Many startups in Britain either do not intend to or cannot access the government's Coronavirus Business Interruption and Loan Scheme, and may be forced to respond with furloughs or layoffs, warns a report

A lone developer from the company that provided aerodynamic analysis for the cars in the PlayStation game Gran Turismo has applied the tooling to demonstrate the spread of germs with and without wearing a mask

While coordinated action is urgently needed, should we be racing to download everything that promises a solution?

The London-headquartered fintech startup Soldo has repurposed its spend management tools for local authorities in Italy to support its COVID-19 emergency response measures

Time: 9:00 AM, Location: Senate Chamber

The Security Bureau today said that the last Hong Kong resident who had contracted COVID-19 while aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship and was hospitalised in Japan has returned to Hong Kong.

Immigration Department staff that assisted Hong Kong residents in Japan have completed their mission and returned to Hong Kong as well.

In early February, a cluster of COVID-19 infection cases occurred on the Diamond Princess cruise docked in Yokohama.

Of some 3,700 passengers and crew, about 370 were from Hong Kong. The 712 confirmed COVID-19 cases associated with the cruise included 76 Hong Kong residents who were hospitalised in Japan for isolation and treatment.

While three Hong Kong residents passed away, the remaining 73 patients returned to Hong Kong or their places of residence after being discharged from the hospital.

As for other Hong Kong residents on the cruise, the bureau noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government arranged three flights, between February 19 and 23, to escort 193 of them back to the city.

Upon arrival, they were transferred to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate to undergo 14 days of quarantine.

Another 144 Hong Kong residents returned on their own via other flights, including 25 close contacts of the patients who had completed quarantine in Japan.

For those who returned to Hong Kong on their own and did not complete 14 days of quarantine in Japan, they were required to complete the remaining quarantine period at a quarantine centre.

Of the 231 cruise passengers admitted to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate, nine tested positive for COVID-19 and were sent to hospitals for isolation and treatment.

The Hong Kong SAR Government expressed profound condolences on the passing of the Hong Kong patients and its deepest sympathies to their families.

The SAR Government emphasised that the incident could not have been resolved smoothly without the staunch support of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan and Japanese authorities.

The SAR Government also thanked Cathay Pacific Airways and the Airport Authority for their assistance, the bureau added.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng today emphasised that Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma had stated he has not experienced interference from Mainland authorities.

Speaking to the media at the Legislative Council, Ms Cheng called on the public to read the Chief Justice’s statement in response to a media report about Hong Kong’s judicial independence.

Ms Cheng said: "The Chief Justice stated that since his taking office in 2010, he has not encountered nor experienced any interference from the Mainland authorities in any shape or form that affects judicial independence, including the appointment of judges.

"Nothing is better than the direct evidence of the Chief Justice himself telling us that there is not any such interference."

The Financial Secretary just delivered the latest Budget on Wednesday. The Department of Justice would foster the policy initiatives relating to "Diversified Economy" and continue our ongoing works. The Inclusive Dispute Avoidance & Resolution Office (IDAR Office, email: idar@doj.gov.hk), which was set up in January last year, is to better co-ordinate and implement initiatives in the areas of dispute avoidance and resolution, thereby further consolidating our position as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Department of Justice has always been actively striving for the presence of international dispute resolution bodies in Hong Kong in order to meet the upsurge in demand for legal and dispute resolution services arising from the Belt & Road Initiative and the Greater Bay Area Plan. Their presence in Hong Kong would also enhance our status as a leading centre for international legal and dispute resolution services. With the support of the Central People's Government, we are now exploring the possibility for the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) to establish a regional centre for international commercial arbitration in Hong Kong.

Last year, the inter-sessional meetings of the Judgments Project of the Hague Conference on Private International Law were successfully concluded in Hong Kong. This invaluable experience has reinforced our determination in looking for decision-making meetings of international and intergovernmental organisations to be held in Hong Kong, including hosting the 59th Annual Session of AALCO and an intersessional meeting of UNCITRAL's Working Group III this year. High ranking government officials and legal experts from member states would take part in these meetings to discuss matters such as maritime law and cyber space law.

In addition, we are committed to strengthening Hong Kong's status as a regional capacity building centre which seeks to enhance legal infrastructure in the neighbouring regions and facilitate cross-border mobility and business activities. For instance, the Department of Justice organised the Investment Law & Investor-State Mediator Training Course for two consecutive years since 2018. World-renowned trainers were invited to share with the participants their experience in international investment law and investor-state mediation. We would be stepping up our efforts in organising capacity building courses in dispute resolution.

At the same time, the Department of Justice has reached an agreement with the Hague Academy of International Law, one of the world's leading academic institutes on international law, to support them in organising law courses in Hong Kong regularly in collaboration with the Asian Academy of International Law from this year. We anticipate this cooperation would provide Hong Kong and the neighbouring regions with high quality training for legal professionals, which helps further raise our international profile.

Looking ahead, colleagues in the Department of Justice would keep pursuing co-operation or partnership agreements with other jurisdictions and international organisations and host important events in Hong Kong, with a view to raising the international profile of Hong Kong in deal-making and dispute resolution through overseas capacity building and promotional activities.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng wrote this article and posted it on her blog on March 1.

During the third month of our fight against COVID-19, Hong Kong has experienced daunting challenges posed by the epidemic with no room to let down our guard.  Though we are a bit relieved to see a significant drop in the number of confirmed cases recently, the Government needs to remain alert given the volatility of the epidemic.

Developments of the epidemic

In the past month, the epidemic continued to spread rapidly in many countries around the world. The number of confirmed cases increased from 400,000 a month ago to 2.6 million today, an increase of some 600%, with over 180,000 deaths.  Many governments had little choice but to take extreme measures such as a city lockdown. During the same period, the overseas epidemic situation resulted in a large number of Hong Kong residents abroad, including students studying in the United States and Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, to return to Hong Kong. Due to the large number of imported cases, Hong Kong’s epidemic situation, which had remained stable for a period up to mid-March, started to become severe and reached its peak at the end of March. On March 27, 28 and 29, Hong Kong recorded 65, 64 and 59 confirmed cases respectively on a single day. We were then extremely worried because if 60 new cases have to be admitted to hospital and placed in isolation each day (according to Hospital Authority statistics every confirmed case stays in hospital for 15 to 20 days on average) and if this number of new confirmed cases continued for one month then the Hospital Authority’s 1,200 or so isolation beds would be fully occupied and our hospital system would face unimaginable pressure.

Although deeply anxious, we did not lose our composure but continued to respond promptly to the developments of the epidemic taking account of expert advice. We bit the bullet and resolutely took stringent measures in response to the situation. The number of confirmed cases has dropped from the peak at end-March to single digits since April 12, with the great majority of cases being imported or their close contacts (See Graphic 1). This shows we have prevented local transmission and that Hong Kong, once again, has overcome the challenge.

Anti-epidemic efforts

Since the Government implemented stringent border control measures before end-March, including denying the entry to Hong Kong by plane of all non-Hong Kong residents arriving from overseas countries or regions from March 25, the anti-epidemic measures introduced over the past month focused on enhancing virus testing for inbound travellers and restricting social interactions to prevent the spread of the disease. However, we have not prohibited people from going out as many overseas countries have done. Most restaurants and shops have remained open.  People by and large can maintain their daily life.

Major measures implemented by the Government to respond to the developments of the epidemic in the past month are set out in the following table:  

Date

Event

March 25-26

Four chartered flights were sent over two days to bring back to Hong Kong the second batch of 558 Hong Kong residents stranded in Hubei Province.

March 25-26

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) extended the Enhanced Laboratory Surveillance Programme and set up a temporary specimen collection centre at AsiaWorld-Expo to provide virus testing for asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving from the UK and other countries in Europe as well as the US.

March 27

The Government announced that catering premises must comply with six disease control requirements and six types of premises (ie amusement game centres, bathhouses, fitness centres, places of amusement, places of public entertainment and premises for hire for holding social gatherings) must close from 6pm on March 28; and gatherings of more than four people in a public place would be prohibited from midnight on March 29.  At the same time, the Chief Executive announced the preparation of the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund to provide further assistance to individuals and businesses.

April 1-2

The Government announced that karaoke establishments, mahjong-tin kau establishments and nightclubs must be closed and beauty parlours, clubhouses and massage establishments must step up epidemic control measures from 6pm on April 1; and bars must close from 6pm on April 3.

April 5

Sixty-five Hong Kong residents who took the chartered flights arranged by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government arrived in Hong Kong from Peru. Upon arrival, they were taken to the temporary specimen collection centre at AsiaWorld-Expo to undergo virus testing and were admitted to hospital or put under home quarantine subject to the test results.

