Briefs | Hong Kong resumes fresh pork supply

Hong Kong resumed its fresh pork supply yesterday, with about 2,000 live pigs transported to two local abattoirs for auction, Radio Television Hong Kong reported. The Sheung Shui and Tsuen Wan slaughterhouses resumed service on May 20, but the city’s total supply of fresh pork is estimated to be around 60% of what was previously offered, according to RTHK. Approval has been given for live pigs to be imported from the mainland to Hong Kong, Chui Tak-yi, acting secretary for the Food and Health Bureau, said at a media session on Sunday. The Hong Kong government issued an order this month to cull all pigs in a slaughterhouse where one was found to be infected with the African Swine virus, a move that it said was necessary before supply from China could resume. China had suspended the transport of all live pigs to Hong Kong after the first case of African swine fever was found in the city, the South China Morning Post previously reported. 

Over 7,000 kg of ivory products seized

A total of 7,746 kg of ivory and ivory products have been seized in Guangdong Province in the first four months of this year, according to customs authorities of the province. Guangdong customs busted 67 cases of endangered species smuggling in the same period. Apart from the ivory items, a batch of live pangolins, eagles, and giant salamanders have also been seized. The Chinese government suspended imports of ivory and all ivory products in 2015 and ended commercial processing and sales of ivory at the end of 2017.

Starbucks opens ‘silent cafe’ in Guangzhou

Starbucks has opened a “silent cafe” in Guangzhou, where about half of the staff are people with hearing loss, as part of an initiative to support the employment of people with disabilities. “This might be the quietest Starbucks of over 3,800 shops on the Chinese mainland,” said Leo Tsoi, chief operating officer of Starbucks China. Fourteen of the 30 staff at the shop, located in Yuexiu district which officially opened over the weekend, are hearing impaired. The shop has a specially-designed ordering system that allows people to place orders without saying a word. For example, all the drinks and food are numbered to facilitate the ordering, and customers can also choose to write down their specific needs. “We cannot hear you but would like to share a tasty coffee with you,” said Chen Siting, who works at the store. “I believe more people like me could find a career they are passionate about in the future.”