The new Huanggang border crossing facility is operating smoothly but still has room for improvement, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Friday, as he revealed that daily passenger traffic hit 130,000 during the three-day Chung Yeung festival holiday. Speaking on a radio programme, Tang said the new port is handling about 83,000 passengers on ordinary days – more than double the volume of the old crossing. During the long weekend holiday period, the average daily figure reached 130,000, with the busiest period around midday on Saturday, seeing waits of up to one hour from alighting to completing clearance, the security minister said. "On the 17th, the number of people exiting was nine times higher than normal. Usually, during peak hours, the wait is 15 minutes; now, it’s nine times longer than peak hours – if you calculate it that way, you might have to wait two hours. Also, don’t forget that this time, our border crossing allows direct entry into the mainland. Previously, after exiting Hong Kong, you still had to queue again on the mainland," he said. Tang stressed that the "one-stop" inspection system still makes the process faster than before, as travellers only need to go through a single check. The minister identified several areas for improvement, saying some travellers have not pre-registered for e-channel services, and children under seven must use manual counters. He said the authorities would learn from the experience and step up crowd management. On arrangements for non-Chinese passport holders, Tang said the mainland side requires them to fill in forms, and Hong Kong authorities have been assisting travellers in completing the paperwork while they wait. Tang noted that the new crossing can open up to 90 departure counters – 60 e-channels and 30 manual counters. However, the manual counters require staff on both the SAR and the mainland sides to operate simultaneously. The security chief thanked frontline staff for their hard work, acknowledging they are under immense pressure and have had to cancel leave. He said the authorities have deployed additional manpower and extended working hours where necessary. On next month's Apec summit in Shenzhen, Tang said if any Very Important Persons travel via Hong Kong, security preparations must be thorough, though the impact on ordinary citizens is expected to be minimal. He said the authorities will guard against anyone using Hong Kong as a gateway to enter the mainland for illegal activities, and will also watch for drone activity aimed at disrupting the summit. Edited by Aaron Tam

A teenage girl was killed at a home in Arcadia. The shooting suspect fled and tried to take his own life in Pasadena, officials said.

President Xi Jinping on Friday ordered all-out rescue efforts after a 7.0-magnitude quake toppled hundreds of houses in Xizang Autonomous Region, killing at least 16 people and injuring more than 50 others. Xi said every effort should be made to minimise casualties. The regional disaster prevention, reduction and relief committee activated a Level III emergency response for natural disaster relief on Friday. The State Council earthquake relief headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management also upgraded the national earthquake emergency response from Level IV to Level III. Xinhua news agency reported that over 330 houses collapsed or were damaged. As of 7am on Friday, 11 of the injured were in serious condition, while 43 sustained minor injuries. The city's earthquake relief headquarters said more than 12,000 residents have been evacuated. The damage caused by the quake is being further evaluated, and disaster relief work is underway, Xinhua said. Quake relief supplies have been arriving at the quake-hit zone as of early Friday morning, including 1,000 sets of prefabricated houses, more than 3,200 tents, over 2,800 folding beds, and other daily necessities like quilts, stoves and clothes. The tremor struck Baqen County of Nagqu City at 10.33pm on Thursday, according to the city's earthquake relief headquarters. (Reporting by Xinhua) _____________________________ Last updated: 2026-10-23 HKT 11:16 Edited by Cecil Wong

Public health officials in San Francisco reported a death associated with MGM-15, a lab-created and modified form of 7-OH.