April 8

The Government announced the closure of beauty parlours and massage establishments from midnight on April 10, and the extension of measures regulating catering businesses and scheduled premises as well as prohibiting group gatherings until April 23.

April 8

The Chief Executive announced the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund and other related measures involving over $130 billion, including an $80 billion Employment Support Scheme. The Legislative Council Finance Committee approved the funding on April 18.

April 8

The Department of Health (DH) mandated all asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport to proceed to the temporary specimen collection centre to collect deep throat saliva samples according to instructions before undergoing compulsory quarantine at their place of accommodation. Besides, specimen collection containers will be provided to inbound travellers arriving via land boundary control points who have been to Hubei Province in the past 14 days.

April 9

The DH required all asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving on flights from the UK to stay and wait for the test results at the temporary specimen collection centre, and they can continue their quarantine at their place of accommodation only if the test result is negative. The arrangement was extended to asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving on flights from the US and other areas in Europe from April 13.

April 10

Twenty-seven Hong Kong residents who left Morocco on a chartered flight arranged by the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Morocco arrived in Guangzhou. Apart from one Hong Kong resident who chose to stay in Guangzhou, all others returned to Hong Kong by prearranged coaches and were taken to AsiaWorld-Expo to undergo virus testing.

April 11

To ensure adequate quarantine facilities to cope with the development of the epidemic, the CHP will, where necessary, arrange for people under compulsory quarantine to stay at quarantine centres for the first 10 days and then continue quarantine at home for the remaining four days after virus testing.

April 19

The DH required all asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving on flights landing in the morning to stay and wait for the test results at the temporary specimen collection centre. They can continue quarantine at their place of accommodation only if the test result is negative.

April 19

With a declining number of inbound travellers, the Hospital Authority suspended the operation of the test centre at AsiaWorld-Expo from noon. Inbound travellers with symptoms will be admitted to public hospitals to undergo testing.

April 20

The DH started a trial to provide an extra specimen collection container to inbound travellers arriving at the Hong Kong International Airport for the submission of samples for another round of virus testing (on the 12th day) before the completion of home quarantine. The quarantine can be completed only if the test result is negative.

April 21

The Government announced the extension of all statutory measures to enhance social distancing for 14 days until May 7.

April 22

The DH required all asymptomatic inbound travellers arriving on flights landing in the afternoon or at night to stay and wait for virus test results at the holding centre in the Regal Oriental Hotel. They can continue quarantine at their place of accommodation only if the test result is negative. Upon implementation of the measure, all inbound travellers arriving at Hong Kong International Airport will be required to undergo testing and can return to the community only if the test result is negative.

The decision to extend various enhanced social distancing measures to early May is no doubt a further blow to the affected business sectors. The Government fully understands the disappointment and frustration of these sectors, but we dare not let down our guard as we look at the second or third wave of outbreaks around the world. In addressing the public health crisis, the Government also needs to consider the impact of the measures on the economy, livelihood and the daily lives of people.  I recall that Prof Gabriel Leung, one of the experts for the Government’s anti-epidemic work, once described the difficulty of the Government in making its decisions as a three-way tug of war (See Graphic 2).

We will continue to listen to the views of the experts and various sectors and constantly adjust the suppress and lift strategy according to the actual situation of the epidemic. The target is to achieve the optimal level of controls at all times.

Supporting individuals and businesses affected by the disease

The epidemic has lasted for more than three months and presents unprecedented challenges to our economy. Many businesses are facing pressure to close down or resort to massive staff layoffs, and many families and members of the public are facing severe hardship. According to the latest labour force statistics released by the Census & Statistics Department, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January to March 2020 increased worryingly to 4.2%, the highest level in over nine years.

The Government will continue to make an all-out effort to keep our workers employed, relieve the financial burden of businesses and members of the public, and pave the way for post-epidemic economic recovery. The two rounds of the Anti-epidemic Fund and related relief measures, together with the relief package in the 2020-21 Budget announced by the Financial Secretary earlier on (yet to be approved by the LegCo), amount to $287.5 billion, representing 10% of gross domestic product. These measures are being implemented progressively to help businesses and members of the public tide over the difficult times.

Fighting the virus together

The hard-earned results of our anti-epidemic work over the past month are due to the togetherness of the community at large, the unswerving commitment of our healthcare professionals, the collaborative efforts of various government departments and the understanding of all sectors in society. I am confident that Hong Kong will come through the epidemic and the economic downturn. As long as we can hold on for some more time, we will soon see a bright tomorrow.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam issued this article entitled Three Months into Our Fight Seeing the Arrival of Dawn on April 25.

