Society
How Green Roofs Can Encourage a Green City Revolution
- 2024-05-12
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: KURNIAWAN Trista Vania、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: Elif Lale AYHAN、Yee Ling TSANG
- 2024-05-12
As Brisbane aims to become a greener city, the trend of green roofs is gaining momentum. While green roofs offer benefits, they also present challenges that cities must address before implementing new policies. Green roofs are also just one piece of the puzzle. Rather than relying on green roofs as one solution, cities like Hong Kong should view them as catalysts for inspiring more initiatives that pave the way towards a greener future.
AI-powered health and wellness tools: Personalising medical care at your fingertips
- 2024-05-11
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jemima BadajosEdited by: Ming Min AW YONG
- 2024-05-11
With an iPad’s front camera, artificial intelligence and sitting still for just 30 seconds, Vitals, an AI-powered app, can tell your vital signs by simply scanning the colour changes in your face. Vitals was developed by Panoptic.AI, a Hong Kong-based healthtech company founded in August 2022. The health and wellness monitoring app can identify up to 15 health indicators, including your breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation, which can help track current lifestyle conditions and detect any potential health risks down the line. As the colours in your face are affected by blood flow, signals that only show these changes are tracked, which can also filter out “blind spots” such as beards and tattoos. Next, the signals are sent to the company through the cloud, while any personal identifiable information is kept back on the user’s device. Kyle Wong, CEO and co-founder of the start-up, says the product’s idea stems from their previous projects involving temperature screening and thermal imaging technology in large-scale areas, such as border control points and government facilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company’s team realised that it was challenging to identify asymptomatic patients who did not show signs of fever or had taken medication that lowers their temperature, said Wong. “We were doing a lot of research about using a camera, trying to find what other features we can measure from the person,” Wong said. “That led to the idea of what we have now, which is by using a regular camera, and we're talking about the camera of your smartphone, your everyday, off-the-shelf device, we're able to measure these biomarkers,” he said. Artificial intelligence is developing in Hong Kong’s health technology industry as it transforms health and well-being services into a personalised and self-manageable tool. The rise of artificial intelligence in digital wellness …
Dyeing for Sustainability: Reviving natural indigo for eco-friendly textiles | Global News Relay
- 2024-05-08
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Ka Man Wong、Jemima BadajosEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2024-05-08
Environmentally-conscious artists and experts in the textile industry want to go back to the basics by promoting the use of natural indigo.
Hong Kong kickstarts monthly pyrotechnics on Labour Day
- 2024-05-07
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: AU YEUNG Jim、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: Jemima Badajos
- 2024-05-07
A 10-minute pyrotechnic display lit up the sky of Victoria Harbour on Labour Day. It is the first instalment of the government’s plan to hold pyrotechnics and drone displays every month to better utilise harbourfront resources, boost tourism and stimulate consumption, as explained in this year’s budget address.
Sex Toy stores Unleash the Wild Side of Hong Kong's Bedroom Secrets
- 2024-05-05
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: WANG LudanEdited by: Lisheng CHENG
- 2024-05-05
“I had my first orgasm in my life around 4 am with a vibrator,” said Vera Lui, owner of Sally's Toy, an adult centered store in Central which opened 11 years. ago It is a cozily lit room filled with the smell of woody perfume and piano music. Books on sex and love pile up on the shelves on one side, while another shelf is lined with vibrating dildos of various sizes. There are more than 18 adult stores in Hong Kong, excluding the night stalls that sell adult products in the Yau Ma Tei area. The female sex toys market share was the largest in the world in 2021, and is expected to continue growing, according to the Business Wire research report. Many shop owners and organizations in Hong Kong said that adult toys are not only a pleasure for the body, but also a way for people to explore their own bodies and have a more holistic view of sex. “ I've been having sex since I was 17, but it wasn't until I was 23 that I felt my body was my own, not a tool to fulfill male needs,” said Vera Lui, owner of Sally’s Toy. Lui was given her first vibrator by her husband to explore the body and it changed her mind about sex toys. “It was the first time I used a vibrator,” Lui said. “ After I came home and searched on Google “how to use sex toys”, I understood my lower body structure,” Lui added. After the climatic epiphany, Lui wanted to spread her experience and knowledge about sex toys to as many people as possible. Lui and her husband opened Sally’s Toy in 2010. “You would be hard-pressed to find an adult store in Hong Kong where you could properly …
The Wild Side of Hong Kong
- 2024-05-02
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: XIA Fan、ZHANG YipingEdited by: Ji Youn Lee、James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTO
- 2024-05-02
Intrepid snake watchers trudged through dense vegetation in northern Hong Kong, New Territory. Holding flashlights and expensive cameras, they trekked through wet grass and heavy mud in search of slithering snakes and vicious vipers. Leading them is William Sargent, a grizzled tour guide. He used to be the snake catcher who was authorised by Hong Kong police. Since 2017, he has been organising "Snake Safaris", nighttime excursions in the lush and diverse landscapes of Hong Kong. Sargent’s groups venture into areas such as Tai Mo Shan Country Park, where some of Hong Kong’s highest peaks are located. Every year from May to August, Sargent leads hundreds of adventurous visitors on these exciting expeditions. Snake Safari is a way for Sargent to improve awareness and build appreciation of snakes among the public. He sees it as a privilege to help people explore Hong Kong’s venomous, nocturnal wildlife. “Some people are very scared of snakes but they want to learn more. Some people are very interested. Some people want to introduce their children to wildlife to make them more interested,” Sargent said. “People that come on are very positive.” Apart from the reputation of being a metropolitan and financial hub, Hong Kong is rich and dense in biodiversity. These attributes have attracted people worldwide to appreciate its unique charm and strive to protect its teeming wildlife. According to government data, Hong Kong boasts a rich biodiversity with around 3,300 plant species, 55 species of land-dwelling mammals, 115 species of amphibians and reptiles, 194 species of freshwater fish, and over 375 species of insects. Professor Timothy Bonebrake, a Hong Kong University professor in biological sciences who studied snakes in Hong Kong, said snakes, being the main predators of many species, play an important role in the local ecosystem. “The diversity of snakes in …
