

Hong Kong Today
Description:
RTHK's morning news programme. Weekdays 6:30 - 8:00
Presenter:
Janice Wong and Mike Weeks2020-09-25
Friday
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Selected audio segments:
Trio imprisoned for 3-4 years over New Town Plaza riot
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Two men and a teenager who pleaded guilty to riot charges have been sentenced to up to four years in prison. The judge said they had participated in a "brutal and savage" riot during which police officers were assaulted. She described the incident as a direct attack on law and order. Jimmy Choi reports:
Ronny Tong voices strong opposition to sentence review panels
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Executive councillor Ronny Tong has described calls for a panel to be set up to review sentencing guidelines as "very dangerous". Holden Chow, the vice chairman of the pro-Beijing DAB party, has been pushing for such a panel to address what he sees as overly-lenient sentences handed out to some anti-government protesters. But Tong said sentencing reviews would just add to the political pressure judges are coming under. The barrister was speaking to Jimmy Choi about a statement issued by Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma on Wednesday, urging the public to refrain from attacking the judiciary:
Minimum pay freeze ‘will ensure poorest are harder hit by the recession’
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Sources say the statutory minimum wage may be frozen at HK$37.50 an hour after employer representatives on an advisory commission opposed a HK$2 increase because of the coronavirus-driven recession. Worker representatives had asked for the rise, but the businesses side was only willing to agree to add HK$0.5. The government will make a final decision after the commission hands in its report next month. Mike Weeks asked veteran unionist Lee Cheuk-yan why a compromise couldn’t be reached:
Supermarkets urged to offer consumers better deals
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The Consumer Council has urged the city's two major supermarket chains to offer more discounts to the public as their business has been booming during the pandemic. ParknShop and Wellcome are among the thousands of firms to have received government subsidies aimed at protecting jobs during the virus-driven downturn, but unlike most, they haven't been struggling. Both have announced plans to give back to the community, but the consumer watchdog isn't satisfied. Janice Wong asked its chief executive, Gilly Wong, why not:
UK added to HK’s list of high-risk countries for Covid-19
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The government has decided to add the UK to its list of 'high-risk' covid countries but left out several other European nations where coronavirus infections are again surging. The order also won't be imposed until next Thursday, when all travellers from Britain, or passengers who've recently been to the UK, must show proof that they've tested negative for the disease before flying into Hong Kong. But Medical Association infectious disease expert Leung Chi-chiu told Ben Tse the government should add other countries to its list, to ensure testing and quarantine orders aren't circumvented:
One killed in suspicious Shatin fire
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Firefighters say a blaze that tore through a public housing flat in Shatin killing one man may have been started intentionally. Five other people were injured in the fire and taken to hospital. Two were listed as serious on Friday morning. Joanne Wong reports:
Media groups present united front on accreditation order
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There's been more fallout from the new press-accreditation order announced by the police earlier this week. It has been roundly criticised by journalist organisations. On Thursday, eight media groups joined hands to accuse the force of misleading and lying to the public about the benefits of the decision to only recognise government-registered media. Here's Timmy Sung:
Mystery reigns over killing of South Korean fisheries official
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South Korean President Moon Jae-in has described the killing of one of the country's fisheries officials by North Korea as 'unpardonable' and demanded Pyongyang explain what happened. But so far there's been no response from Kim Jong-un's regime. Military chiefs in Seoul said the man disappeared from a patrol vessel near the border earlier this week, and was apprehended by North Korean troops. They say he was interrogated and shot. But RTHK's correspondent in Seoul, Frank Smith, told Annemarie Evans the details revealed about this incident make it even more of a mystery: