

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Janice Wong and Mike Weeks2020-08-07
Friday
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Selected audio segments:
Fears grow of Singapore-style outbreak in domestic-helper hostels
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Health officials say they are worried about the possibility of Singapore-style outbreaks of Covid-19 in dormitories for foreign domestic workers after another helper who stayed in a hostel came down with the virus on Thursday. Richard Pyne reports:
Free coronavirus testing in domestic-helper dorms
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The government on Thursday announced free Covid-19 tests for thousands of foreign domestic helpers living in dormitories. It also announced the Immigration Department would speed up the vetting of applications to change employers, to shorten the stay of helpers in such hostels But the Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body warned that mass testing of foreign helpers is likely to increase discrimination against them. The group's Eman Villanueva urged the authorities instead to provide accommodation for the workers rather than leaving it to employment agencies who, he said, cram them into hostels that are often in poor condition. He spoke to Annemarie Evans:
Deterioration in Hong Kong’s mental health rings alarm bells
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The head of psychiatry at the University of Hong Kong says there's been an alarming deterioration in the SAR's mental health. He was speaking about a study that found many people here are showing signs of trauma and depression after last year's violent anti-government unrest and amid the ongoing health and economic crisis. Candice Wong reports:
Police set to charge activists over June 4 vigil
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About two dozen prominent pro-democracy activists say the police have told them they'll be charged with unauthorised assembly for allegedly participating in a June 4 vigil in Victoria Park. Richard Pyne has details:
‘No option ideal’ for filling Legco-election vacuum
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Pan-democrat lawmakers will reportedly meet on Friday to discuss what they should do with regard to the Legislative Council before the next elections take place in around 13 months from now. This comes just ahead of a meeting of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee to decide how to fill the legislative vacuum the postponement has created. Janice Wong spoke with political commentator Cheung Chor-yung about the two meetings. But she started by asking Cheung for his reaction to the decision to charge activists over this year’s June 4 vigil:
Supreme People’s Court VP side steps questions on security law
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The vice-president of China’s Supreme People’s Court, Jiang Wei, says Hong Kong’s national security law will only give people more freedom, not less. During a one-and-a-half-hour online forum, reporters put forward questions in relation to how suspects’ rights will be protected and what roles mainland courts will play. But Jiang provided no answers , as Maggie Ho reports:
FCC raises concerns about delays with journalist’s visas
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The Foreign Correspondents’ Club says reporters in Hong Kong are experiencing "highly unusual" visa problems. It's called on Beijing and Washington to stop using the media as a political weapon. Timmy Sung has the details:
Amcham says its members are weathering the storm in Sino-US relations
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The tech sector is now at the centre of deteriorating relations between Washington and Beijing. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called this week for "untrusted" mainland apps to be removed from US app stores. His comments came as President Donald Trump threatened to ban Tiktok. The hugely popular video-sharing app currently faces a deadline of September 15 to either sell its US operations to Microsoft or face an outright ban. One analyst described the action of the Trump administration over this as “piracy”. Mike Weeks asked the chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce, Robert Grieves, what he thought of the move: