The Young Reporter

With a border checkpoint only a few hundred metres away, Jennifer Jiang, 20, a mainland university undergraduate visiting Hong Kong, hurriedly hid two e-cigarettes in her boots after a friend told her that possessing alternative smoking products was legally prohibited in Hong Kong and may result in a heavy fine. “I felt really nervous. After confirming the law online, my first idea was to throw away my two e-cigarettes, but they were brand new and kind of expensive…. So I thought I’d take a gamble," Jiang said. Finally, Jiang slipped through customs luckily with her e-cigarettes intact. In 2022, the Department of Health banned alternative smoking products, prohibiting the import, manufacture, sale, and commercial possession of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. This April, it extended the ban to public possession.  Anyone found carrying more than five e-cigarette capsules or 100 heating sticks in public places faces a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and up to 6 months’ imprisonment. Those carrying smaller amounts face a fixed penalty of HK$3,000.  Under the Import and Export Ordinance, importing e-cigarettes and other prohibited smoking products remains a criminal offence carrying a maximum fine of HK$2 million and seven years’ imprisonment. Despite the penalties, some travellers still bring e-cigarettes into Hong Kong. The Customs and Excise Department detected 2,600 cases of illegal importation involving alternative smoking products and seized about 9.35 million items last year. “Although public education has been conducted, the relatively new legislation still leaves room for improvement in timing and reach, particularly for cross-boundary visitors,” said Kelvin Wang Man-ping, professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Nursing, who has more than 15 years of experience in tobacco-control research. Hong Kong’s control points handled a record 334.6 million passenger trips in 2025, according to the Immigration Department. Amid such heavy flows, Customs …

In February, Chiao, 22, saw an AI-generated photo with her face superimposed on a naked body appear in the comments of one of her Threads posts. She was shocked and hoped her family and friends could tell the nude photo was fake, she said.  “I refused to share any portraits of myself on public platforms for months, as I was terrified my image would be turned into pornographic content somewhere out of my sight,” said Chiao, a student based in Taiwan, who doesn’t want to reveal her full name for fear of it happening again. Chiao now works part-time at an influencer marketing agency, where she must publish promotional content on her personal social media account showing her face. The required exposure of the job is stressful, she said, explaining that it recalls her trauma and raises the fear of falling victim again.  Luna, 32, a part-time influencer from Taiwan who also doesn’t want to reveal her full name, said she once received a direct message that included a screenshot of an image showing her face swapped onto an intimate image. Luna discovered this photo had been shared in an online chatroom whose members used anonymous accounts. She saved the chat logs as evidence. The group also contained deepfake content of other influencers in pornographic images, Luna recalled, with group members actively posting new face-swapped images at the time. Both Chiao and Luna said they decided not to report the abuse to police. They said they thought authorities would struggle to identify the perpetrators and that filing a report would do little to address the harm they had already suffered. AI-generated deepfake sexual abuse is an increasing threat for online users, particularly young women who say police can do little to help them. Pornographic images account for 98% of deepfakes, …

Hong Kong will subsidise 30,000 new employment opportunities through internships and full-time jobs for those with limited experience, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said at the 2026 Policy Address. This initiative is under the new “30,000 Youth Employment and Internship Programme” and it aims to facilitate career opportunities among fresh graduates and university students over a period of two years starting from the first quarter of 2027. Of these, 10,000 full-time jobs will target fresh graduates entering the workforce for the first time.  The number of job vacancies open for university graduates fell to a five-year low last year, according to a May report by the Research Office of the Legislative Council Secretariat. The report also attributed the rise in the unemployment rate of those aged between 15 to 24 to the high proportion of first-time job seekers who lack work experience. Within the programme, 10,000 internships for STEM will be offered over two years. Alizhan Ibrayev, 22, from Kazakhstan, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Hong Kong Baptist University this year, interned at “A Grade Energy Limited”, a company based in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park.  Ibrayev said that internship opportunities at the Science Park are very popular, especially for STEM students.  Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation, set up by the Hong Kong government in Shatin in 2001, is home to more than 2,400 technology companies, many of which offer student internships. Ibrayev mentioned that after his internship, he was offered a full-time position at the Park, but declined it to pursue his PhD at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He added that other graduates in his cohort are struggling to find part-time or full-time jobs. Hong Kong’s entire labour market has seen a decline in employment, according to …