The confidence level of Hong Kong’s exporters has fallen to its lowest-ever level in the face of a triple challenge – the COVID-19 outbreak, softening global demand and lingering trade tension between the United States and Mainland...

The projected private flat supply for the next three to four years is 95,000 units, 2,000 more than the previous estimate.

The Transport & Housing Bureau today said there were 10,000 unsold units in completed projects at the end of March.

There were 60,000 units under construction, excluding those pre-sold by developers, and 25,000 units from disposed sites where construction can start any time.

The number of flats under construction in the first quarter was 900, while the number of units completed for the period was 4,200.

Click here for details.

The Government will launch a series of measures to retain and create jobs to prevent massive layoffs amid record levels of unemployment and underemployment for the first three months of the year.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment and underemployment rates have soared recently due to the severe blow dealt by the COVID-19 epidemic to Hong Kong’s economy.

With reference to the practice of some overseas governments in providing wage subsidies to employers and following the funding approval by the Legislative Council Finance Committee, the Government will launch the $81 billion Employment Support Scheme (ESS) as soon as possible.

The scheme will provide time-limited financial support to employers to retain workers who will inevitably be made redundant due to the downturn in business.

The provision of subsidies for employers, together with other relief measures and loan arrangements under the Anti-epidemic Fund and the 2020-21 Budget will help businesses stay afloat and retain jobs to prepare for a quick recovery once the epidemic is over.

Except for the Government, statutory bodies and government-funded organisations whose employees' salaries are not affected by the epidemic, employers who have been making Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions or have set up Occupational Retirement Schemes will be eligible for the ESS.

Employers joining the scheme have to provide an undertaking not to implement redundancies during the subsidy period and spend all wage subsidies from the Government in paying wages to their employees.

Wage subsidies provided under the ESS are calculated based on 50% of wages in a specified month subject to a wage cap of $18,000 per month for six months.

Payment will be made in two tranches, with the first payout no later than the end of June to subsidise employers to pay employees' wages from June to August.

After approval of the application, the number of employees on payroll shall not be less than the number of employees in March and the wage subsidies applied by employers must be used fully for employees' wages.

Under the ESS, self-employed people who have contributed to the MPF from January 1, 2019 to March 31 will be granted a one-off subsidy of $7,500.

The scheme is expected to benefit over 260,000 employers who have been making MPF contributions or have set up Occupational Retirement Schemes for 1.7 million employees, and about 215,000 self-employed people.

Employers and employees in the catering, construction and transport sectors that are not covered by the MPF will be taken care of by sector-specific schemes.

Regarding job creation, the Government has earmarked $6 billion to create about 30,000 time-limited jobs in public and private sectors in the coming two years for people of different skills and academic qualifications.

This is in addition to more than 10,000 civil service job openings for replacing retirees and filling new posts to be created in the 2020-21 Estimates, and about 5,000 short-term interns for young people.

In the second half of the year, the Labour Department will raise the ceiling of the on-the-job training allowance payable to employers under the Employment Programme for the Elderly & Middle-aged, the Youth Employment & Training Programme and the Work Orientation & Placement Scheme to further encourage employers to hire seniors, youngsters and the disabled.

The department plans to launch a pilot scheme in the second half of the year to encourage these people to undergo and complete on-the-job training under the above-mentioned employment programmes through the provision of a retention allowance.

A time-limited unemployment support scheme will be launched through the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme at the same time to provide timely and basic financial support to the unemployed who may not be covered by the ESS.

To maintain Hong Kong's economic vibrancy and relieve the financial burden of the public under the epidemic, the Government has introduced the largest package of relief measures to date, including the one-off relief measures in the Budget costing $120 billion and two rounds of measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund totalling $287.5 billion.

This accounts for about 10% of Hong Kong's gross domestic product, the Government added.

The Government said it will continue to spare no effort in improving workers' benefits and protection and enhance occupational safety and health in various industries at a pace commensurate with Hong Kong's overall socio-economic development.

The Government made the statement today in response to the demands of different labour groups, noting that it would take into account both employees' interests and employers' abilities to afford the benefits, despite the severe blow dealt by the COVID-19 epidemic to the local economy.

"The seasonally adjusted unemployment and underemployment rates for January to March this year have soared to their highest levels in recent years. The labour market will continue to face significant pressure in the near term.

“The Government has rolled out relief measures of unprecedented scale, including the one-off measures in the 2020-21 Budget and two rounds of measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund (AEF) totalling $287.5 billion, with a view to preserving the vitality of the economy and relieving people's financial burden.

“The Government will launch as soon as possible the Employment Support Scheme under the second round of the AEF, with a total commitment of $81 billion, to provide time-limited financial support to employers to help them retain employees who will otherwise be made redundant.”

Moreover, the Government explained that it has earmarked $6 billion to create around 30,000 time-limited jobs in the public and private sectors in the coming two years for people with different skills and academic qualifications.

It emphasised that the Labour Department will raise the ceiling of on-the-job training allowance payable to employers under the Employment Programme for the Elderly & Middle-aged, the Youth Employment & Training Programme and the Work Orientation & Placement Scheme in the second half of this year.

It will also launch a pilot scheme to encourage eligible participants of these programmes to undergo and complete the training by offering a retention allowance.

On improvements to other labour benefits, the Government pointed out that it is working at full steam on the preparatory work to abolish the arrangement of 'offsetting' severance payments and long service payments with employers' mandatory contributions under the Mandatory Provident Fund System.

It stressed that it will strive to introduce the enabling bill into the Legislative Council by the end of this year, aiming to secure its passage by 2022.

Meanwhile, the Government introduced the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2019 into LegCo on January 8 this year. The bill, which proposes to extend statutory maternity leave by four weeks, is now being handled by the LegCo Panel on Manpower.

The Chief Executive announced on January 14 this year 10 new initiatives on improving people's livelihood, one of which is to increase progressively the number of statutory holidays so that it will be on par with that of general holidays.

The Government stated that it will work out the relevant proposal, invite the Labour Advisory Board to discuss, and will facilitate and support its work.

The Minimum Wage Commission is conducting a new round of review on the Statutory Minimum Wage rate and will submit a report on its recommendation to the Chief Executive in Council by end-October.

The Government added that it attaches great importance to employees' occupational safety and health.

It said the Labour Department has been adjusting its strategies of inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion, education and training according to the occupational safety and health risk levels of different industries as well as taking sufficient precautionary measures to prevent accidents by driving employers and employees to work together.

(To watch the whole media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Hong Kong's economy in the first quarter of 2020 contracted 8.9% over a year earlier, the largest decline on record since 1974.

The Census & Statistics Department announced the findings today as it released advance estimates on Gross Domestic Product for the first quarter.

Addressing the media today, Financial Secretary Paul Chan noted the economic recession deepened in Hong Kong in the first quarter of 2020.

“Although locally, the epidemic situation seems to be under control, but the external environment is still very challenging. Globally, the epidemic is yet to be put under complete control. That will affect our exports. That will also affect international travelling and business investments. 

“So, going forward in the second quarter, we believe that even if there is improvement, the improvement will be gradual and small.”

According to those estimates, private consumption expenditure decreased 10.2% in real terms in the first quarter from a year earlier, deteriorating from the 2.9% decline in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Government consumption expenditure grew 8.3% year-on-year, after the increase of 6.1% in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Gross domestic fixed capital formation dropped by 13.9%, compared with the decrease of 16.8% in the previous quarter.

Over the same period, total exports of goods declined 9.7% and imports of goods also fell 10.9%.

Exports of services dropped 37.8% and imports of services decreased 25.4%.

Mr Chan called on people to work together to promote economic development by consumption.

“If we are able to work together, if we can unite together - not just to fight the virus, but to stimulate consumption to promote economic development - I think the economic situation will be able to stabilise somewhat in the second quarter. 

“If the global epidemic situation improves, we will be able to come out of recession gradually towards the end of this year. 

“I will appeal to our people's support for us to roll out various measures in the Anti-epidemic Fund - round one and round two - as well as the relief packages in the 2020-21 Budget as soon as possible.

“Many of those initiatives are still yet to be implemented. Upon full implementation of those measures, I think the positive impact on the economy would be better felt by the community. We will be monitoring the situation carefully.”

The Government stands ready to roll out additional measures to support Hong Kong people and the businesses, Mr Chan added.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has rejected allegations made by certain officials and politicians in the United States, United Kingdom and European Parliament relating to an April 18 arrest operation and other security matters.

In a statement today, the Hong Kong SAR Government said such allegations were totally unfounded and amounted to a serious intervention in Hong Kong's affairs.

The SAR Government strongly disagreed with the grossly irresponsible remarks and expressed deep regret about them.

It pointed out that since its return to the Motherland, the HKSAR has maintained stability and prosperity under the principle of "one country, two systems", exercising "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law (BL).   

"The Central Government has time and again reiterated that it will unswervingly implement the policy of one country, two systems' and make sure that it is fully applied in Hong Kong without being bent or distorted. 

“How to implement the policy in the HKSAR - an inalienable part of the People's Republic of China (BL Article 1) and a local administrative region of the People's Republic of China which shall enjoy a high degree of autonomy and come directly under the Central People's Government (BL Article 12) - are entirely internal affairs of the People's Republic of China.

“No other state has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, in those internal affairs.”

The statement noted Hong Kong people enjoy extensive rights and freedoms which are enshrined in the Basic Law. Basic Law Article 4 states that the HKSAR shall safeguard the rights and freedoms of the residents and of other persons in the region in accordance with law. 

“In addition, human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong are fully protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance and other legislation, and underpinned by an independent judiciary."

The SAR Government said it always respects and protects human rights and freedoms. Any allegation that there has been an erosion in freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong people is unfounded.

However, these rights are not absolute. As pointed out by the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal at the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2020: "It is important to understand that the enjoyment of these rights has limits so as not to affect adversely to an unacceptable level the enjoyment by other members of their community of their rights and liberties."

There are clear limits in the law as to the exercise of these rights. When the law is broken, action will be taken in accordance with the criminal justice system.

"We therefore take great exception to comments made by officials and politicians in foreign countries concerning the recent arrests and prosecution of a number of persons for organising and participating in unauthorised assemblies in Hong Kong. 

“The allegation by some that those arrests amounted to an attack on Hong Kong's freedoms and a breach of the BL is absurd and can hardly stand the test of any law-abiding jurisdiction," the statement emphasised.

It also pointed out that Basic Law Article 63 provides that "The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall control criminal prosecutions, free from any interference." 

Prosecutors have always been discharging this constitutional duty independently and professionally, without fear or favour. Prosecutorial decisions are based on an objective assessment of all admissible evidence and applicable laws, made strictly in accordance with the Prosecution Code which is available to the public.

Cases will not be handled any differently owing to the political beliefs or background of the persons involved.

When law enforcement agencies have completed their investigation, they would seek legal advice from the Department of Justice. The prosecutors would carefully consider the investigation reports and relevant materials submitted. A prosecution would only be commenced if the prosecutor is satisfied that there is sufficient admissible evidence to support a reasonable prospect of conviction.

In short, the well-established procedures of Hong Kong's criminal justice system include the independent investigations by law enforcement agencies, the independent prosecutorial decisions based on the objective assessment of evidence, applicable laws and in accordance with the Prosecution Code, and finally, open trials by an independent judiciary. 

"The guarantee of judicial independence is explicitly set out in the BL and the quality of the judgments of our courts contributes to the much respected judiciary and rule of law in the HKSAR.

"We therefore note with abhorrence certain overseas politicians' request that the HKSAR Government should drop the charges against the arrested individuals. If we were to accede or to be seen to yield to such unreasonable demands, we would not only be unfair and unprofessional but would also act in violation of the spirit of the rule of law – a core value in Hong Kong," the statement added.

The SAR Government remains steadfast to uphold the rule of law. The latest Rule of Law Index 2020 released by the World Justice Project, in which Hong Kong maintains its ranking as No. 5 in the East Asia and Pacific Region and No. 16 globally, several places ahead of the United States, has clearly affirmed Hong Kong's commitment.

On legislating for Basic Law Article 23, the statement said, "The HKSAR Government has the constitutional duty to ensure that the necessary legislation is in place to safeguard national security.

“Having laws in place to protect national security is common in many jurisdictions, and we do not see how any defence of sovereignty and security by a jurisdiction would impact on its local and overseas investment. 

“Coincidentally, it is relevant to note security issues arising from the social unrest last year were part of the causes affecting Hong Kong's score under 'Investment Freedom' according to the US-based Heritage Foundation 2020 Index of Economic Freedom."

As regards enquiries about the role of the Hong Kong & Macao Affairs Office of the State Council (HKMAO) and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government (LOCPG) in the HKSAR, they represent the Central People's Government to which the HKSAR comes directly under pertaining to Basic Law Article 12. 

