News
Hong Kong companies see increased cyberattacks last year as more work remotely, survey finds
- 2021-10-05
- Business
- The Young Reporter
- By: WANG Jingyan 王婧言Edited by: Vikki Cai Chuchu
- 2021-10-05
Hong Kong companies reported increased cyberattacks over the last year, including ransomware attacks, as more employees work from home, said US security service provider Barracuda at a press conference in Hong Kong today. In Hong Kong, 76% of companies saw at least one cyberattack compared to 81% globally, according to a survey of 750 companies around the world conducted by UK market researcher Vanson Bourne and commissioned by Barracuda. A total of 66% Hong Kong companies interviewed reported ransomware attacks last year, and those with remote staff were more likely to be attacked. Remote work may contribute to an increased risk of network security breaches and being attacked, Conrad Lee, senior sales engineer of Barracuda, said at the press conference. He also said that phishing has become more specific as hackers take advantage of wide-spread discussion of social issues on the web. “For example, attackers can make use of the discussion of COVID-19 on the internet to send phishing emails to several accounts or induce people to download apps,” he said, adding that the improvement of attack software could also be a factor. Hong Kong is a “relatively safe city” in network security but remote work and the use of web-based applications, such as Google Docs and Zoom, is a concern, Mr. Lee said. All Hong Kong enterprises in the survey reported concerns regarding security risks caused by the use of web applications, and 98% worried about problems of data leakage and ransomware gaining access through unmanaged devices. In another survey, 42% of Hong Kong companies reported ransomware attacks over the last 12 months, an increase of 1%, according to research by the Hong Kong Productivity Council in August and commissioned by Hong Kong Telecom. “The remote work will probably become the new trend and continue even though the …
Quarantine rooms for domestic helpers snapped up in minutes
- 2021-10-04
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Leona LiuEdited by: Janice Lo
- 2021-10-04
The booking system for foreign domestic helpers at Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre on Lantau Island reopens today, following a halt since Sept. 19. The 1,000 rooms on offer were fully booked up in minutes. Reservations for Oct. 22 to 28 provide 350 quotas for foreign domestic helpers to undergo quarantine. Phailin Leesirichaikul, a Thai missionary living in Hong Kong said that by the time she had gone through a series of steps to get to the booking page, all the quotas had already been taken. “Within three to five minutes after the system opened up, all of the rooms were fully booked, which made me anxious because the visa of my Indonesian helper is about to expire, but I cannot book a quarantine room for her,” she said. In order to arrange foreign domestic helpers to come to Hong Kong in a gradual and orderly manner and to guard against imported Covid-19 cases, Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre will continue to receive at most 50 helpers each day, according to a government press release. The centre will provide an additional 200 units from Oct. 22, that’s a total of 1,000 units for inbound foreign domestic workers. Employers and employment agencies can make bookings from 9 a.m every Monday for the following week. According to government figures, as of Oct. 1, among the 6,060 Filipino foreign domestic helpers who arrived in Hong Kong between Aug. 30 and Sept. 24, there were 26 confirmed Covid cases. That’s a rate of 4.3%. Law Chi-kwong, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, said in his blog post yesterday that such a rate should be taken seriously. “On a daily basis, we will check the epidemic situation of foreign domestic helpers in their countries of origin, the diagnosis of workers upon arrival, and the operation and booking of …
Second batch of consumption vouchers spurs shopping spree
- 2021-10-01
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Kate ZhangEdited by: LAM Tsz Yau
- 2021-10-01
More than 5.5 million eligible Hong Kong residents could get a second batch of consumption vouchers today. It is part of a government incentive to kick start the economy amid the Covid pandemic. A total of $5000 will be given to those who qualify. Hongkongers who registered for the vouchers using their Octopus cards could get their second batch of HK$2,000 today. A third batch of HK$1,000 will be handed out from December 16. Those who registered using AlipayHK, Tap & Go, or WeChat Pay HK could get all of the remaining HK$3,000 of the handout. Jessie Wong Hok-ling, head of the Budget and Tax Policy Unit of the Financial Secretary's Office, said on a radio program on RTHK today that the distribution has gone very smoothly, and all of the vouchers were issued before 1 am. Shoppers lined up at convenience stores this morning to collect their consumption vouchers through Octopus. They could also get the vouchers through the Octopus app, octopus service points and subsidies collection points in designated MTR stations. "I think it's very convenient to receive and use consumption vouchers," said Law Gaa-lok, who got the HK$2,000 voucher at a convenience store in Mong Kok. "I mainly spent the vouchers on buying daily necessities," he added. Many shopping malls tried to attract customers by holding consumption voucher events. By noon, a long line of customers at APM mall in Kwun Tong were queuing up for bargains. Among them Kelly Chan, who went there with her daughter l to buy clothes.“We happened to encounter the mall event,” she said. “The event is so favourable.” Linda Lam, who worked at Hey Candy in APM, said the voucher scheme has helped to boost business. “People's mood is better after getting the subsidies, so consumption will increase naturally," she said. …
Election Committee poll sees ‘patriots’ fill hundreds of seats on body to appoint Hong Kong’s leader next year in first poll after system revamp; delay in results had candidates waiting overnight
- 2021-09-20
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Nick Yang、Ziyu Bruce ZhaoEdited by: LAMA Sumnima Rani
- 2021-09-20
The polls for Hong Kong’s Election Committee closed last night ending the city’s first election since Beijing revamped the electoral system in March. According to official statistics, 4,380 people cast their ballots, a turnout of about 90%, a record-high rate despite a drastic reduction in the number of eligible voters this year. All but one of the Election Committee seats went to the pro-establishment camp, with 412 candidates competing for 364 elected seats. The remaining seats on the 1,500-member committee were appointed, filled by ex-officio members or automatically elected. The committee will select Hong Kong’s next Chief Executive next year as well as appoint 40 members to the Legislative Council. “The turnout reflects the support of members of various sub sectors for the new electoral system,” Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said in a press release. Voting results were delayed until 7:30 am today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with Electoral Affairs Commission chairman Barnabas Fung Wah apologising for problems with the ballot verification papers, likely because officials filled in the wrong boxes, he said at a press conference. The central government reforms included reviewing candidate backgrounds, increasing the number of ex-officio members and raising the requirements for the qualifications of voters. The number of eligible voters dropped from 246,440 to about 4,900. "The automatic election of members from many sectors and the stop of non-patriots have led to a reduction in voters, which actually makes the election more fair," Legislative Council member Lau Kwok-fan said. Daniel Cai, a Hong Kong resident, said he did not pay attention to the election since Beijing changed the electoral system. “I belong to no valid sector, so I don’t have the right to vote for the representatives,” he said. “Before the reform of the election, I could vote for …
Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble cancelled after nine months, leaving some disappointed
- 2021-08-20
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2021-08-20
The Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble was terminated based on differing anti-pandemic strategies, the Hong Kong government announced Thursday. As Singapore moves to a "COVID-resilient" strategy, the Hong Kong government said it is still aiming for zero local cases. The much anticipated travel bubble was delayed three times since it was announced in November last year as Hong Kong and Singapore both dealt with waves of increased COVID-19 cases. The bubble would have removed quarantine restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers landing in Hong Kong. “From Hong Kong’s point of view, the air travel bubble should not worsen the epidemic,” said Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau Tang-wah at a press conference this morning. “We hope normal activities can continue under the premise of epidemic prevention, so we will continue examining the situation.” Yan Lau and Feliz Lee, Hongkongers who live in Singapore and manage the YouTube channel “Kong Wife”, said they have been longing for an opportunity to visit their relatives in Hong Kong after moving to Singapore more than a year ago. “We expected the air travel bubble could help us return to Hong Kong more easily, ” said Ms Lee. “We are so disappointed.” Current arrivals from Singapore are required to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days, with costs running from HK$7,000 to more than HK$20,000. “Time is what matters the most,” said Ms Lau. “It is not fair when we are not allowed to come to Hong Kong directly, even though we are already vaccinated.” Singapore will allow arrivals from Hong Kong to enter Singapore without quarantine from Aug. 21. Singapore tour plans by Hong Kong travel agencies, including EGL Tours and Miramar Travel, were dashed. However, the travel agencies said …