For eight years, 69-year-old Rai Rekha lived with an aching back, relying on herbal remedies from her home country of Nepal because language barriers left her unsure how to seek medical help in Hong Kong. Rekha moved to the city to reunite with her daughter, who has a permanent job here. She speaks neither Cantonese nor English and is unfamiliar with the government elderly care services available to her. She is one of about 26,000 ethnic minority residents aged 65 and older in Hong Kong, according to the 2021 population census, who are eligible for the same healthcare and welfare support as other Hong Kong residents. Her experience shows how language barriers can leave EM seniors from accessing care. Frontline social worker Kenneth Law said that many remain invisible because welfare systems largely operate in Chinese and English, while there is a shortage of staff who speak South or Southeast Asian languages to cater for ethnic minorities. The government’s 2026 Policy Address said the Elder Harmony Network would be established from 2027 to increase support for EM residents. Collaborations between the existing EM care teams and district care teams would be strengthened to reach more EM seniors and refer them for assistance as needed. For families helping older relatives obtain care, the difficulties can extend beyond finding out which services are available. Surtani Rain, an Indian woman whose mother has cancer and needs regular follow-up visits, said she had struggled to balance work with accompanying her mother to the hospital. “My mum doesn’t understand Chinese and English, so sometimes I, as her only child, have to take leave from work to take her to her doctor’s appointments,” said Surtani. Surtani said her mother was angry that she had to take time off work for her, and refused to go to …

For Martin Turner, the chairman of the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, a trip to the bakery, a visit to a friend, and a stop to pay a bill can all fit into one bicycle journey. “When you’re on a bike, you’re part of the world,” said Turner, who cycles around Hong Kong nearly every day. “You’re out there, you’re in it, you can do all those things, and it’s enjoyable, healthy, and fun,” he added. Turner sees cycling as a practical way to navigate the city, not simply a recreational activity. But Turner’s experience is not the norm. In Hong Kong’s dense urban districts, fragmented cycle paths, steep slopes and roads shared with motor vehicles make everyday cycling difficult for many residents. That leaves dense areas, especially Hong Kong Island and Kowloon – areas with high population density and many short journeys – dependent on disconnected paths and roads shared with cars. For residents making short trips within these districts, cycling often remains an impractical option. “The city’s cycling infrastructure has largely been designed for recreation rather than commuting,” said Wang Donggen, Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. Wang added that climatic conditions, which are usually hot and rainy, land limitations, and residents’ habits also hinder daily cycling commutes in Hong Kong. “For many people in Hong Kong, bicycles have mainly been leisure or sports equipment, not a means of daily transport,” Wang said. Government data support that point. According to the Transport Department’s Travel Characteristics Survey 2022 Final Report, 70% of cycling-only trips and 73% of cycling legs connected to other transport modes took place within the same district. The survey also found that 86% of cycling-only trips lasted 30 minutes or less.  Yet most new cycle tracks are planned outside …

https://youtu.be/JclqSdmYdas?si=Aj4NY2NJcgZ9LKZ_ Reported by Linnea Hedman, Anne Baguio Edited by Audrey FU Rong Video description: Hong Kong’s largest gelato festival, Ciao! Gelato Fest 2026, has returned to PMQ in Central, bringing together 20 gelato brands from Hong Kong, Italy, Macau and Portugal. The festival features more than 30 limited-edition and debut flavours, including Asian-inspired creations such as Hong Kong French toast, pineapple bun and mochi. The event attracted long queues and a diverse crowd during the National Day Golden Week, with visitors from Hong Kong, mainland China, and more. According to PMQ, daily visitor traffic increased by 12 % compared with last year, averaging 12,000 visitors a day. With free admission, Ciao! Gelato Fest takes place at PMQ from Oct. 1 to 4 and Oct. 9 to 11.

Chole Liang and her boyfriend have spent about a year discussing their future. They plan to marry, but not to have children. For the 29-year-old teacher, the cost of raising a child and housing had made her reluctant to become a parent, despite the government’s latest birth incentives in the recent Policy Address. “I can’t imagine renting a decent flat costs HK$20,000 monthly, and daily spending adds on HK$10,000. With a newborn baby, there will be an extra HK$10,000 for baby milk, clothes and toys,” said Liang. She said the new birth bonus is just “a water drop in the sea”.  The latest Policy Address sets out 11 measures to encourage births, including financial incentives and support for housing and childcare. But academics say these measures may not be enough to persuade people to have children, as unequal caregiving responsibilities and the risk of career setbacks for women also influence their decisions. The Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions conducted a study in February about women’s fertility willingness and found that around 60% of 550 women aged 18 to 45 had no intention of having children, citing financial and housing concerns.  The Policy Address announced a three-year extension of the existing HK$20,000 newborn baby bonus, with payments for a second or subsequent child increased to HK$30,000.  The package also includes higher tax allowance, lower down payments and stamp duty relief for eligible families with newborns buying a home, as well as more childcare places and expanded access to fertility treatment. “Fertility decisions are a calculation of costs and returns. The measures aim to reduce the cost of bearing children by offering cash incentives,” said Guo Hua, a research associate at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Hong Kong Institute of Asia‑Pacific Studies.  “However, people may find the cash …

For eight years, 69-year-old Rai Rekha lived with an aching back, relying on herbal remedies from her home country of Nepal because language barriers left her unsure how to seek medical help in Hong Kong. Rekha moved to the city to reunite with her daughter, who has a permanent job here. She speaks neither Cantonese nor English and is unfamiliar with the government elderly care services available to her. She is one of about 26,000 ethnic minority residents aged 65 and older in Hong Kong, according to the 2021 population census, who are eligible for the same healthcare and welfare support as other Hong Kong residents. Her experience shows how language barriers can leave EM seniors from accessing care. Frontline social worker Kenneth Law said that many remain invisible because welfare systems largely operate in Chinese and English, while there is a shortage of staff who speak South or Southeast Asian languages to cater for ethnic minorities. The government’s 2026 Policy Address said the Elder Harmony Network would be established from 2027 to increase support for EM residents. Collaborations between the existing EM care teams and district care teams would be strengthened to reach more EM seniors and refer them for assistance as needed. For families helping older relatives obtain care, the difficulties can extend beyond finding out which services are available. Surtani Rain, an Indian woman whose mother has cancer and needs regular follow-up visits, said she had struggled to balance work with accompanying her mother to the hospital. “My mum doesn’t understand Chinese and English, so sometimes I, as her only child, have to take leave from work to take her to her doctor’s appointments,” said Surtani. Surtani said her mother was angry that she had to take time off work for her, and refused to go to …

For Martin Turner, the chairman of the Hong Kong Cycling Alliance, a trip to the bakery, a visit to a friend, and a stop to pay a bill can all fit into one bicycle journey. “When you’re on a bike, you’re part of the world,” said Turner, who cycles around Hong Kong nearly every day. “You’re out there, you’re in it, you can do all those things, and it’s enjoyable, healthy, and fun,” he added. Turner sees cycling as a practical way to navigate the city, not simply a recreational activity. But Turner’s experience is not the norm. In Hong Kong’s dense urban districts, fragmented cycle paths, steep slopes and roads shared with motor vehicles make everyday cycling difficult for many residents. That leaves dense areas, especially Hong Kong Island and Kowloon – areas with high population density and many short journeys – dependent on disconnected paths and roads shared with cars. For residents making short trips within these districts, cycling often remains an impractical option. “The city’s cycling infrastructure has largely been designed for recreation rather than commuting,” said Wang Donggen, Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University. Wang added that climatic conditions, which are usually hot and rainy, land limitations, and residents’ habits also hinder daily cycling commutes in Hong Kong. “For many people in Hong Kong, bicycles have mainly been leisure or sports equipment, not a means of daily transport,” Wang said. Government data support that point. According to the Transport Department’s Travel Characteristics Survey 2022 Final Report, 70% of cycling-only trips and 73% of cycling legs connected to other transport modes took place within the same district. The survey also found that 86% of cycling-only trips lasted 30 minutes or less.  Yet most new cycle tracks are planned outside …