

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Janice Lo and Carol Musgrave2025-03-18
Tuesday
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Henderson Land founder Lee Shau-kee dies at 97
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Henderson Land founder Lee Shau-kee died on Monday evening at the age of 97. Affectionately known as "Uncle Four", the property tycoon built his business empire in the 1970s and 80s, becoming one of the richest men in Hong Kong. Vanessa Cheng looks back at his life and legacy:
Police arrest three over Fo Tan murder case
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Police have arrested three people for their alleged involvement in a murder case in Fo Tan on Sunday. Daniel Lee reports:
Three proposals received for HK's third medical school
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The government says it's received three proposals for the city's third medical school. The bids come from Baptist University, Polytechnic University and the University of Science and Technology. Hailey Yip has more:
Caution urged in setting co-payment levels for health services
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There's been a call for caution in setting co-payment levels for healthcare services. This comes after the government said it'll consider charging patients separately for certain check-ups. As Frank Yung reports, the administration has also been urged to cap costs for expensive treatments.
Another school trip hit by gastro outbreak
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Another school-exchange tour to the mainland has been hit by a gastroenteritis outbreak. As Hailey Yip tells us, the Centre for Health Protection says it's investigating a cluster involving six secondary students who went to Xiamen last week.
Test beds before buying: consumer watchdog
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The Consumer Council has urged people to try out different sleeping postures on mattresses before buying. It recommended a sleep test of at least 10 minutes after finding that some mattresses do not provide adequate support. Charlie Chun reports:
'Makeup primers may affect hormone levels'
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The consumer watchdog has also warned that some make-up bases can affect hormone levels. As Priscilla Ng reports, women who are pregnant or are breastfeeding have been advised to avoid such products.
Animal groups vent concerns about pets on trains
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Animal welfare groups say it's important to protect the rights of both pets and MTR commuters as they held talks with the railway firm on the possibility of allowing pets on trains. Twenty groups under the Animal Welfare Advocacy Alliance, together with DAB lawmaker Edward Lau, made suggestions such as requiring owners to use a pet bag, and allowing pets on certain cars on trains. The Animal Rights and Welfare Association founder Susan Lai told Vanessa Cheng what they discussed.
'HK in the fast lane to becoming innovation and tech hub'
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The minister in charge of innovation and technology says Hong Kong's development in the sector has been so rapid that it's already in the fast lane. Damon Pang reports:
New transit route 'needs to seamlessly link to Kai Tak'
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A think tank researcher has urged the government to give full play to undeveloped land along the planned elevated mass transit system in Kai Tak to connect the line "seamlessly" with buildings in the neighbourhood. Authorities revised their plan on building the 3.5-kilometre system between Kai Tak MTR Station and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. They aim to begin service by 2031, three years earlier than expected. Ryan Ip, vice-president and executive director of Our Hong Kong Foundation's public policy institute, says it's difficult to cut construction time further. He spoke to Frank Yung:
HK triathletes race for a spot in National Games
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Hong Kong, China triathletes will try to book a spot in this year's National Games by competing in a selection race at the beginning of April along Victoria Harbour. The Asia Triathlon Sprint Championships will start with a swim at the Central-Wan Chai Waterfront Promenade, followed by cycling around Lung Wo Road and the IFC, before ending the running portion at Tamar Park. SAR athlete Jason Ng told Hailey Yip that he hopes to take advantage of competing on home turf.
'Action plan to stabilise stock, property markets'
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Beijing has rolled out a special action plan to boost consumption on the mainland. Consumer confidence has been described as rather weak and in need of improvement. Damon Pang reports:
China retail sales up four percent
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The plan was announced as China's latest economic data showed retail sales picking up in the first two months of the year. Industrial production also rose, while property woes continued amid a tariff war with the United States. Raymond Yeung has that story:
Canada says it must reduce reliance on US
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Canada must diversify its trade and security ties and become less reliant on the United States. That's according to the country's new Prime Minister Mark Carney who made the comments as he visited Britain where met with his counterpart Keir Starmer as well as King Charles. RTHK's UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Carol Musgrave that Carney will be looking to expand cooperation with Europe as Canada grapples with a more hostile US.
Philippine Senate probes Duterte arrest
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The Philippine Senate says it will conduct a formal probe of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest by Interpol and swift handover last week to the International Criminal Court. Frank Yung reports:
N. Macedonia protesters demand justice over deadly nightclub fire
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Thousands of people protested in North Macedonia, demanding justice and action against corruption after a nightclub fire killed 59 people on Sunday. Many of the dead were teenagers. The country's interior minister has said there are "grounds for suspicion that bribery and corruption" were linked to the fire. The Pulse nightclub was packed with fans watching a hip-hop concert, when sparks from flares apparently set a patch of ceiling ablaze. Jamie Clarke has more:
Rwanda cuts diplomatic ties with Belgium
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The Rwanda-back rebels who captured key areas of Congo's mineral-rich east have said they are withdrawing from this week's planned peace talks with the Congolese government. This comes as Belgium and Rwanda announced they were expelling each other's diplomats due to the conflict with the rebels. Jamie Clarke reports:
Mt Fuji hikers to be charged on all trails
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From this summer, hikers attempting any of Mount Fuji's four main trails in Japan will be charged an entry fee. A bill passed yesterday by authorities in the region will require hikers to pay as much as US$27 to hike any of these trails. Frank Yung reports:
BYD unveils new electric charging platform
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Electric vehicle powerhouse BYD has launched an upgraded platform for EVs with an industry leading 1,000-volt architecture that it said could charge EVs as fast as pumping gas. Azam Khan reports:
New mainland AI entrant could eclipse DeepSeek
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DeepSeek, the artificial intelligence firm based in Hangzhou, took the world by storm with its low-cost but powerful chatbot. Now there could be another Chinese rival to Chat-GPT, which many regard as the world's leading AI model. Called Manus, its developers say the tool can execute complicated tasks with minimal human input. Its capabilities were demonstrated in a video, where the tool performed in-depth analysis of a bunch of job candidates through their resumes. So how well does Manus fare against competitors like OpenAI's Operator? What risks should be considered before letting an AI agent execute an action on your behalf? Elvis Yu finds out with Raj Shroff in this episode of Tech Tuesday.