Pakistanis with Hong Kong Residency Rights Say Return to City Being Thwarted Due to Vaccination Rules
- 2021-08-13
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Editor
- 2021-08-13
Hundreds of Pakistani nationals, attempting to return to Hong Kong, claim they are being turned back even if they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus and have rights to live and work in the city. According to Apna Hong Kong Network, a Facebook social group that provides information about Hong Kong in English and Urdu for South Asians living in the city, more than 2,000 Pakistani nationals with Hong Kong residency rights approached them for help because they are having difficulty returning to Hong Kong. “Hundreds of Pakistanis booked flights on 9 and 10 of August, and were sent back from Dubai,” Sadaf A. Muhammadi, the founder of Apna Hong Kong Network, told The Young Reporter. “They were informed at Dubai airport that vaccinations from Pakistan are not accepted by the Hong Kong government.” “Families have been separated for months... some people have lost jobs because they have been away for too long,” she added. The Hong Kong government suspended flights from Pakistan, India and the Philippines - all considered high-risk countries due to high coronavirus infection rates - beginning April 20 in its effort to prevent the further spread in Hong Kong. In recent changes to Hong Kong’s regulations allowing international flights, the Hong Kong government will allow overseas travelers to enter Hong Kong beginning Aug. 9, depending on which region they came from. Overseas regions have been re-categorised into Group A specified places (high-risk), Group B specified places (medium-risk) and Group C specified places (low-risk). According to the latest regulations, Hong Kong residents from Pakistan can return to Hong Kong only if they are fully vaccinated, and able to present negative results for COVID-19 test conducted within 72 hours, and confirmation of room reservation in designated quarantine hotels. “Only …
HK Swimmer Haughey Breaks Asian Record, Wins Second Olympic Silver Medal
- 2021-07-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Alison Leung
- 2021-07-30
Hong Kong people cheered and applauded on Friday as they witnessed local swimmer Siobhan Bernadette Haughey breaking the women’s 100m freestyle Asian record and winning her second silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. Collected her first silver medal in the women’s 200m freestyle two days ago, Ms Houghey finished the 100m freestyle at 52.27, only 0.31 seconds behind Australian athlete Emma McKeon, who made an Olympic record at 51.96. Setting the new personal and Asian best, the second silver makes Ms Haughey the first Hong Kong swimmer to attain two medals in the Olympic Games. Speaking at the press conference, Ms Houghey said 80% of the performance depended on her mentality. “I broke the personal best at the semi-final and achieved my goal. I just wanted to enjoy the 100m race,” said Ms Haughey. Tokyo Olympic marks Hong Kong’s best performed Olympic Games so far, including two silvers achieved by Ms Haughey and a gold from Cheung Ka-long in the men’s individual foil fencing which is the city’s first medal in the game. Approximately 500 audiences at APM, a shopping mall in Kwun Tong cheered for the 23-year-old while watching the live broadcast together. Crowded on two floors, supporters brought along cheering tools like pom poms that made loud sounds by hitting and decibels reached the maximum as Haughey’s silver medal was secured. No one could help but cry out their excitement and appreciation. Ten-year-old swimmer Yu, who withheld his first name, was inspired by the outstanding performance of Ms Haughey. “I will practice swimming more often, but winning an award in the Olympic Games is too difficult for me,” he said. Audiences showed both the national flag and regional flag of Hong Kong after Ms Haughey won the …
New non-invasive colorectal cancer test may lower the cost and risk of detection
- 2021-07-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2021-07-28
Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have identified four unique bacterial genetic sequences found in the faeces of patients with colorectal cancer. By testing for these markers, known as M3, the scientists have developed a new non-invasive test that can detect colorectal cancer with up to 94% accuracy. The CUHK team used the M3 test on more than 1100 cancer subjects. Patients were asked to swab their faecal samples at home. The swabs were then stored in plastic vials and sent to the laboratory for analysis. The results were available in four hours. Based on a risk scale, doctors can then use the results to predict the likelihood of the patient developing cancer, and offer dietary recommendations to reduce the risk. Patients with high risks may then be asked to have a colonoscopy to look for cancer cells and polyps. The M3 test can also be used to detect recurrent polyps which may develop into cancer. The scientists used the M3 test on more than 200 patients who have had polyps removed within five years. The M3 test can detect the polyps with up to 90% sensitivity. Compared with current tests for colorectal cancer, the M3 test is more sensitive than a faecal immunochemical test and less invasive than colonoscopy. Patients do not need to prepare the bowels for testing and there is no risk of rupturing the bowels or gastrointestinal bleeding. The cost is also much less than colonoscopy since patients can collect the samples themselves. “We are cautiously optimistic about the popularisation of the M3 test,” said Prof Francis Chan Ka-leung, Dean of Medicine and Director of the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research at CU Medicine. “The cost for the M3 test is subject to different needs of …
Top student in this year’s Diploma of Secondary Education exam says “ Hong Kong Is My Home”
- 2021-07-21
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2021-07-21
Seven students achieved the top score of 5** in at least seven subjects in the 2021 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education. Three of them also have 5** in an eighth subject, making them so-called super scorers. Students could check their results on the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority website from 7 am this morning. The top students are from Diocesan Girls School, St. Stephen’s Girls’ College, St. Mary’s Canossian College, Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College, Queen Elizabeth School and Ying Wa College. Chan Lok-yung, the first student from St. Stephen’s Girls’ College to get the top score, wants to study medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. “Hong Kong is my home, I grew up here. I love this place,” Ms Chan said. At school, she liked to investigate social issues as a Chinese debate team member. She recognised the importance of liberal studies in the DSE curriculum. But from next year, the Liberal Study paper will require candidates to provide short answers or multiple choices only . Students will no longer need to make any personal judgment. “Cancellation of the contents (liberal studies) doesn’t mean we will think less critically. We can learn it through other means, such as reading the news from different perspectives,” Ms Chan said. This year’s DSE candidates spent one-and-a half years on online schooling because of the pandemic, out of the three-year exam preparation. Ms Chan was upset because she was not able to meet her schoolmates, but her teachers and friends played crucial roles in her exam preparation. “My friends and I studied as a group so that we could supervise each other and share our studying progress,” she said. Of the 49,976 candidates, who sat the …
Few books with “sensitive” content on sale at HK Book Fair 2021
- 2021-07-14
- People
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: C.K. Lau
- 2021-07-14
Books that contain politically sensitive content can hardly be found at the Hong Kong Book Fair 2021, the first such event held after the Hong Kong National Security Law was introduced last year. Publishers say fears about breaching the law, which bans acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, have discouraged them from pubishing some titles. Hillway Press is the only publisher that has released books whose content may possibly be regarded as sensitive, including The Journey Through the Brick Wall and 21 July 2019. The first book is an autobiography of Raymond Yeung Tsz-chun, a liberal studies teacher who was shot in the eye in a protest on 12 June in 2019 during the anti-extradition bill movement. The second is written by Ryan Lau Chun-kong, one of the victims in the so-called 721 incident, who offers his account of what happened in the evening of July 21, 2019, when a number of people deemed to be sympathetic to the anti-extradition bill protests were attacked by alleged gangsters in the Yuen Long MTR station. Mr Yeung, who has since quit teaching to start Hillway, also revealed that the company was prepared to publish three other books that contain sensitive content, but no printers were willing to print them. He did not disclose what those three books were about. Jimmy Pang Chi-ming, president of the publishing house Subculture, said fears over the “white terror” of unintentionally violating the national security law now pervaded the whole publishing industry. “Under the vague standards of the national security law, we have abandoned some books that only contain cultural content,” said Mr Pang. “For example, Liu Xiaobo (the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner who was jailed on the mainland for inciting subversion of state …