Hong Kong Free-To-Air Broadcasters Ordered To Carry Patriotic Programming; Cable TV Gives Up Pay-TV Licence

Matt Hancock told aides he wanted to “frighten the pants off everyone” about the Kent variant of Covid to ensure compliance with lockdown rules, leaked messages have revealed. The latest set of WhatsApp exchanges show the then-health secretary and others discussing how to use an announcement about the variant to scare the public into changing their behaviour. The messages, among 100,000 passed to the Telegraph by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, show cabinet secretary Simon Case suggested in January 2021 that the “fear” factor would be “vital”.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Cyber Heist,” a crime thriller directed by Hong Kong’s Wong Hing-fan (“I’m Livin’ It”) and scripted by Soi Cheang (aka Cheang Pou Soi), took the top spot at the mainland Chinese box office over the weekend. It earned a very modest $6.2 million, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. But that was enough to win on the quietest weekend since January’s Lunar New Year holiday season. “Cyber Heist” stars Aaron Kwok as a cyber security engineer who develops a state-of-the-art firewall that is capable of fending off online attacks against the global financial system. But he does not realize that in doing so he has stepped into a minefield that is even more dangerous. The picture also stars Lam Ka-tun and Simon Yam.

King Charles went ‘directly against the Queen’s style’ and made a ‘big mistake’ by evicting Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, a royal expert said. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex this week confirmed that they had been asked to vacate their UK home on the Windsor estate - which was gifted to them by the late Queen Elizabeth II after they tied the knot in 2018.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla are set to visit France and Germany for the first state visits of his new reign, it has been announced. The royal couple will use the occasion to "celebrate Britain’s relationship" with the two countries through an array of engagements. It will be the first time that Charles, 74, has travelled abroad in an official capacity since becoming King.

Matt Hancock joked he wanted to "celebrate" Piers Morgan's departure from Good Morning Britain. The disgraced MP who was ousted from his position as Health Secretary and broke his own lockdown rules during the height of the Covid pandemic recently had a series of WhatsApp messages leaked. In another leaked message, Matt appeared to have discussed faking a "get well soon" message to Piers after he caught Covid before his exit from GMB.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Already the highest grossing local film in its home market, courtroom drama, “A Guilty Conscience” has broken into Hong Kong’s all-time top ten box office ranking with a cumulative of HK$107 million ($13.7 million). Data from Hong Kong Box Office Ltd. shows the film achieving the feat after just 41 days in cinemas and coming within HK$1 million ($150,000) of overtaking “Top Gun: Maverick.” The data firm noted that the last time a Hong Kong film got this far was with fantasy-action-comedy “Kung Fu Hustle” in 2004. Since then, it has been overtaken by a fleet of Hollywood titles. Hong Hong’s current top ten is headed by “Avengers: Endgame” and includes six Marvel movies, the two “Avatar” titles and “Titanic.”

King Charles has sent an emotional message to the President of Greece to express his sorrow over an “appalling” train crash in the country. More than 40 people died after a passenger train and freight train collided near the city of Larissa in northern Greece, in one of the country's worst rail accidents.The first four carriages of the passenger train were derailed and the first two caught fire, leaving them almost completely destroyed.

After three years of taking place entirely online, Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (Filmart), the largest content market in Asia before the pandemic, is finally returning as a fully-fledged in-person event (March 13-16, 2023). 

At previous in-person editions of Filmart, Hong Kong’s major film companies, including Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP), One Cool Group, Universe Films and Media Asia, always anchored the trade show floor with huge, elaborate booths promoting the latest Hong Kong films, animation and TV series. 

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King Charles III makes his official ascent to the throne, but the afterparty is shaping up to be anything but epic.According to reports, a long list of British A-listers, ranging from Elton John and Ed Sheeran to Harry Styles and Adele — even the Spice Girls — have declined invitations to perform at the big bash.And while John and Styles are said to have declined due to scheduling conflicts, as the Sun reported on Feb. 25, experts say it’s no wonder so many others have given firm no’s to The Firm.

King Charles III wants Meghan Markle and Prince Harryto move our of Frogmore Cottage before his coronation this May, it's been reported. Incase you've been hiding under a rock for the past two-and-a-half months, the California-based Sussexes have caused a royal ruckus - the likes of which we've never seen - thanks to their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan and the former's incendiary memoir Spare, which hit bookshelves back in January.The Sun now reveals that the "stunned" couple's UK residence of Frogmore Cottage (which the late Queen Elizabeth II gave them) is being handed over to the 74 year old monarch's brother Prince Andrew, who officially no longer serves The Firm, before his older sibling's history-making ceremony.

King Charles has reportedly evicted Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from their UK base of Frogmore Cottage following the publication of Harry's memoir Spare earlier this year.The book saw the Prince share some intimate details of his personal and royal life, including claims that his brother Prince William physically attacked him, and that it was Charles who first called him the "spare" - almost immediately after he was born. And now the Sussexes frosty relationship with the Royal Family has been hit by another blow, with the couple reportedly being kicked out of Frogmore Cottage.The couple are thought to be arranging for any items they still have at Frogmore to be sent to their home in California, ahead of the change in residence.

Matt Hancock rejected advice to Covid test all residents entering English care homes, an investigation based on a leaked trove of more than 100,000 WhatsApps alleges. The Telegraph claims chief medical officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty told the then health secretary in April 2020 there should be testing for 'all going into care homes'.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Martial arts veteran Sammo Hung is to be presented with a lifetime achievement honor at the upcoming Asian Film Awards. The ceremony is back as an in-person event after a two-year absence and shifts back to Hong Kong after previously being held in Hong Kong, Macau and Busan. Hung is expected to accept the award on Sunday March 12 at the Hong Kong Palace Museum. “I’m so happy and surprised that I can still win awards these days, especially an award that affirms my entire performing career,” said Hung in a forwarded statement. He has a career as actor, action choreographer, director and producer that stretches some 60 years.

King Charles’ “constitutionally unwise” meeting with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has angered unionists as Rishi Sunak seeks their support over the new post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland. Leading Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said it was wrong to involve Charles in the “immediate political controversy” on the day the Prime Minister will sign a new agreement with her.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong courtroom drama film “A Guilty Conscience” edged aside Chinese and Hollywood tentpole films to top the mainland China box office in its opening weekend. According to data from consultancy service Artisan Gateway, the film earned $8.5 million (RMB58.4 million) in its opening three days between Friday and Sunday. “The Wandering Earth 2,” which has been in cinemas for over a month, earned $7.4 million to elevate its cumulative total to $568 million. “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which opened on top a week earlier, collected $7.0 million, giving it a 10-day cumulative of $31.4 million.

King Charles III is continuing to show his support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The 74-year-old British monarch shared a message marking the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.«It has now been a year that the people of Ukraine have suffered unimaginably from an unprovoked full-scale attack on their nation,» he wrote.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be crowned on May 6 coronation.

The King has held an audience with the president of the German parliament. Charles, who is expected to become the first British monarch to address the Bundestag during a state visit to Germany later this month, welcomed Barbel Bas to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon.