The Eastern Section of the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point has opened to the public at 6 am on December 29, marking the last kilometre to connect the approximately 13-kilometre-long harbourfront on Hong Kong Island, from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan, fulfilling one of the visions for harbourfront developments.
The Eastern Section of the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point, Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Mr. Ivan Ho Man-yiu, the Chairman of the Harbourfront Commission, has recently inspected the eastern section together with personnel from the Civil Engineering and Development Department. Mr. Ho said that he had arrived at the Boardwalk at 6 am on the opening day and found that there were already citizens waiting at the site, hoping to be the first to experience the Eastern Section. In his eyes, the overall operation of the Eastern Section was generally smooth. In the following days, he would work with the Development Bureau and the Civil Engineering and Development Department to view the operation regularly.
Mr. Ivan Ho Man-yiu, Photo source: FB of Frankie Ngan
Since a collision between a pedestrian and a bicycle occurred earlier in the Western Section, Mr. Ho said the commission has taken follow-up measures for further investigation and aftermath. He hoped that both the citizens and users of the Sections could "share roads" harmoniously. As for the glass observatory deck, Mr. Ho noticed that when some citizens arrived at the exit of the observation deck, they would be informed by the staff that they needed to take a detour to leave, making him believe that more signs should be added to remind.
As for the snack kiosks and multi-purpose rooms providing catering services expected to open in the first quarter of next year, as well as the lifts and stairs beside Tin Chiu Street Playground, Mr. Ho said that the constructions are all progressing smoothly and he was confident that they could be opened to the public as scheduled. Besides, he also disclosed that the East Coast Park will hold a series of events around the Chinese New Year. The government is now coordinating related projects, hoping to attract more citizens and tourists to visit.
Frustrating security lines dwindled at U.S. airports Monday, clearing the worst bottlenecks as Transportation Safety Administration officers began receiving backpay for working during the government shutdown.
Checkpoint lines that at times stretched to four hours at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport shrank to waits of 10 minutes or less on Monday. In other previous trouble spots such as Atlanta and Baltimore-Washington International Airport, travelers were moving smoothly to their flights.
After weeks of airport chaos, there was finally optimism for the beleaguered aviation system.
Weary travelers hope the overdue paychecks will end the seemingly endless security lines and missed flights many experienced. It remains unknown how long federal immigration officers will maintain a visible presence in airport terminals as the busy spring break travel season continues.
TSA workers told union leadership Monday that they received some — but not all — of their back pay, according to Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the TSA chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees. He said the rest is expected by next week. Some employees also reported incorrect backpay amounts, including missing overtime, the union said.
Jones, who is also a TSA agent at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, said one colleague told him he was already “back to zero” after covering his car and housing payments and late fees. Workers are relieved the money has arrived, but with the shutdown still unresolved, he said, they worry it won’t provide lasting relief.
“None of my colleagues feel like they’ve been made whole," Jones said. “Their finances are destroyed.”
The union said the TSA updated its furlough policy on Sunday, removing guidance that allowed officers to request a furlough if they could not report to work for reasons tied to the shutdown, such as lack of transportation or child care.
“Working without pay forced more than 500 officers to leave TSA and thousands were forced to call out,” acting TSA Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in announcing the delayed payday.
The union agreed with these numbers, but said those who could not afford to report for duty now “have disciplinary actions looming over their heads.”
“Backpay alone does not fix those problems,” the union said.
The AP emailed TSA and DHS seeking comment and additional details on the agency’s furlough guidance.
The DHS shutdown resulted in not only travel delays but also warnings of airport closures as TSA workers who were only just recovering financially from last fall's extended government shutdown stopped going to work. TSA employees had gone without pay since DHS funding lapsed in February.
Other agencies affected by this latest shutdown include the Secret Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers immediately to ease the lines plaguing airports. Trump had rejected bipartisan efforts to fund the TSA while negotiations over ICE continue with Democrats, who have refused to approve more funding without restraints on Trump’s immigration enforcement and mass deportation operations. Trump's order left other DHS employees unpaid.
Democrats are demanding that ICE agents wear cameras, identify themselves and operate without masks. They also want judges to decide whether to issue their warrants, and they want ICE raids to avoid schools, churches or other sensitive places.
Republicans and the White House have been willing to negotiate on some points, but a final agreement remains elusive.
On Monday, there were few signs of progress on Capitol Hill. Senators held a short session without considering the House bill, then resumed their two-week break.
The union again urged Congress to approve funding for the entire Department of Homeland Security. “To say we are utterly disgusted and disappointed with our elected officials is an understatement,” the union said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump has offered to host an Easter Dinner for members of Congress who return to resolve the impasse. On Democrats' demands, she said “there has not been a change in policy.”
“It has always been the policy of this president and this administration to deport the worst of the worst illegal alien criminals,” Leavitt said.
As for the ICE agents Trump deployed to some airports a week ago to help with security, White House border czar Tom Homan said how long they stay depends on how quickly TSA employees return to work.
Associated Press contributors include Mary Clare Jalonick and Will Weissert in Washington.
Stained-glass windows cast colorful shadows on the floor as travelers walk through LaGuardia Airport in New York, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Travelers wait in a lines to get through security at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Stained-glass windows cast colorful shadows at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
An estimated wait time sign stands in a TSA security line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Airline passengers make their way to the security lines in Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Houston. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A TSA agent checks passengers at the security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International Airport Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A traveler walks through TSA security lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
A TSA agent hands a passport back to a passenger at the security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International Airport Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
A TSA agent hands a passport back to a passenger at the security checkpoint in Pittsburgh International Airport Monday, March 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Travelers wait in long security checkpoint lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
A traveler reaches for a bottle of water being handed out while waiting in a security checkpoint line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Airline passengers make their way through the security lines, next to a closed screening area, in Terminal C at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Houston. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
A traveler moves in view of an air traffic control tower at Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
