The government admits the 15 residential sites on its land sale programme for the 2021-22 financial year will only provide for some 6.000 new homes - the lowest number in 11 years. Most are in the New Territories. The only site in Kowloon is the former Education Television Building that was used until recently by RTHK. The Education Bureau asked for the building's return last year on the grounds that it needed more office space. But it now apparently says it's no longer needed. Timmy Sung reports:

The 15 residential sites in the latest land sale programme will provide only some 6,000 new homes. But put together with land from railway property developments, projects under the Urban Renewal Authority and other sites, the government says it hopes to supply over 16,500 flats in the next financial year, up from some 13,000 this year. There are also plans to convert five commercial sites on the former Kai Tak airport to build homes. Mike Weeks asked Jeff Bent, the managing director of Worldwide Cruise Terminals, which operates the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, what impact the proposals would have on transport plans for the area:

The government says some people living in poor-quality housing or facing a long wait for public flats will begin moving into converted rooms in hotels and guesthouses by the middle of the year. Jimmy Choi reports:

The leaders of the Hong Kong Chinese University's student union have accused the institution of suppressing its students. They leveled the charge after the university stopped administrative support for the union and said it would no longer provide venues for its activities. It made the announcement as it accused the union's new leadership of failing to clarify, what it said were potentially unlawful statements and false allegations. Timmy Sung has more:

The government says the HK$8 billion set aside in the budget for "safeguarding national security" will not be going to the office set up for this purpose. But it said it can't disclose any details about what the money will be spent on, as Jimmy Choi reports:

A Lands Department surveyor has been remanded in custody after being found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon at the scene of a protest. Police found him carrying a laser pointer. Priscilla Ng has details:

A former adviser to the government on welfare and elderly policies has described the low-interest loan scheme for people who've lost their jobs outlined in Wednesday’s budget as "unsympathetic." Retired social work and social administration professor Nelson Chow says it would have been much better for Financial Secretary Paul Chan to announce a direct handout. He expects less than half of Hong Kong’s growing army of unemployed would even consider taking out the loans, capped at HK$80,000, on interest of one percent a year. Joanne Wong asked him why:

The chairwoman of the Retail Management Association welcomed the Financial Secretary's move to offer electronic spending vouchers worth HK$5,000 to all people in Hong Kong over 18 in the budget. Annie Yau Tse said the move should help shops at a time when tourists are unable to visit. But she told Annemarie Evans the measure could have been targeted more at sectors that most need help:

Many measures proposed by the financial secretary, Paul Chan, in his new budget have not gone down well with the public, or investors. In particular, the HK$5,000 in electronic spending vouchers, low-interest loans for the unemployed and the increase in stamp duty on stock trades have come in for criticism. University of Hong Kong economics professor Heiwai Tang told Janice Wong the stamp duty move will deter trading:

The Clean Air Network says it's disappointed that the Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, did not put forward anything in this year’s financial blueprint to phase out diesel and petrol-powered commercial vehicles, which are responsible for most roadside air pollution. Chan announced a big rise in annual licence fees but only for private vehicles. Clean Air's CEO Patrick Fung told RTHK's Maggie Ho that he believes the new initiatives will help the government achieve its decarbonisation objectives but won't significantly improve air quality:

Retired billionaire Li Ka-shing has reclaimed his position as Hong Kong’s richest person. That's thanks to a 20 percent jump in his fortune this year driven largely by his stake in Zoom. Jimmy Choi reports: