Road closures overnight due to HK Marathon

 

An estimated 74,000 people are expected to take part in the 2025 HK Marathon
(photo of 2024 race from the HK Marathon-Standard Chatered website)

The Hong Kong Transport Department has reminded the public of road closures in the Yau Tsim Mong area and parts of Aberdeen due to this year’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon which will start on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsu, and ends at Victoria Park in Causeway Bay.

Major sections in the race route will gradually close starting at 11:30pm on Saturday, and will reopen by 2pm on Sunday in phases.

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An estimated 74,000 people are expected to take part in four major races: the full marathon, half-marathon, 10 km race, and the wheelchair race.

The full marathon race will pass through major sections of Nathan Road (from Granville to Argylle streets), Lin Cheung Road, West Kowloon Highway, Stonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Kwai Highway, the Western Harbour Crossing, Connaught Road West flyover, Lung Wo Road, Expo Drive, Hung Hing Road, Lockhart Road, Percival Street, Hennesy Road, Yee Wo Street and Sugar Street, until Victoria Park.

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The half marathon race route will follow that of the full marathon race from the starting point at Nathan Road to Lin Cheung Road with the turning point at Tsing Kwai Highway and then rejoin the full marathon race route at West Kowloon Highway.

The 10-kilometre race will start at the Island Eastern Corridor (IEC) near the exit/entrance of Central-Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel (CWBT) and pass along the IEC eastwards to the turning point near Oi Tak Street and then return to the finishing point.

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The 10-kilometre wheelchair race will start at Wan Chai Sports Ground and route through Hung Hing Road, Expo Drive, Lung Wo Road and Central Ferry Piers area and then return to run along Lung Wo Road, Hung Hing Road, Marsh Road, Lockhart Road and Hennessey Road heading for the finishing point.

The Wheelchair Trial and Leaders Cup will also start at Wan Chai Sports Ground and route through Hung Hing Road and Marsh Road and then rejoin the 10-km wheelchair race route heading for the finishing point.

All drivers are urged to avoid driving to the affected areas this Sunday.

Meanwhile, a total of 211 daytime bus routes, 33 daytime green minibus routes, 49 overnight bus routes, and six overnight green minibus routes will either be suspended, shortened or diverted.

The road closures will not affect vehicles from Hong Kong Island/Kowloon/New Territories East heading for Hong Kong International Airport and Lantau Island. Vehicles from the New Territories West to the airport and Lantau Island could travel via Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel.

Due to the closure of the Kowloon-bound carriageway of Ting Kau Bridge, vehicles travelling via Tuen Mun Road or Tai Lam Tunnel to the airport and Lantau Island will be diverted to use Tsuen Wan Road, Tsuen Tsing Interchange, Tsing Tsuen Road, Tsing Tsuen Bridge and Tsing Yi North Coastal Road to enter Tsing Ma Bridge.

Commuters headed towards any of the affected areas are advised to take alternative routes or other modes of transportation.

Chilly mornings expected to end next week

 

Tsim Sha Tsui as of 9pm (Photo from HK Observatory)

Hong Kong will again wake up to a cold 9 degrees Celsius early tomorrow, but this could be the last of this week’s chilly mornings as the warmth of an easterly airstream rolling into Southern China begins to be felt.

The intense winter monsoon which has brought cold weather “will be replaced gradually by a fresh to strong easterly airstream early next week,” the Hong Kong Observatory said in today’s forecast.

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Tomorrow (Sunday) will have fair weather, with temperatures ranging from 10 to 16 degrees.

Temperatures are expected to turn around on Monday, with a range from 12 to 18 degrees.

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Warmer and cloudy weather is expected on Tuesday, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 19 degrees.

The rest of the week will see temperatures ranging from 16 to 20 degrees, with the weather expected to be misty with one or two rain patches, the Observatory said.

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8 persons arrested in new anti-illegal work raids

 

These 2 women were among those arrested in the anti-illegal work raids

Eight persons have been arrested as the Immigration Department resumed its anti-illegal work operations after the Lunar New Year.

Those arrested in four consecutive days of raids from Feb 3 to 6 comprised six suspected illegal workers, one employer and one aider and abettor.

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Targeted in the operations were 42 locations, including commercial and residentialpremises and retail shops.

The suspected illegal workers comprised two men and four women, aged 26 to 58. One man, aged 61, was suspected of employing the illegal worker while a woman aged 65 was charged with aiding and abetting a person in breaching the condition of stay.

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Any person who takes up a job, whether paid or unpaid, without permission from the Immigration Department, is liable for breaching the condition of stay, and could be sentenced to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years in prison.

These include visitors not allowed to take up employment in the city, as well as aiders and abettors.'

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Illegal workers who are subject to a removal or deportation order, overstayers or those refused permission to land are subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment.

Employers of illegal workers are subject to the more serious penalty of a maximum fine of $500,000 and up to 10 years in prison. An immediate custodial sentence is also prescribed in line with a High Court ruling.

According to the sentencing guidelines, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment.

Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card or a valid travel document, the employer should make reasonable enquiries concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings.

Immigration warns employers not to employ illegal workers as it remains resolute in combating such offences.

2 DHs jailed for stealing from their employers

 

2 DHs jailed for stolen jewelry (Photo illustration)

Two Filipina domestic helpers have been jailed after they admitted in separate courts to have stolen property from their employers.

April Love Mahigne, 42 years old, had the longer jail term at eight months, meted on her by Acting Principal Magistrate Ko Wai-hung at Kowloon City Court on Thursday (Feb. 6).

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She pleaded guilty to stealing three bracelets, two pairs of earrings and two rings with a total value of $120,000.

The offense happened at her emplyer’s flat in The Waterfront in Yau Ma Tei between Sept. 14 and Nov. 22 last year.

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At Kwun Tong Court, Eddielyn Balimbin. 45 years old, was sentenced by Acting Principal Magistrate Leung Ka-kie to four weeks in jail after she pleaded guilty today to theft.

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The penalty came after she admitted stealing a pair of gold and dragon bangle, one gold bracelet, one gold bangle, one platinum ring and one gold necklace at her employer’s flat in Ocean Wings in Tseung Kwan O between July 2023 and Dec. 25, 2024.

122 deaths reported as HK enters flu season

 

Get the flu shot now, health experts say

Hong Kong health authorities have renewed a call for residents to get flu shots after 122 deaths were recorded in the four weeks since the influenza season began early January.

According to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), a total of 199 adults were put under intensive care on admission since the city entered the flu season, mostly elderly people.

More than 70 percent of the adult patients in these cases were unvaccinated, while 90 percent of those who died were aged 65 and above.

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Separately, nine cases of children contracting severe flu complications were reported, and seven of them were unvaccinated.

CHP controller Edwin Tsui warned flu cases are still on the rise, with the peak season lasting between three to four months.

“With reference to previous surveillance data, virus activity will continue to increase for a period of time after the start of the influenza season before peaking,” Tsui said. “Currently available data indicate that the influenza activity level is still on the rise.”

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Tsui warned Hong Kong people who are traveling to keep an eye on the flu situation at their destinations before departing. The places where the flu activity remains at a high level include mainland China, Japan, Korea, Europe and North America.

In addition, Tsui said they should take adequate protective measures, such as getting vaccinated as soon as possible and to wear masks when in crowded places.

 “All persons aged above six months… particularly the elderly and children who have a higher risk of becoming infected with influenza and developing complications, should act immediately to minimise the risk of serious complications and death after infection,” Tsui said.

The CHP statement was issued a few days after popular Taiwanese celebrity Barbie Hsu had reportedly died from flu-related pneumonia while on vacation in Japan.

Her death appeared to have sparked a rush for the flu jab among people in Hong Kong.

As of Sunday, more than 1.9 million doses of flu vaccine have been administered in Hong Kong, a 6.4 per cent increase compared with last year.