Hong Kong tries to give the elderly more care when they face death
- 2024-05-02
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: WANG Jing、YANG ShuyiEdited by: Wai Sum CHEUNG、Ben Rong Li
- 2024-05-02
Ng Yu-fung’s father was at his deathbed at Nam Long Hospital, a specialist hospital for cancer patients. “What makes me regret is that I was afraid of my father's death when he was near the end of his life,” Ng recalled. His father’s last moments of life inspired him to become a volunteer in hospice care. Today, Ng is president of the Hong Kong Hospice Social Workers Association. The association’s goal is to enhance a patient’s quality of life before the end, focusing on pain management, spiritual care, and palliative care. Hong Kong ranked 20th among 80 countries in the 2023 in quality of death according to a white paper published by the Economist Intelligence Unit. In 2015, Hong Kong ranked 22nd among 40 countries. The Index scores countries across four categories: basic end-of-life healthcare environment; availability are; cost and quality of care. End-of-life care involves palliative care and hospice care, thus the progress of hospice care in Hong Kong contributed greatly to the rise in rankings. Dr. Fowie Ng, vice president of the Hong Kong College of Health Service Executives said that the progress of hospice care in Hong Kong is caused by many factors, including the city’s medical and social services. “The Hospital Authority has set up a ward specifically to treat end-of-life patients. It used to be the responsibility of the Bradbury Hospice Centre, but now it has expanded to many hospitals setting up these ward services on hospice care,” Dr. Ng said. Chan Mok-kwong, president of the Hong Kong Hospice Society said that not only has the government paid more attention to the development of hospice care in recent years, but the support groups who promote education and improve hospice care services have also made a lot of effort. “If the patients have financial difficulties, we …
“Enough is Enough”: Thousands Rally in Brisbane to End Violence against Women
- 2024-04-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: KURNIAWAN Trista VaniaEdited by: Lisheng CHENG
- 2024-04-30
Around 3,500 to 4000 people chanted and marched around the centre of Brisbane City, to and from King George Square, to call for an end to gender-based violence on April 28. There were similar rallies across Australia at 17 locations including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide. The marches demanded government action, including more funding for domestic, family and sexual violence support services, and acknowledgement that this is a ‘national emergency’. Data from an advocacy group Destroy the Joint revealed that 27 women have died in gender-based violence since the beginning of the year, 11 more than for the same period last year. The rallies also followed a stabbing attack at a Sydney shopping centre this month in which six people were killed, including five women. Astrid Raschke, 21, a trans-non-binary protester shared their experience of sexual violence from their teenage years. “By the time I was 21, I had experienced more sexual violence, more rape, than I had consensual sex. I will live with this trauma forever, and on the worst days, it feels like it has marred and touched every aspect of my life,” Raschke said. The police, they said, did not respond to their reports. As of now, the Queensland Police Service's duties include providing an investigation into the location of any domestic violence incident and taking the perpetrator into custody. Raschke believed that every major organisation is complicit in violence against women and there must be more funds to encourage domestic violence conversations. “I don’t know a single woman, a single non-male, that hasn’t experienced sexual harassment, been touched by domestic violence. That’s not good enough,” they said. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, at least one in five women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 between 2021 and 2022. The rally was …
Rep Your Style: The Enduring Allure of Vintage Fashion
- 2024-04-29
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jemima Badajos、Sze Kei WONG、Ka Man WongEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2024-04-29
Originating from Japan, the ‘vintage clothing’ concept first made its way to Hong Kong around the 1990s and stayed trendy to this day, continuing to be an outlet for the city’s youth to discover different fashion styles and wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Craft beer in Hong Kong: brewers in the post golden age
- 2024-04-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Haicen、ZHAO RuntongEdited by: Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-04-28
Along Tung Wan Road on Cheung Chau Island, hides an inconspicuous pub, with its name, “Island”, on a small brown sign. Everyday, 37-year-old hostess Vicky Du stands behind the pub counter, pouring beers and tasting them with customers. “We sell craft beer here,” said Vicky, “when I first tasted it, I fell in love with it and wanted to share it with more people.” “I introduce craft beer to every drinker I meet because I think everyone deserves a taste,” she added. Island’s liquor cabinet was filled with a wide selection of fine packaged beers. Some of them imported, but the vast majority were made in Hong Kong's local craft breweries. But Cheung Chau Island lacked the facilities for a brewery. So Vicky developed her own beer-ingredient list and later collaborated with various Hong Kong breweries for mass production. “The biggest characteristic of craft beer is its diversity,” said Vicky Du. “You can customise the recipe to whatever you want.” Unlike mass-produced beers, craft beers are usually produced in smaller quantities and accounted for a smaller share of the market. However, as more and more flavours are introduced, craft beer is increasingly popular with drinkers as a way of personal expression. According to figures released by the Census and Statistics Department, the number of specialised outlets selling alcoholic beverages in Hong Kong increased from 140 in 2008 to 460 in 2019. On the export side, craft beer has been the mainstay of Hong Kong's alcoholic beverage export. Hong Kong saw a golden age of craft beer in the past decade, with nearly 25 well-established local breweries, and countless pubs popping up every year, according to Business Digest, a Hong Kong commercial information platform. Among them, Moonzen, a brewery founded in 2013. It is one of the first breweries in Hong …