News
Migrating bird draws crowd at Kwun Tong Promenade
- 2023-10-07
- Society
- By: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTOEdited by: Tsz Ying CHEUNG
- 2023-10-07
A group of photographers gathered under the beating sun at Kwun Tong Promenade on Friday, all for a picture of a lone Eurasian Hoopoe. The Eurasian Hoopoe is a medium-sized bird from the Upupidae family and native to parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. They often appear alone and are known for their distinct "hoo-poo-poo" call. “It made me stop to take a look,” said Fred Kwok Yuen-po, who took a moment from his routine jog to photograph the bird. He had never seen so many photographers at one spot since he started running along the promenade in 2019. "I'm not familiar with birds myself, but it's nice to see special ones," Kwok said. Seemingly unfazed by the people around it, the Eurasian Hoopoe remained active and pecked at the ground, looking for soil-dwelling slugs and worms to eat. While it is of "least concern" on the list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of the Hoopoe is declining in parts of Asia and Europe as a result of hunting, habitat loss and climate change, according to BirdLife International, a global network of non-governmental organisations specialising in bird conservation and research. Daniel Yu Shun-cheung, 66, is a bird watcher with over a decade of experience. "It's my first time photographing a bird here," he said. Yu said the Hoopoe is a great find for the local bird watching community. While the promenade gets visits from local birds, such as the widespread Eurasian Tree Sparrow and Black-collared Starling, there have been no reports of migrating birds around the area. "I never thought it could show up in such a busy environment," said Yu. Despite being an “uncommon and irregular visitor” during autumn and winter, the Eurasian Hoopoe has been recorded in open farms and grasslands, with some …
Tai Hang Fire Dragon dances for the first time in four years
- 2023-10-05
- Society
- By: Lisheng CHENG、Ji Youn LeeEdited by: Yu Yin WONG
- 2023-10-05
The Tai Hang Fire Dragon danced for the first time in four years during the Mid-Autumn Festival. This year’s performance from Sept. 27 to Sept. 30, is part of the government's efforts to revive Hong Kong’s entertainment and tourism sectors after a long stretch of pandemic lockdowns. As festive season kicks off, people from across the world are back in the city, some specifically for the fire dragon. Alex Grion, 16, is a tourist from France. “I enjoy the strong traditional Chinese culture atmosphere here,” he told The Young Reporter. The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance has a rich 180-year history. It originated from a folk story about a buddhist monk who was told to create a burning dragon out of incense to ward off pestilence. Nowadays, residents of the area create a dragon out of incense sticks and burn it during the three day Mid-Autumn festival celebration to wish for good luck. The ritual has been recognised as a national heritage by the mainland and Hong Kong in 2011 and 2017 respectively, John Lau, a 50-year-old Tai Hang resident, was so excited and kept cheering. “I have participated in this activity since I was a child. The dragon is a symbol of peace and happiness for us,” said John. The 67 metre dragon is traditionally carried by 300 of Tai Hang’s current and past residents, and stretches about the length of two blocks. Michelle Cheung, 60, runs a souvenir booth for the dragon dance. HIs products range from T-shirts to commemorative dolls holding incense sticks. The shop owner is glad to see the dragon’s comeback. “After so many years of the epidemic, seeing so many people come to participate this year is actually a reflection of Hong Kong's renewed vitality. Because everyone had to stay at home and not …
K-Market brings life to Kennedy Town during Mid-Autumn Festival
- 2023-10-02
- Society
- By: Hanzhi YANG、Xiya RUIEdited by: Ming Min AW YONG
- 2023-10-02
Since Friday, strings of lanterns have lit up Belcher Bay Promenade in Kennedy Town to welcome the Mid-Autumn Festival. Many of the visitors also brought their own lanterns. Compared with last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, when Kennedy Town was quiet amid the pandemic, this year’s K-Market has brought life back to the district.l. Coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, the K-Market will run from September 29 to October 2 from 3pm to 11pm. Entrance is free. Jointly organized by the Development Bureau, Sketch Culture and SlainteHK, the fair is also known as the "Night Market and Music Festival". Several local bands and DJs transformed it into a music town from 4pm to 10pm. The festival includes around 60 retail booths, offering dry goods and food stalls, free activity booths, handicraft workshops, and more. At around 9:30 PM, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu arrived to inspect and feel the festive spirit. "I'm so happy to hear that there is something to buy and eat," said Lee. He asked visitors about their views on the K-Market and hope each place to be unique and popular. Lin Caiying, a mother of four from Foshan in Guangdong, chose Hong Kong as their family’s destination during the Mid-Autumn Festival. "I have always wanted to travel to Hong Kong, but I was unable to cross the border before," said Lin. "But when the border reopened this year, and we have seven days off because of the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, my husband and I decided to bring our children to see," she said. "My kids made flower knots in a craft workshop and they love it. It’s the best Mid-Autumn Festival holiday for us," she said. Both kids were holding lanterns as souvenirs. With local bands and DJs taking turns to perform …
More than 1500 Join Petition to Demand Clarity on Rosaryhill School
- 2023-09-27
- Society
- By: Lisheng CHENGEdited by: Yixin Gao
- 2023-09-27
The number of parents, teachers, students and alumni who signed a petition to demand an explanation on the expected closure of Rosaryhill School on Stubbs Road reached 1525. They accused the school’s sponsoring body, Dominican Missions of failing to consult and respect them before an announcement on Sep. 19 to merge the kindergarten and primary school of Rosaryhill School with Dalton School Hong Kong and abolish the secondary department after two years. An internal notice of the Merger and Abolishment Plan was reportedly released to students and teachers without prior consultation. The principal was informed on Sep. 14, and parents and students were informed on Sep. 15. A parent meeting was then held less than 24 hours after the release of the notice. “It was released so late that many parents and students didn't see,’’ said Param Verma, 15, a secondary student from the school. Parents had insufficient time to attend and discuss the possibilities of better student arrangements”. Aaren Sapra, 15, a year three secondary student, said that parents were forced to look for other schools and were concerned that the government secondary school Central Allocation system may not be the best option for their kids, and they were worried that their children could not adapt to a new school and may lose their friends. “I will consider transferring our child to another school. We hope to give our child a fresh start sooner rather than waiting here for an uncertain future,” said Tracy Lo, 32, a secondary student’s mother. “Switching to another school means sacrificing the elective courses crucial for my future career aspirations,” said Param. With the school facing an uncertain future, alumni expressed profound disappointment and heartbreaks. "I have spent one-third of my life at Rosaryhill, forging valuable relationships with educators and peers and igniting my …
New archeological discoveries from Sanxingdui sites unveiled at Hong Kong Palace Museum
- 2023-09-27
- Culture & Leisure
- By: Juncong SHUAI、Yuqi CHUEdited by: Chengqi MO
- 2023-09-27
The Hong Kong Palace Museum exhibition of Sanxingdui relics opened Wednesday, with nearly half of the 120 artefacts unearthed since 2020 and showing for the first time in a major exhibition outside Sichuan province. The bronze, gold, jade and ceramic artifacts dating back 2,600 to 4,500 years are from the Sanxingdui, Jinsha and Bodun archeological sites on the Chengdu Plain. Twenty-three items are grade-one national treasures. Sanxingdui, referring to three remnants of man-made mounds that might have been part of ancient city walls, was first discovered in the late 1920s near Guanghan, Sichuan province. “The reason why we choose to unveil many of the new discoveries in Hong Kong is that compared to the mainland, there is a lack of knowledge of ancient Chinese culture,” said Lei Yu, the curator of Sanxingdui Museum. “The new archeological discoveries are significant because they extend our understanding of Sanxingdui or Shu cultures, with abundant bronze wares that have never been seen before,” Lei added. "After viewing these relics, I was particularly shocked by the beauty and design, which express the Sanxingdui people's respect for nature and gods," said Richard