The number of schools taking part in CHP’s flu vaccination program has also risen this year, with 98 percent of kindergartens, child care centres, primary and secondary schools taking part.

Last year, only 80 percent of kindergartens and child care centers participated.

The vaccination rate among children aged six months to two years old remain comparatively low at around 21 percent.

 

Filipino fined $1,500 for assault on another

 

The bus stop where incident happened (Photo from Google Maps)

A Filipino was declared guilty of common assault on a fellow Filipino and fined $1,500, at the conclusion of his trial today at Eastern Court.

Deputy Magistrate Poon Chi-ming set aside the testimony of Mark Anthony Malunao, a 36-year-old bar tender, denying that he threw a punch at Agustin Paeste, at about 8pm on June 24, 2023 at the bus stop on Chater Road, near the Cenotaph.

Magistrate Poon instead gave more weight to the testimony of Paeste, who said he was walking away from a gathering of men that included Malunao, when he was punched from behind, hitting his left cheek. As a result, he stumbled to the ground, causing two wounds on his scalp.

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After being given first aid, he was taken by ambulance to the Queen Mary Hospital.

At first, he said, he did not know who hit him but a video of the incident surfaced on social media which identified Malunao as his assailant.

According to Paeste, the altercation started when Malunao arrived at a gathering at the sidewalk across from the Chater Road bus stop. Malunao told the group he peed on his pants.

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When Paeste agreed, Malunao pushed him on the chest. Paeste said he did not want to fight and walked away, after which he was punched from the back.

In his testimony, Malunao said Paeste pointed too close to his crotch while saying he peed on his pants, so he reacted by pushing him on the chest, resulting in the latter walking away.

He later heard a commotion across Chater Road, and walked over to find Paeste in the ground. He then walked away.

A police officer testified that he arrested Malunao after the incident.

Philippine House of Reps votes to impeach VP Sara

 

Duterte is the first Philippine Vice President to be impeached (Getty Photos)

The Philippine House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte, and immediately sent the articles of impeachment to the Senate for trial.

A total of 215 lawmakers endorsed the fourth impeachment complaint against VP Duterte, a day before the current session of Congress is set to end.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez announced the approval of the impeachment complaint, saying the vote it garnered was more than the required one-third of all members of the lower chamber.

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The impeachment complaint was received by the Senate Secretary just before 6pm. A date for the trial has yet to be set.

The articles of impeachment against Duterte is based on the grounds of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, bribery, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

Last month, three groups filed separate impeachment complaints against the Vice President, accusing her of various crimes ranging from the misuse of hundreds of millions of pesos in govenment funds to plotting against the life of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

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The Philippines’ 24 senators must now set a trial date for the impeachment complaint. It needs the vote of at least two-thirds of all senators to pass muster.

The impeachment vote comes days before the start of campaigning for mid-term elections in the Philippines, seen to set the tone for the 2028 presidential race.

Duterte, who was expected to succeed his father Rodrigo R. Duterte as president in 2022, took a back seat to President Marcos instead, and ran as his vice-president. She is now seen as the frontrunner for the top post in the 2028 elections.

The relationship between the country's two top officials soured after Duterte was asked to appear before the House for her alleged misuse of hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds alloted to her both as vice president and former secretary of education.

In retaliation, Duterte said in a live social media broadcast that she had asked someone to kill Marcos if she was herself assassinated.

The Vice President has yet to respond to the impeachment move, but her elder brother, Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte slammed it as political persecution.

Rep. Duterte said he was “appalled and enraged” by what he called as desperate and politically motivated efforts to railroad the vice president’s impeachment.

 

Finance chief hints at changes to $2 fare for seniors

 

One of the proposals is to put a monthly cap to the fare subsidy to the elderly

Finance Secretary Paul Chan has told a radio program that most people are for changing Hong Kong’s $2 public transport subsidy for residents aged 60 and above, but are not clear as to how to do it.

