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Nepali people protest and pay tribute at Copenhagen’s City Hall and Nepal Embassy

Flowers, candles, and handwritten cardboard signs sat on the stairs of a public square in the city centre of Copenhagen to commemorate more than 50 Nepali protesters who died protesting against the government in Nepal on Monday and Tuesday. Hundreds of Nepalis living in Copenhagen gathered at the City Hall Square on Tuesday evening, said Jyotindra Thapa Ais, 29, a Nepali living in Copenhagen who attended the gathering.  On Wednesday morning, 23 Nepalis gathered again outside the Nepal Embassy to protest Nepal government policies, youth unemployment and a lack of opportunities and to pay tribute to the dead protesters. The protest, which started against a social media ban in Nepal, has escalated into a deadly conflict involving tens of thousands of mostly young people taking to the streets of Kathmandu.  More than 50 Nepali protesters, mainly students and young people, have died from clashes with security forces and police, according to the BBC. The Nepali Supreme Court, parliament and other major government buildings were set on fire. Houses that belong to government officials were raided by demonstrators. The dissent has created a power vacuum in the Nepali government, as the prime minister, ministers and high-ranking members of political parties resigned. Bel Gurung, 50, from Nepal who lives in Copenhagen, said he initiated the two events in Copenhagen on Tuesday morning, after hearing requests from Nepalis in Copenhagen to raise their voices. “No corruption, no violence, no injustice” were the key messages Gurung and other protesters spread, he said. “When you speak a voice, the true voice, it doesn't matter how loud or how small it was. That spread all over the world to the right people, to the right country,” he said. Jyotindra said: “Today was just for the death of the students, and we were not focusing on other …

Society

Music, beer, and sweat: Copenhagen metro turns into a dancefloor for locals

COPENHAGEN, Denmark  – Hundreds of revelers danced to electronic music with beer in an hours-long metro party in Denmark’s capital of Copenhagen on Sept. 7.  The rave took place in a running metro train circulating the Copenhagen City Circle Line from 8:30pm to 11pm, with people joining or leaving at any station.  Four music artists played live techno music, with big speakers installed in each car. Some party-goers brought beer along with them on the train. Metro staff regulated the flow of passengers at the gates to prevent overcrowding. Augustinas, 20, from Lithuania, said he has a broad interest in different music genres and is a fan of Peachlyfe, one of the DJs at the event. “I just want to have a great time. I want to dance. I want to listen to some good stuff,” he said before entering the metro party. The metro party is one of the events of the 2025 Strøm Festival, an annual festival since 2006 that promotes electronic music to both Danes and international audiences.  Around one-fifth of Nordic listeners chose “dance & electronic” as their favourite music genres, according to a 2020 study by YouGov, an international market research and data analytics firm. “We often present electronic music in unconventional settings: urban spaces, nature and other unexpected places where audiences do not typically expect to encounter electronic music,” said a spokesperson for the non-profit Strøm, which organizes the festival, in an email interview. Theo Pallesen, 21, a Danish local resident, found himself passing through one extra station due to the crowds.  “I was at the right station and tried to squeeze off and suddenly the door shut and then I was stuck just right in the middle of the party, where people were jumping, sweating and drinking alcohol,” he said.

Society

Hong Kong’s first hot air balloons festival deflates as balloon rides cancelled

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: SIU Tsz Hang、CHENG Tsz Sen SeanEdited by: LAI Uen Ling
  • 2025-09-06

The opening of Hong Kong’s first hot air balloon festival was marked by disappointment as the planned balloon ride was cancelled. Scheduled from September 4 to 7, the festival initially promised “Tethered Ride Experience” allows guests to enjoy views on hot air balloons. The government said it declined to issue the permit for the experience due to safety concerns. Follow the link below to watch the full reel: https://youtube.com/shorts/DAos7mQwVMI?si=pSBmlk8bXAsWvRC1

Society

LGBT-friendly gyms provide safe environment for non-binary bodybuilders

There are more than 10 LGBT-friendly gyms in Hong Kong, targeting the LGBT+ community in Hong Kong. It is to provide a comfortable place for the LGBT and to ensure they feel safe and secure. Reported by Henry Siu Tsz-hang, Richard Chen Xiyun Edited by Canny Lau Lok-tung