These offices have the power and responsibility over the proper and full implementation of the Basic Law and "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong.

It is therefore clearly legitimate for the HKMAO and LOCPG to recently express their concerns over the prolonged paralysis of the Legislative Council House Committee, thereby hindering LegCo's performance of its legislative functions under the Basic Law.

"Any suggestion that those legitimate remarks by the HKMAO and the LOCPG amount to interference only illustrates an ignorance of the constitutional order of the HKSAR and its relationship with the Central Authorities," the SAR Government added.

Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip today visited the Inland Revenue Department and the Labour Department to inspect the resumption of public services.

The Government had earlier announced that public services will be resumed under a phased approach.

Counter services of most government departments have returned to normal.

Mr Nip first visited the Inland Revenue Department in Revenue Tower and was briefed on counter services at the Central Enquiry Counter, the Business Registration Office and the Stamp Office.

He learnt that the department has implemented various infection control and crowd management measures, such as a ticketing system, to safeguard the health of colleagues and the public.

Later Mr Nip visited the Hong Kong East Job Centre and a recruitment centre for the catering and retail industries and was briefed on the resumption of normal services at the Labour Department's job and recruitment centres.

He said: “While maintaining a high degree of vigilance and adopting all necessary precautionary measures, the Government gradually resumed public services today in a smooth and orderly manner.

“Various infection control measures have been put in place at government buildings and offices. These include checking the body temperature of persons at entrances, providing alcohol-based hand sanitiser and enhancing the cleaning of public facilities.

“The Government will closely monitor the situation to determine when to embark on full resumption of normal business.”

All the details on Uber's biggest announcements as well as updates on the controversial company's trials and tribulations

The Treasury has announced a new set of financial measures aimed at helping startups during the coronavirus pandemic, including a £250 Future Fund for startups with at least £250,000 in funding

The virtual-based office hours is to connect female founders with early-stage VC investors who will provide business advice and investments

Below, Mac Hyman, Tulane University, talks about types of mathematical models--their strengths and weaknesses--the data that we currently have and what we really need, and what models can tell us about a possible second wave.

At the beginning of the video, he thanks the mathematics community for its work, and near the end says, "Our mathematical community is really playing a central role in helping to predict the spread, and help mitigate this epidemic, and prioritize our efforts. …Do not underestimate the power that mathematics can have in helping to mitigate this epidemic—-we have a role to play."

See the full set of videos on modeling COVID-19 and see media coverage of mathematics' role in modeling the pandemic.

updated April 1, 2020

In response to current challenges that colleges and universities face as a result of the spread of COVID-19, the American Mathematical Society is offering libraries and institutions additional support, in line with recommendations in the ICOLC Statement on the Global COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Library Services and Resources.

The AMS is also participating in the Copyright Clearance Center Education Continuity License program, providing access to our content for distance learning and other educational uses at no cost to the user.

We are extending grace access for content hosted on our platforms (including MathSciNet) through the end of May for our existing customers. We will re-evaluate this timing as needed.

As courses transition to online, we can provide instructors with complimentary electronic “reserve” copies of our textbooks for cases in which students do not have access to their print copies.

E-books purchased through the perpetual access model on the AMS platform are always available DRM-free with unlimited simultaneous use. In addition, we are partnering with ProQuest to allow multi-user access through mid-June to all e-books purchased on their platforms. Read ProQuest’s statement.

We are providing remote access to all our content, including MathSciNet. In normal circumstances, this remote access can be set up while on campus or while connected via institution VPN (in order to validate IP-based access). We realize many students, faculty, and researchers did not have an opportunity to initiate this access before leaving campus, so we have given instructions to our library partners on how patrons can connect to our content. Please contact your librarian for assistance.

Libraries: if you have not received instructions to share with your patrons, please email us at cust-serv@ams.org or be in touch about any other of your library’s needs.

Review all AMS Resources & Updates.

(University of Montreal) A chemistry professor at Université de Montréal has developed a new test using gold nanoparticles to establish the flavour profile of maple syrup and help producers evaluate its quality.

(University of Southampton) Scientists have published highly detailed images of lab-grown neurons using Extreme Ultraviolet radiation that could aid the analysis of neurodegenerative diseases.

(Dartmouth College) Annual award supports the research and teaching careers of talented young faculty in the chemical sciences.