"I think there's a public consensus that the current scheme isn't financially sustainable over the long run, if no changes are made to it. So how should we change it?" Chan said in a Commercial Radio program.

"There are so many different views. We're collecting them and then officials will assess them and discuss them internally. We're all looking at different proposals in detail."

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Chan said the intentions behind the $2 scheme were very good, but expenses have mounted since the eligible age was lowered to 60 from the original 65 in 2022. 

The subsidy applies to eligible commuters who take public transportation, including cross-harbor buses and the MTR, regardless of their destination or residency status.

Legislators are among those calling for a rethink of the transport subsidy in light of the government’s budget shortfall of more than $100 billion for the past fiscal year.

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Among the proposals suggested is to put a monthly cap of $1,000 per eligible user. 

With his budget speech coming up on Feb 26, Chan hinted subsidies could also be introduced in areas like education and healthcare to tackle the government’s budget deficit.

For instance, he said universities have relatively large amounts of reserves, indicating that they could withstand a cut in subdisy.

However, he assured the government will minimize the effects of expenditure cuts on the public.

Public urged to adopt healthy lifestyle as World Cancer Day 2025 is marked

 

The Hong Kong Health Department has urged people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and undergo screening for early detection of cancer.

The statement was issued today as World Cancer Day 2025 was marked.

The International Cancer Control has, since 2020, designated February 4 each year as World Cancer Day to increase worldwide awareness of cancer and to combat the disease together.

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According to the DH, cancer is the number one killer in Hong Kong, causing nearly 15,000 deaths in 2023.

In 2022, more than 35,000 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Hong Kong, where the five most common cancers were lung, breast, colorectal, prostate and liver cancers.

“Given the ageing population, the number of new cases and healthcare demands are expected to further increase,” said the DH in its statement.

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This year's theme, "United by Unique", focuses of placing people at the centre of cancer care. Every patient is unique, and it takes a united effort to help patients receive comprehensive care and lead better lives.

"The Government has long upheld the principle of putting people at the centre of cancer prevention and control,” said the DH.

According to the DH, about 40 per cent of all cancers can be prevented through the adoption of a healthy lifestyle and the reduction of exposure to major risk factors, such as refraining from smoking or alcohol consumption, being physically active, having a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy body weight and waist circumference.

The DH has launched a series of health promotion programs targeting various age groups to raise public awareness of health issues through education and publicity.

To shift the emphasis and mindset of the healthcare system from treatment to prevention, the government has established District Health Centres (DHCs) in all 18 districts of the territory to provide health promotion, health risk factors assessment, disease screening and chronic disease management.

Steered by the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHCC), the DHCs actively promote the "Life Course Preventive Care plan" based on the core principles of prevention and whole-person care.

Through this approach, a personalised preventive care plan will be formulated to address the health needs of residents across different life stages based on the most updated evidence.

Family doctors and primary healthcare professionals collaborate to promote healthy lifestyles and disease prevention, including providing education and vaccination for cancer prevention, and advising on cancer screening services according to personal risk factors.

On cancer screening, the government adopts an evidence-based approach to achieve early cancer detection. So far, the government has implemented screening programs for the early detection of cervical, colorectal and breast cancers.

By the end of this year, a pilot program will be launched to subsidise hepatitis B screening by the end of this year, aiming for early detection and treatment of chronic hepatitis B to reduce the risk of complications from chronic hepatitis B, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

At the same time, the DH reminds residents to talk to their doctors to understand the benefits and limitations of screening tests before making an informed decision to undergo cancer screening. Relevant health advice is available on the website of the Centre for Health Protection or via the "@DH mobile application".

Filipina accused of littering misses court date, ordered arrested

 

Junction where offense was committed

A Filipina who missed a Kowloon City Court hearing today on a case of littering, has been ordered arrested with a bail set at $7,000 to get her freed until her next court date.

The bail required of E. Cabunag is more than the total amount of penalties she would have to pay if convicted of violating the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation made under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.