Society

Confusion over navigation app at Osaka Expo 2025

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: ZHANG Yiping、CAO JiawenEdited by: CAO Jiawen、ZHANG Yiping
  • 2025-06-09

OSAKA – Osaka Expo 2025 is supposed to showcase futuristic technologies, but some visitors experience were confused by the official app which was meant to offer with  navigation and language support.  The app, called “EXPO 2025 Visitors”, has a 2.3/5 rating on Google Play with over 500k downloads, with many users complaining about the slow function, clunky interface, and glitchy performance.  “It would be nice if they had a map with the pavilion names on the app, because we have to click on every button to see what it is,” said Frank Johnson, 37, a tourist from the United States.  “First we used the maps on the website and then the maps on the app, but we kept getting lost,” said Helen Okoro from the United States. “It’s because there aren’t really any signs with pavilion names in general.”  Tourists can buy a paper map for 200 yen at the venue, but the line is usually very long. According to the official website, the map is not distributed free of charge due to sustainability concerns. Across the venue, groups of volunteers are placed to help visitors find their way. “Lots of tourists need help with directions in the venue,” said a Japanese volunteer who chose not to reveal her name for fear of getting into trouble. “It is generally circular, so it’s hard to tell the direction,” she added.  Angela Zhou, a Chinese visitor aged 28, said the paths inside the venue are confusing. “Google Maps is much more useful compared to their official app,” she said. “It allows you to directly search for each pavilion and head straight to it, while the official app is slow.” “Many of the app’s functions require you to visit the website on a browser. For example, clicking on the booking button on the …

Politics

South Korea Presidential Election 2025: Students Embrace AI's Future Potential While Questioning Candidates' Preparedness for Tech Leadership

  • By: Wang YunqiEdited by: BO Chuxuan
  • 2025-06-03

Young voters in South Korea expressed different views on increasing funding for AI development, as some presidential candidates have mentioned AI in their speeches, amid the country's rising financial input for technology research and development. “I think it’s kind of a waste of money because we already have technologies like GPT, and China has DeepSeek. Developing AI requires a lot of information and money,” said Kim Jun Young, an English Education student at Korea University. “Still, we don’t really have sufficient resources to compete on the same level,” she added. Park (assume name), 26, majored in computer science, has also expressed doubts about the practicality and feasibility of AI policies proposed by different candidates.  “ I’m doubtful whether they can achieve meaningful advancements in this field,” he said, adding that he thinks many candidates do not understand AI much. South Korea recently increased the research and development budget for 2025 by 16.1 percent year-on-year to a record high of KRW 24.8 trillion (HK$ 141.4 billion) with a focus on cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and quantum technology. The ambitious investment aims to position South Korea as a global leader in these fields.  Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, who leads the poll, has identified AI, renewable energy, and the cultural industries as essential tools for addressing South Korea’s economic challenges meanwhile Kim Moon-soo, first runner-up in the poll, from the conservative People Power Party, promote himself by creating a joint fund to boost AI development. Meanwhile, Lee Jun-seok, the youngest candidate among all, representing the Reform New Party, emphasises the importance of data freedom in AI development and highlights the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in advancing the industry. AI has become a core driving force for national development, with applications spanning industries …

Gender-neutral toilets, Hello Kitty and Gundam highlights at the Osaka Expo

  • 2025-05-29

What is the Osaka Expo? The Osaka World Expo opened on April 13, and it is the first post-COVID Expo.  Over 160 countries, regions, and organizations are exhibiting their futuristic displays in over 80 pavilions, each with distinctive architectural designs. It is the second Expo in Osaka. The last one was in 1970. This year, it is in Yumeshima, or “dream island”, a reclaimed industrial waste burial site in Osaka Bay. The theme is “designing future society for our lives”. Each pavilion is divided into four zones: Connecting Lives, Saving Lives, Empowering Lives and Future Life. Osaka Expo will run for 184 days until 13 October, 2025. What is the Grand Ring? The Grand Ring, designed by Fujimoto Sou, is the largest wooden architectural structure in the world, measuring 20 metres high and having a 2-kilometre circumference. It is constructed using a fusion of modern construction methods and traditional Nuki joints, such as those used in the construction of Japanese shrines and temples. The Grand Ring cost about 35 billion yen (HK$1.9 million) to build and used around 27,000 cubic metres of wood.  “You can get such a great view of so many pavilions from the Grand Ring,” said Asa, a 30-year-old visitor from Saga, Japan.  Asked about the “waste of money” discussion of the Grand Ring, Asa said she does not think there is anything wrong with the spending. “It is a big international event, so these expenses are necessary,” she said. A Hong Kong visitor, Steven Gong, 40, said the cost of the architecture is not worth it. “It is beautiful, but it is also a waste of resources and money if it cannot be reused,” he said. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition will consider recommendations from private enterprises and public organisations on how to …

