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Calendar of Events

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bombs were hurled at overhead lines, tracks and trains in operation. The destructive acts posed serious threats to the safety of passengers, MTR employees and the railway.

The first batch of five young HKSAR public officers recommended by the CPG to the UN is introduced at the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marking the first time the HKSAR is taking part in the UN Junior Professional Officer Programme. The officers are expected to start a two-year tenure at UN agencies in New York, Geneva and Vienna in 2020.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) releases a Staff Report, following its annual Article IV consultation, that affirms Hong Kong's position as a global financial centre, a regional trading hub and one of the world's most open economies. The IMF recognises that Hong Kong continues to maintain its competitiveness in the financial sector, marked by the free movement of capital and information, a simple tax system, a sound regulatory system, the rule of law and quality professional services. It also commends Hong Kong for its strong regulatory framework and prudential supervision which helps ensure the resilience of the financial sector, and reaffirms its long-standing support for the Linked Exchange Rate System as an anchor of financial stability for Hong Kong.

The Centre for Health Protection says it is monitoring closely a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, Hubei Province, and has contacted the National Health Commission for information. Frontline healthcare staff members of public hospitals are reminded to pay special attention to clinical information, including fever and acute respiratory illness, or pneumonia, and a travel history to Wuhan within 14 days before the onset of symptoms.

With 11 out of the 12 months warmer than usual, Hong Kong wraps up its warmest year since 1884 with the annual mean temperature reaching 24.5 degrees and the annual mean maximum and minimum temperatures of 27.1 degrees and 22.6 degrees also setting new records. There were 46 hot nights and only one cold day, respectively the most and the least on record. Overall, the year registered 30 new and joint records in high temperatures.

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