Cheng, a 65-year-old Hong Kong resident. "The exhibition really empowers my cultural confidence." The exhibition is divided into four thematic sections which explore the art, urban life, belief systems and the origins and legacy of the ancient Shu civilization. The exhibition has over 10 multimedia displays, including a holographic projection of a bronze tree and virtual reconstruction of a broken bronze figure. “After watching this exhibition, I find ancient Chinese culture so mysterious,” Zack Brown, 34, said. “ It’s amazing that scholars don’t exactly know what these artefacts were used for thousands of years ago, which leaves space for imagination.” Ray Chen, 22, a student from Chinese University of Hong Kong, said he was disappointed …
Alibaba logistics arm to come under separate listing at HKEX
- 2023-09-27
- Business
- By: Junzhe JIANGEdited by: Bella Ding
- 2023-09-27
Alibaba Group Holdings (09988, BABA) announced on Tuesday that its logistics arm Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, will come under a separate listing. It will be the conglomerate’s first initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after its restructuring earlier this year. The proposed spin-off will comprise the Hong Kong public offering and international offering. According to the announcement, after its completion, Alibaba will still hold more than 50% of Cainiao’s shares, retaining Cainiao as a subsidiary. As of Tuesday, Alibaba holds 69.54% of Cainiao. Citi Group, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and CITIC Securities are joint sponsors of the offering, according to the preliminary prospectus on HKEX. “The proposed spin-off should better reflect the value of Cainiao Group on its own merits and increase its operational and financial transparency,” said Kevin Zhang, secretary of Alibaba Group Holding, in the filing, “through which investors will be able to appraise and assess the performance and potential of Cainiao Group separately and distinctly from those of Alibaba Retained Group.” Cainiao shares are expected to be the world’s second-largest initial public offering this year, following the US$5 billion listing of SoftBank-owned chip maker Arm Holdings. HKEX has approved the listing of Cainiao on the main board so far. However, the disclosed filing did not specify the date and price of Cainiao’s shares. It has yet to be approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The revenue of Cainiao Smart Logistics Network increased by 15% to 18.915 billion yuan (about HK$ 20.251 billion) in the first quarter, and 72% of it was from external customers. According to Alibaba's latest financial report, the increased revenue is mainly because of the rising demand for logistics services and the price per order. The stock price of Alibaba increased 0.66% to HK$84.50 at the close of Wednesday. …
iPhone 15 resale premium drops; Pro Max 1TB Natural Titanium Color stays HK$2,451 more in resale market
- 2023-09-26
- Society
- By: Yi Yin CHOW、Runqing LI、Chi On LIUEdited by: Mei Ching LEE、Ka Tung NG
- 2023-09-26
On Sept. 22, many people were inside the Apple Store in Shatin New Town Plaza to pick up their new iPhone 15. Some scalpers waited outside the Apple Store to buy iPhones from the customers at a premium price. The price of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, with a storage of 1TB, costs HK$13,599. On the first day of sale, the premium price for a new phone in the Natural Titanium color was listed by one resale outlet as an extra HK$2,401, according to the iPhonePriceHK. In the resale market, more profits were made compared to the past few years, some said. Kris Tsang, 30, bought two iPhone 15 Pro Max with 1TB storage in the Apple Store, one for personal use and the other for selling to the resale market. "I saw that the maximum profit for reselling is HK$2,000," said Tsang. “iPhone 15 series are better selling than the iPhone 14 series,” said Nadjib, 35, an Indian reseller outside Sincere Podium. He bought six iPhones and planned to sell them in India at a higher price. Derek Chung, 34, a reseller, bought two iPhones and earned HK$6,000 from reselling. "Prices are speculated to reach a new high due to the factors of titanium," said Chung. The latest iPhone series included a titanium shell, making the handsets the lightest the company has ever made and the case more durable. "I heard that titanium production capacity is relatively low. Prices are speculated to be high due to the low supply," said Chung. Those who want to buy the new iPhone 15 from Apple can only do so after pre-ordering online.
