outlying islands. One project will be a food delivery test run between Science Park and Ma On Shan. Chan told an RTHK radio programme that safety is the top priority, noting that drones are equipped with propellers and backup systems. "Based on safety and risk-based principles, we will begin by operating gradually within visual range," she said. "For future beyond line-of-sight flights covering longer distances, we aim to advance further based on flight data collected from line-of-sight runs and assessments of safety considerations. "In terms of tech and innovation research, some laboratories at universities are currently developing safety features for these drones. "They've developed various self-defence mechanisms for the drones. "Also, when one drone is in operation, another drone will monitor it nearby at the same time." Speaking on another radio programme, Chan said officials will study the possibility of developing a low-altitude economy in the Northern Metropolis. The government plans to amend regulations to increase drone weight limits from 25 kilogrammes to 150kg to allow more advanced drones to carry heavier loads.
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London's Heathrow airport closes due to power outage
Mar 21, 2025Tap to summarizeBritain's Heathrow Airport on Friday said it would be closed until midnight after experiencing a significant power outage due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation supplying the airport. "To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March," Heathrow Airport said in a post on X, adding that passengers are advised not to travel to the airport. There was no clarity on when power may be reliably restored, a Heathrow spokesperson told Reuters in an email, and added they expect significant disruption over the coming days. Eurocontrol, which manages air traffic control operations across Europe, said on its operations website that no arrivals were being allowed at Heathrow due to the power outage and there were diversion plans in place for flights. According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, some diversions to other airports were already occurring, with Qantas Airways sending its flight from Perth to Paris and a United Airlines New York flight heading to Shannon, Ireland. A United Airlines flight from San Francisco was due to land in Washington, DC rather than London. Heathrow was the world's second-busiest international airport in 2024 behind Dubai, according to travel data firm OAG. The London Fire Brigade said its crews were tackling the fire in Hayes in west London and had evacuated around 150 people from the area as a precaution. (Reuters)
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World's glacier mass shrank again in 2024, says UN
Mar 21, 2025Tap to summarizeAll 19 of the world's glacier regions experienced a net loss of mass in 2024 for the third consecutive year, the United Nations said on Friday, warning that saving the planet's glaciers was now a matter of "survival". Five of the last six years have seen the most rapid glacier retreat on record, the UN's World Meteorological Organization weather, climate and water agency said, on the inaugural World Day for Glaciers. "Preservation of glaciers is not just an environmental, economic and societal necessity: it's a matter of survival," said WMO chief Celeste Saulo. Beyond the continental ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, more than 275,000 glaciers worldwide cover approximately 700,000 square kilometres, said the WMO. But they are rapidly shrinking due to climate change. "The 2024 hydrological year marked the third year in a row in which all 19 glacier regions experienced a net mass loss," the WMO added. Together, they lost 450 billion tonnes of mass, the agency said, citing new data from the Swiss-based World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS). It was the fourth worst year on record, with the worst being in 2023. At current rates of melting, many glaciers in western Canada and the United States, Scandinavia, central Europe, the Caucasus, and New Zealand "will not survive the 21st century", said the WMO. The agency said that together with ice sheets, glaciers store around 70 percent of the world's freshwater resources, with high mountain regions acting like the world's water towers. If they disappear, that would threaten water supplies for millions of people downstream. (AFP)
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Trump moves to shut down Department of Education
Mar 21, 2025Tap to summarizeUS President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at shutting down the Department of Education, a decades-old goal of the American right, which wants individual states to run schools free from the influence of federal government. Surrounded by schoolchildren sitting at desks set up in the East Room of the White House, Trump smiled as held up the order after signing it. Trump said the order would "begin eliminating the federal Department of Education once and for all." "We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. It's doing us no good," Trump said. "We're going to return education back to the states where it belongs." The Education Department, created in 1979, cannot be shuttered without the approval of Congress, but Trump's order will likely have the power to starve it of funds and staff. The move is one of the most drastic steps yet in the brutal overhaul of the government that Trump is carrying out with the help of tech tycoon Elon Musk and his Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE). Democrats and educators have slammed the move. The top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, called it a "tyrannical power grab" and "one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken." Trump has cast the move as necessary to save money and improve educational standards in the United States, saying they are lagging behind those in Europe and China. But education has been a battleground for decades in America's culture wars, and Republicans have long wanted to remove control of it from the federal government. (AFP)
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HK Airlines flight diverts to Fuzhou after cabin fire
Mar 20, 2025Tap to summarizeA Hong Kong Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Fuzhou after a fire broke out in the cabin on Thursday afternoon. Flight HX115 was en route to Hong Kong from Hangzhou when the incident happened. Passengers on board the flight shared videos on social media, showing cabin crew and passengers pouring bottles of water onto a bag in an overhead compartment, from where smoke was billowing. It's believed a portable charging device had triggered the fire. Hong Kong Airlines said in a statement that the blaze has been put out, and that its providing assistance to passengers and crew members.
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