Society

Number of visitors at the Osaka Expo hits record high

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: ZHANG Yiping、CAO JiawenEdited by: CAO Jiawen、ZHANG Yiping
  • 2025-05-29

The Osaka Expo drew approximately 139,000 visitors on May 23rd, breaking the record for the highest number of visitors on a single day, despite ongoing complaints over confusing booking systems and long waiting times. The total number of visitors exceeded 5 million on May 26th, 44 days into the six-month event, according to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition. But that still falls short of expectations, as the Expo is projected by the association to have a total of 28.2 million visitors (150,000 daily).  “The waiting time for each pavilion is very long,” said a Japanese couple, Kayo Aoshima and Yoshiaki Aoshima, aged 82 and 78. “We went to the Arab Pavilion, where we had to wait for more than 30 minutes.” Kayo added. Pavilions at the Expo have different admission strategies. While a few only allow for those who have booked in advance to enter, others allow  on-site queuing. With each ticket, visitors can make one reservation for one pavilion or event through a lottery system seven days before their visit. They can also reserve or adjust bookings during the three days leading up to their visit, which operates on a first-come, first-served basis. “We have visited many pavilions, such as the USA, Colombia, and the Netherlands, ” said David Aragon, 40, a Mexican tourist.“We had to wait for around one hour at each one of them.” “Maybe more info outside the pavilions to know what is inside and exactly where we can enter something,” added Aragon. Nishijima Ryo, chief of Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, who was overseeing work at the Future of Life Pavilion, explained why only visitors with reservations could be admitted. “In this pavilion, you can wear an earphone device and experience the exhibition,” he said. “The number of machines is limited, so we limit …

Society

Piu Sik parade returns to Cheung Chau on Buddha’s birthday

Some 20 floats paraded down the streets of Cheung Chau along with children dressed up as celebrities on the annual Jiao Festival on May 5, the Buddha’s birthday.  The parade kicked off at Pak She Street at 1:30pm, passing through New Hing Street, Tai Hing Tai Road, Secondary School Road, Chung Hing Street, Tai Choi Yuen Road, Tai Sun Back Street, Hing Lung Main Street, New Hing Back Street, and concluded at Pak She Street again at around 4:30pm. Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, also known as the Bun Festival, is a Hong Kong folk festival that’s supposed to give thanks to the deities.  This year, characters from mainland Chinese animation Ne Zha 2 were a hit. Children also dressed up as National Games athletes, members of the “KK Park” scam group in Myanmar that detained Hong Kong residents, and the Hong Kong police’s anti-scam mascot “Little Grape.” The children in costumes, known as Piu Sik, sat on stilts carried by adults during the parade.  One of the performers included a girl wearing a sun hat and an orange shirt holding up a sign, to warn the public against scam farm jobs. Spectators lined the streets under the scorching sun and in the humidity.  “This is my first time at the parade. My favourite “Piu Sik” is Ne Zha because I liked the movie a lot,” said Xuan, 10, a Beijing tourist in Hong Kong with his parents during the “Golden Week” holiday in the mainland.  “I think this year’s Piu Sik parade is not exceptional since I have attended this event for 20 years already,” said Poon Lai-yin, 50, a Tin Shui Wai resident. “I hope I don't have to wait  too long for the ferries when I leave. The arrangement last year was really messy.” On-site police announced crowd …

Society

Navigating Hong Kong malls with sight impairment

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: CHEN Yik Nam、LI Sin Tung、CHAN Wing Yiu、Cheuk Chi Maggie YEUNGEdited by: Jenny Lam
  • 2025-05-07

Accessible facilities, especially tactile paths for the blind are either inadequate or improper in most of the malls, no matter in Hong Kong or Shenzhen. Despite the government regulations on accessibility for people with sight impairment, related malls’ respondents and government departments avoid replying directly.