People
Tai Po fire death toll rises to 146 as search for missing continues
- 2025-11-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Wing Chi HOEdited by: SIU Tsz Hang
- 2025-11-30
The death toll had risen to 146 from the devastating blaze in Tai Po, police said in a media briefing today. There were 23 bodies initially found at the building that had not yet been removed, said Tsang Shuk-yin, officer in charge from the force’s Casualty Enquiry Unit. The number of injured remains at 79, while 159 residents have been confirmed safe. Tsang said 92 of the deceased and 37 of the injured matched entries on the missing-person list. The police’s Disaster Victim Identification Unit launched operations in Wang Shing House, Wang Kin House and Wang Tai House today and found 18 bodies in stairwells, rooftops and other locations in the three blocks. However, 100 missing-person cases could not be traced, and officers are still attempting to follow up on more than 40 additional reports of people listed as missing. “In some cases, the informants only provided very limited or insufficient information. Some missing persons are confirmed not Wang Fuk Court’s residents, while some informants cannot tell whether missing persons are still residents, as they have not been liaising for a long time,” Tsang said. The overall structural integrity of all Wang Fuk Court’s buildings poses no immediate danger, said Leung Hung-wai, deputy director of the Housing Department. Leung said the second phase of inspection will be launched to extract concrete core samples to evaluate the building structure, once the preliminary inspection on Wang Sun House and Wang Cheong House is completed.
Tai Po Fire: Volunteers step up in Tai Po supporting the fire victims
- 2025-11-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yu Yan Pui、AO Wei Ying Vinci、MA Tsz Chiu OscarEdited by: Wing Chi HO
- 2025-11-28
On the third day after the Tai Po No. 5 fire, Hongkongers voluntarily offer support outside Kwong Fuk Estate platform to affected families and individuals. They called on people who are not victims from the disaster, should not obtain the supplies to ensure resources are allocated to those in need. Reported by Jennifer Yu Video Edited by Gigi Ho Filmed by Oscar Ma, Vinci Ao, Jennifer Yu
Kwong Fuk relief stations overflow with supplies amid Tai Po fire response
- 2025-11-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yu Yan PuiEdited by: AO Wei Ying Vinci、SIU Tsz Hang
- 2025-11-28
Supply stations at Kwong Fuk Estate brimmed with essentials at noon as volunteers urged donors to hold off, confirming sufficient stocks for residents displaced by the Tai Po blaze. The stations offered various supplies, including solid meals, drinks, first aid medicine, adhesive bandages, masks, paper underwear, and shampoo. A group of secondary school students from the nearby Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School, in uniforms, handed out snacks and fruit at the station. One student told the reporter that they offered displaced residents freshly cooked vegetarian lunchboxes and hot tea provided by local restaurants in the neighborhood . “Prescription grains and blankets for pets can be obtained. We want to deliver them to people in need as soon as possible,” said Tracy Wong, 30, a volunteer at a pet supplies booth on site. The pet supplies booth called on the public to stop sending more cat and dog food as it had sufficient resources collected. Other booths worked on sorting clothes, separating heavy winter garments from lighter clothes on the ground. Additional services at the stations included blood pressure checks and counseling sessions to comfort residents.
Authority opens flats in Kwong Fuk Estate for picking up belongings
- 2025-11-27
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: MA Tsz Chiu OscarEdited by: LI Sin Tung
- 2025-11-27
Residents from Kwong Fuk Estate, which is beside the burning Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, have been allowed to pick up belongings from their flats since today morning, although they still have to stay out of their homes tonight. Shek, a resident in Kwong Yau House who did not want to reveal his first name, said he only had at most 15 minutes to stay in his flat. “If you did not leave within 15 minutes, you would be called (by the authorities),” he said. He added that he will stay at the nearby Kwong Fuk Commercial Centre tonight, where bed mattresses are provided. Many volunteers set up supply stations and provide resources, including food, drinks and clothes, to the affected residents. After the level five fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court yesterday, the authorities evacuated many residents in Kwong Fuk Estate. Until 8 pm today, the ongoing fire has killed at least 65 people, according to the Fire Services Department.
First-person shooter game leaves young Chinese players with heavy losses after the collapse of virtual trading market
- 2025-11-10
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Lou Zhengzheng、Lan XinbeiEdited by: WANG Ludan
- 2025-11-10
A developer update to the first-person shooter video game Counter-Strike 2 triggered a collapse in its virtual trading market on Oct 22, wiping out almost US$2 billion in real money. Valve, the American video game developer of Counter-Strike 2, released an update that allowed players to more easily craft rare weapon skins in the game, causing a plunge in the value of skins that are purchased and traded with real-world money. Although the value rebounded in November, it remains below most buyers’ original purchase price. Skins are virtual cosmetic items that change the appearance of weapons without affecting the gameplay. They are categorized by color, ranging from basic white to the rarest gold. The price of gold skins dropped by approximately 30% to 40% on the international third-party game trading platform Buff Market, hitting players who had collected them as virtual investment commodities for future resale and rental. Previously, the gold skins could only be obtained either by unlocking in-game loot boxes containing randomized virtual items such as skins, gloves, and other weapons, or by trading with other players through third-party online marketplaces, including NetEase Buff and Youyou Youpin, which are both platforms that primarily serve Chinese players. John Liu, 20, a mainland Chinese student at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, said he purchased a rare “marble fade” butterfly knife skin for approximately 13,000 yuan (HK$14,201.54) on NetEase Buff because he anticipated later reselling it at a higher price for a profit. After the update, the “marble fade” Butterfly knife’s skin value fell to 5,999 yuan (HK$6,553). “I just gave up on selling after seeing the price hit its lowest point a couple of days ago,” he said. According to data from Buff Market, several virtual items in the game, such as gloves and knives, experienced a price recovery in …
Local green institutions call for environmental conservation after super typhoon hit in Yuen Long
- 2025-11-10
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: CHENG Tsz Sen Sean、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: AO Wei Ying Vinci
- 2025-11-10
Video description: Super typhoon Ragasa has toppled trees and caused flooding in many areas. Local green institutions, Hong Kong Timberbank and sunflower farm Shun Sam Yuen are calling for more environmental awareness as they deal with the aftermath. Reporters: Sean Cheng Tsz-sen, Vinci Ao Wei-ying Editor: Vinci Ao Wei-ying
Australia sees a 20-year dip in Hong Kong students' enrolment as preferences shift
- 2025-11-09
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: CHAU Wing Yau、SIU Tsz HangEdited by: KURNIAWAN Trista Vania
- 2025-11-09
The number of Hong Kong students studying in Australia has dropped to a 20-year low, according to government data, signalling a shift in study abroad preferences among Hong Kong students. Data from Australia’s Department of Home Affairs reveals a stark decline: only 1,766 student visas were issued to Hongkongers in the 2024-2025 period – less than a quarter of the total from two decades ago. The trend is part of a broader downturn in new enrolments from key markets. Mainland Chinese students newly enrolled at Australian universities in the same period also fell by 2.4% to 41,442, contributing to a 17% year-on-year national drop in new international students reported in August 2025, according to Australia’s Department of Education. Despite this, the total number of international students studying in Australia remained unchanged. This could be a result of an influx of students arriving from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, and the continued presence of returning students. Hongkongers have long favoured Australia for its high-ranking universities, friendly immigration policies, and minimal time difference from home. However, observers have noted a combination of factors that are diverting Hong Kong students elsewhere. Willy Kwong, a Hong Kong-based migration agent, said the drop is partly due to the expansion of tertiary education opportunities in Hong Kong, which has reduced the need for students to study abroad. Australia has been known among Hong Kong students as a popular backdoor into competitive fields. Health-science majors such as physiotherapy, veterinary studies and environmental studies have been particularly popular as admission is often more accessible than Hong Kong. Kristy Lau, a Melbourne-based education consultant, said many secondary students were drawn to Australian universities as a more accessible alternative to highly competitive local programmes in Hong Kong. “The acceptance rates of these [health-science related] majors at Australian universities …
Sham Tseng: A place defined by its geese
- 2025-11-04
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Wing Chi HOEdited by: Chun Hei LUK
- 2025-11-04
