On August 14, 2018, the FCC became embroiled in controversy by hosting a talk by Andy Chan Ho-tin, whose banned Hong Kong National Party advocates Hong Kong independence. Defended by the talk’s host and FCC Vice-President, Victor Mallet, as the FCC exercising its right of freedom of speech, the talk saw Mallet lose his work visa, and the FCC attacked by mainland nationalists questioning the FCC’s tenancy of its iconic home, the heritage former ice- house building on Lower Albert Road. Angst about the FCC’s government-owned club house rises at each lease renewal.

Over-arching everything is climate change with young Swedish activist Greta Thunberg’s call to “panic” Hand-in-hand with the and “if you don’t want to listen to print journalism story is the me, then listen to the scientists”. phenomenal rise of social media The FCC’s plan to go green began and instant digital forms of in 2018 and is an ongoing project. communication. The topic was Year-end prediction for the next chosen for the inaugural FCC decade? We will see Greta’s panic Journalism Conference in 2016, acted out. with journalists gathering to discuss every aspect of News in the Era of Digital Disruption.

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In July, the High Court disqualified four pro-democracy legislators for failing to sincerely take the oath The Democratic of office. The four lawmakers – Party announced , Lau Siu-lai, Edward Yiu test results on and Leung Kwok-hung all changed drinking water in their oaths of allegiance in some July showing samples way during their swearing-in from Kai Ching ceremony at the Legislative Council Estate in Kowloon in October 2016. City contained lead Typhoon exceeding World Mangkhut, Health Organisation Hong Kong’s standards. This led most intense to a health scandal storm since as excessive lead was records began in found in tap water in 1946, battered many housing estates, the city from schools and public September 6-18. hospitals. It caused a record storm surge, The year ended with six months of uprooted 1,500 protests seeing no signs of abating. What trees, smashed began in June with mass protests of In what became known as the Fishball thousands of upwards of one million people in reaction Revolution, hundreds of people clashed windows and left to Chief Executive ’s attempts with police in Mong Kok during the Lunar 394 people injured to force through amendments to an New Year as the government tried to shut – another record, extradition law seethed into unauthorised down the traditional night food market, the highest No 10 marches, and an increase in violence where vendors are allowed to sell food rent storm signal was by both police and protesters. Calls for free. More than 50 were arrested in what raised for 10 hours. an inquiry among the five demands of morphed into a demonstration and riot protesters have been ignored.

CREDIT: AFP, FCC & SUE BRATTLE involving more localist participants.

THE CORRESPONDENT JANUARY 2020 15