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Magistrate Tsang Hing-tung broke down the bail amount into components -- $3,000 fixed penalty, $3,000 additional penalty, $500 costs and an additional $500 -- to ensure that she shows up when issued another summons.

The information laid by the Food, Environmental and Health Department on April 9, 2024, accused Cabunag of depositing “litter or waste, namely cardboard box, on public place at pavement at junction of  Fuk Lo Tsun Road and Nga Tsin Wai Road, Kowloon City” on Jan. 22, 2024.

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For this type of offense, the regulations prescribe a maximum penalty of a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment of up to six months.

However, this can be dispensed by paying a fine of $3,000 under the Fixed Penalty (Public Cleanliness & Obstruction) Ordinance enforced since October last year. 

This was not the first summons issued to Cabunag. She was originally told to appear before the court on Oct. 8, 2024.

DH detained for theft, misleading police

 

Estate where theft allegedly took place

A Filipina domestic helper has been placed under detention after she appeared at Kowloon City Court, charged with two counts of stealing watches worth more than $800,000 from her employer and then falsely reporting to the police that their flat had been burglarized.

Magistrate Kestrel Lam adjourned the case against Vanessa Vallespin, 39 years old, to March 17.

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The case against her was based on a police complaint filed on Dec. 7 last year at the Kowloon City Court.

In the first charge, Vallespin was accused of stealing a Rolex Daytona watch worth $222,000 from her employer at their flat in Sunderland Estate in Kowloon Tong on Dec. 2 last year.

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The second charge was for the theft two days later at the same place, of a Rolex Explorer II, a Rolex Sea-Dweller, a Tudor Black Date GMT, a Cartier Ballon Bleu, a Zenith El Primero Stratos, a Panerai Luminor, a Franck Muller Vanguard, an Omega Seamaster 300, and a Temporis watch with a total value of $580,230.

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The third charge -- knowingly misleading a police officer -- arose from her allegedly giving a false statement to an officer that their flat was broken into.

The Police Force Ordinance penalizes any person who “misleads any police officer by giving false information or by making false statements or accusations” with a maximum fine at level 1 ($2,000) and imprisonment of up to six months.

Filipina in 8-year-old overstaying case jailed 14 weeks

 

The cases were heard at Shatin Court

It took almost eight years to resolve a case of overstaying against a Filipina, and it culminated with her being jailed for 14 weeks, minus the 31 days she had spent under administrative detention by the Immigration Department.

The case ended after Julie Leoncio, 49 years old, pleaded guilty today, Feb. 3,  before Magistrate David Chum at Shatin Court to violating section 49 of the Immigration Ordinance.

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The case, filed by the Immigration department on May 24, 2017, accused her of violating her condition of stay for staying beyond the two-week grace period given her after the terminaton of her domestic helper contract.

According to the Immigration complaint, she was given by an Immigration officer until Jan. 10, 2011 to leave Hong Kong, but she remained until she was arrested on June 4, 2014.

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In the ensuing years, she had applied for non-refoulement, or protection from being forcibly sent back to the Philippines, and was issued a recognizance form which served as her identity document.

 

$193.7M bonanza to one lucky Mark Six winner

 

This betting station on Stanley Street in Central is a favorite of Mark Six punters

Only one ticket won the biggest-ever first prize of nearly $194M in Hong Kong’s Mark Six lottery this Sunday night.

The lucky punter will receive a whopping $193,762,620,  following a record turnover of over $380 million for this year's Chinese New Year Snowball.

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Bettors packed Hong Kong Jockey Club betting stations throughout the city earlier, all hoping to hit the biggest ever jackpot in the lottery’s history.

According to reports, the lone winner placed the bet over the counter with cash. No other details were given as to where the instant mega millionaire had placed the winning bet.

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The winning numbers were 14, 18, 30, 36, 40 and 42. The extra number was 1.

Twelve tickets will split the second prize of $1.2 million. For the third prize pot, 530 winning tickets will each receive $72,500.