In the heart of Tsuen Wan, along the coastline with streets lined with banyan trees and village houses, lies a name that has become known for a particular dish: roasted goose. The neighbourhood of Sham Tseng is synonymous with the traditional dish and is often seen in its television advertisement. Yue Kee Roasted Goose Restaurant, founded by Ng Chun-yam in 1958, caters to factory workers with its charcoal-roasted Guangdong geese, made from recipes passed down through two generations. Ng’s eldest daughter, Ng Juan-hua, who is now the owner of the family business, started working in the restaurant at age 12. She said she gave up further education to help her parents run the shop, allowing her younger siblings to continue their studies. On June 4, 1992, a level 3 fire broke out at Yu Kee Restaurant. The owners, Ng and his wife, died in the fire. Since then, Ng Juan-hua took on the role of second-generation leader and worked with her siblings to revitalise Yu Kee. Now, Ng Juan-hua’s son, Ng Guo-han, runs the operations. In the kitchen, a fortress of heat and focused energy, head chef Lee Ming-kwok is a man of few words but action. His canvas is a goose, his tools are time and fire. He cooks and chops 50 to 100 geese daily. The process includes marinating the geese for several hours, air-drying them, and roasting them for about 45 minutes to an hour. The dish stands out due to the blend of spices and the chef’s technique. Lee has worked at Yu Kee for over a decade. The large oven contains burning charcoal at the bottom, and the goose hangs suspended above it, slowly roasting as the heat rises and envelops the meat, ensuring an even cooking process. “Many places use gas or electric ovens …
Nepalese Community Seeks to Call Hong Kong Home
- 2025-10-31
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Ye EnyiEdited by: CAO Jiawen
- 2025-10-31
Every afternoon, a diverse crowd sits in the dimly lit bar at The Nest, a Nepalese restaurant in Jordan, savouring its happy hour buy-one-get-one-free drink special and listening to jazz music. “My guests are saying that this place is very cozy and relaxing,” said Pradeep Kandangwa, 55, the owner of The Nest. “They keep coming here once they come.” Jordan, referred to as “Little Nepal,” is dotted with restaurants like the Nest and specialty shops selling Nepalese food and daily necessities. It’s part of the Yau Tsim Mong District, which has the highest concentration of ethnic minority residents among Hong Kong’s 18 districts, approximately 8.6% of the city’s total ethnic minority population, according to the 2021 census. The largest portion of these are Nepalese. Many, like Kandangwa, work in the catering and hospitality industry, which employs the largest proportion of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong, according to a 2023 study from Lingnan University and Hong Kong Baptist University. But experts say that ethnic minorities in the city are pushed into service industry or construction jobs because of a lack of Chinese language skills. For some, especially those who were born in Hong Kong, this can lead to an identity crisis. Kandangwa said he first worked in construction when he arrived in Hong Kong from Nepal 25 years ago before opening his restaurant in 2016. “Nepalese who don’t speak Chinese and even English still make a living in places like restaurants, salons and hotels,” said Kandangwa. “Finding work in Hong Kong’s local community isn’t easy for non-Chinese individuals. We may meet the qualifications, but the issue is language, our Chinese isn’t fluent enough.” “While I can manage basic communication, read and write some words, it’s insufficient to secure a job at a local company, so I decided to start my own …
Local artsy businesses transform old district into trendy check-in spots
- 2025-10-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Edited by: MAO Anqi、CHEN Yik Nam
- 2025-10-30
In the century-old neighbourhood of Sham Shui Po, a poster shop stands on the corner of Ki Lung Street. Its classic Hong Kong film posters tell the stories of the past. Wong Tak-hei, 32, has spent five years transforming his obsession with local films into a small shop called Moviemarks that sells what he calls collective memories. “Unlike those fancy shopping malls you wouldn’t visit every day, Sham Shui Po is the kind of place you can visit on two different days and have a completely different experience,” Wong said. Moviemarks is one of the small creative businesses located in Sham Shui Po, a district that was developed as early as the 1910s. A report by the Urban Renewal Authority in September 2023 highlighted the age of the area, as reflected in the old buildings, high population density and social problems related to subdivided residential houses. But recently, the community has nurtured creative local businesses and has become a haven for artistic shops. The area is bustling with trendy cafes and craft shops, and its themed streets have their own specialised categories of goods. Fuk Wing Street is the place for toy wholesale and retail, and Nam Cheong Street features ribbon selling. In October 2020, urban culture magazine TimeOut selected Sham Shui Po as the third coolest neighbourhood in the world, in recognition of its creativity. “The atmosphere here is unique, and I like it very much. These modern stores blend well with the old community, creating an interesting and fresh experience,” Wong added. Xie Yongqi, 18, who has been living in Sham Shui Po since she was born, said she visits boutiques and toy stores every two weeks. “I usually come here with my brother to pick out toys or buy gifts for friends. Sham Shui Po is undoubtedly …