Hong Kong Disneyland pushes prices to record high with new ticketing system
- 2023-09-20
- Society
- By: Junzhe JIANG、Yuqi CHUEdited by: Bella Ding
- 2023-09-20
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has revealed price increases in certain ticket categories while rolling out a new tier of day passes for its most popular periods, effective from Wednesday. Disney created a four-tier ticketing system. The newly added Tier 4 day pass costs HK$879 for adults and HK$659 for children, a 15.8% hike over the previous highest "Peak Plus Days". “Select days that historically see high demand will be tiered as Tier 4 days. The Tier 4 days will start to kick in during the coming Christmas season,” said a spokesman, according to the press release. Tiers 2 and 3 tickets, or what used to be “Peak Plus Days” and “Peak Days”, now cost HK$799 and HK$719 respectively. The price of Tier 1, original “Regular Days”, remains the same. Prices for annual passes including silver, gold and platinum cards have also gone up. Students will no longer pay the same price as children and instead will pay an extra 15% for passes. Adult and children tickets have gone up by around 9%, while senior tickets remain unchanged. Local people and magic annual pass holders can renew their passes at the current prices before Nov. 15. Hong Kongers can also purchase annual passes at current prices before the date. Some mainlanders decided to buy annual passes ahead of the price hike. Summer Xia, a 23-year-old mainland student and her friends spent more than 45 minutes online before they could buy their tickets. During the process, Disney’s official page was overloaded and paralyzed several times. “Disney is going to launch its new Frozen-themed zone,” said Xia, “We were waiting for the Magic Access Group of 3 Special Offer but decided to purchase now to save money.” According to the Resort, the new tiered-pricing structure aims to effectively manage visits and market demand. …
Local street dancer Bobby wins chance to represent Hong Kong in international competition
- 2023-09-19
- Society
- By: Sze Kei WONGEdited by: Ka Ki FUNG、Ming Min AW YONG
- 2023-09-19
A local street dancer beat out 15 other hopefuls on Sunday afternoon, winning the chance to represent Hong Kong for the first time in an international dance competition in Germany. Lam Yuet Wing, 32, who performs as Bobby, won a majority of audience votes at the Red Bull Dance Your Style competition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. He will compete against 29 international dance groups in Frankfurt in November. The audience selected the winner using different colored fans to show their vote. The outdoor competition was open to the public with a free after party for both dancers and registered audience members. Lam started dancing in 2006 and is known for the dance style “popping”—a category of street dance that involves rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles, giving the dancer a pop feeling to match the beat. "My first competition was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. I didn't even make it into the audition,” he said. “The second time I attempted battle in the venue was today, and I got the award." “Since I just injured my leg, now I will heal my wounds and equip myself to go to Germany for exchange," Lam said. He also added, ”No matter if I lose or win, I will experience more abroad and bring more knowledge to Hong Kong”. “The event was fun and we saw a lot of exciting battles today,”said Chu Yung Chuen, 25, an audience member who also is a dancer. “The atmosphere of the event was very good. Many people gathered here, and I enjoyed it very much,” said Tsui Tsz Hung, 24, an audience member.
“Night Vibes Hong Kong” aims to boost local economy
- 2023-09-15
- Society
- By: Wai Yan MIUEdited by: Yixin Gao
- 2023-09-15
The government launched the "Night Vibes Hong Kong" Campaign yesterday at 6:30 pm at the West Kowloon Cultural District M+ Museum. The campaign aims to promote the city's nighttime economy and unite different sectors of the community. “Night Vibes Hong Kong” starts from the Mid-Autumn Festival in late September and continues through early 2024. There are four highlights: art & culture, harbourfront leisure, a vibrant festival, and diversified leisure. Art and culture buffs can look forward to discounted tickets for evening screenings. The Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Science Museum, and the Hong Kong Space Museum will delay their closing time till 10 pm on Fridays, weekends, and public holidays to give visitors more time to experience cultural gems. M+ will also host activities and workshops at night. A night market featuring food stalls, activities, and exhibitions will be set up along the harbourfront as part of the campaign. The iconic Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival will return to the Central Harbour Event Space, offering a wide array of global liquor assortments and tantalising delights. The campaign will bring a month-long citywide dining promotion from restaurants and bars. The festive season will be particularly vibrant with the resumption of beloved events. The Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, a traditional dance among Tai Hang residents which was cancelled during the pandemic, will make a comeback during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The traditional dance will be accompanied by a drone show organised jointly by Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Other activities include Cantonese operas during the Lantern Carnival at Victoria Park and the fireworks for the National Day celebration. In addition, more than 80 shopping malls will extend their operating hours, host cultural and sports events, and outdoor night markets., These malls will also offer evening entertainment performances and dining …