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Amazon still hiring junior developers, CTO says during Hong Kong visit
- 2026-10-10
- Business
- The Young Reporter
- By: LI Yuzhou Asher、HU Mudi 胡沐迪、Xi Yuke JackieEdited by: CHEN Yongru、ZHONG Xinyun、Wang Yunqi
- 2026-10-10
AI summary: *Amazon CTO Werner Vogels confirmed during a Hong Kong event that the company continues to hire junior developers at its historical rates. *The Hong Kong government plans to launch an 18-month AI upskilling campaign in early 2027 aimed at training roughly 40,000 employees. *PwC data shows 2025 job postings for low-AI-exposure roles reached 1.3 times 2021 levels, while highly exposed roles fell to 80%. —------------------------ Amazon is still hiring as many junior developers as in the past, chief technology officer Werner Vogels said in Hong Kong on Friday, stressing that human skills remain important in the AI era. Speaking to university students, start-ups and technology leaders at Hong Kong Science Park, Vogels delivered a keynote speech titled “The Renaissance Developer” at “Future Builders: The AI Career Dialogue”, hosted by Amazon Web Services (AWS). “Everything that AI generates for you is yours, not that of the tool,” he said. Discussing responsibility for errors in regulated industries, he added, “You can’t say to the regulator, ‘Oh, that was AI.’ No. It’s yours.” “AI transformation is not really about technology, it's about people and the process,” said Chris So, managing director of AWS Hong Kong. He said the event aimed to build a steady flow for Hong Kong talent ready to lead in the AI era. In the 2026 Policy Address, the Hong Kong government announced plans to offer more than 200 training courses and activities by the first quarter of 2028 under its "AI for All" Inclusive Programme. An 18‑month AI upskilling campaign, which will be launched in the first half of 2027, is expected to benefit around 40,000 employees, the government said Sun Dong, Hong Kong’s secretary for innovation, technology and industry, said at the event, “As generative artificial intelligence (AI) flattens the technical learning curve, …
Asian-inspired flavours take centre stage at HK gelato festival
- 2026-10-08
- Society
- By: Baguio AnneEdited by: Fu Rong
- 2026-10-08
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.
126-year-old Sincere to close Central store after lease renewal fails
- 2026-10-08
- Society
- By: SHI Puxuan Amy、MA Yifan ChloeEdited by: Fu Rong
- 2026-10-08
Hong Kong’s first Chinese-owned department store, Sincere, will close its Central store in early December after nearly 126 years of business, as it failed to renew its lease. The company is searching for new premises in Sheung Wan or Central for a new store, yet no suitable location has been found by Oct. 4, according to an official announcement by Sincere. Only a four-storey store in Mong Kok and an online store will be left in Hong Kong after the Central store closure. Lily Chan, 74, a customer who lives in Hong Kong Island, lamented the closure of Sincere’s Central store since it had been her top shopping destination for more than 50 years. “I started shopping in Sincere when I was only 20 years old,” she said. “Back then, few Hong Kong department stores like Sincere carried such a wide range of European brands, covering apparel, kitchenware, and furniture.” “I am unsure where I can go shopping after the store shuts down. The Mong Kok one is far from my home,” Chan added. Anny Lau, 42, said her family spanning from her parents down to her children had shopped here. “It carries memories for several generations since it is more than a century old,” she added. Ahead of the closure, the Central store is selling its remaining stock at discounted prices. A cleaner who has worked at the store for a year said customer numbers had been generally low, and only surged these days amid the sale. She declined to be named for fear of repercussions from the company. Sincere’s consolidated revenue dropped from around HK$146 million in 2023 to roughly HK$134 million in 2025, according to Sincere’s annual report. Heidi Cheung, 25, said she seldom shops at traditional department stores such as Sincere, as online shopping is more …
Over 300,000 tourists visit Hong Kong on first day of National Day Golden Week
- 2026-10-05
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Ng Wing Sum JodieEdited by: LEUNG Chi Ngai
- 2026-10-05
A total of 306,544 visitors from mainland and other countries entered Hong Kong on National Day, Oct.1, according to Immigration Department statistics. Despite scorching midday temperatures exceeding 34 degrees, tourists flocked to streets in Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok and Central, many adorned with National flags and celebratory banners. Two tourists from Jiangsu, visiting Hong Kong for the first time, said even more national flags were hanging around where they came from. “Basically, every road is decorated with national flags, even in less-populated areas,” said Alina Shan, one of the tourists. The duo said they had long bookmarked Hong Kong after seeing recommendations on Xiaohongshu (RedNote). In Central, Liza Erata, 56, was hanging out with her daughter, enjoying their day off as local domestic workers. She said National Day felt like any other holiday, as she always has Sundays off. “We stayed here too long already, that’s why we got used to it.” Two Australians on a business trip, Max Penny, 18, and Sam Penny, 50, were walking with miniature national flags they got for free on the Star Ferry. Max said the festive vibes had been pretty good so far, but he was not used to Hong Kong’s heat, as it is currently winter in Australia. The Immigration Department estimates that more than 7.44 million, including Hong Kong citizens and visitors, will pass through the border during the seven-days National Day Golden Week.
Po Pin Chau visitor cap overrun on National Day, almost half absent
- 2026-10-03
- Health & Environment
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yutong SuEdited by: YANG Shuyi
- 2026-10-03
The number of reserved visitors for Sai Kung’s Po Pin Chau on National Day reached 2,420, exceeding the original official capacity limit of 2,000, yet only 1,160 people visited the spot, according to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. That came as the department announced on Aug. 21 that during the weekends, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the National Day “golden week” from Sept. 5 to Oct. 7, visitors must make an appointment in advance to visit the High Island Geo Trail-Po Pin Chau Section of the High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung. Visitors must make a reservation via online travel agency Klook and present both the electronic confirmation and proof of identity to gain entry on the day of visit. On the National Day, environmental NGO Greenpeace conducted a field visit, and said crowding and trail damage remained serious despite the booking system, it said in a statement. Greenpeace called on the authorities to lower the daily quota of 2,000, prioritise repairs to damaged sections of the trail, and consider stronger measures such as seasonal closures or closing degraded segments during peak periods. “In the long run, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Environment Bureau should implement cross-departmental cooperation to carry out carrying-capacity studies on ecologically sensitive sites across Hong Kong and formulate a conservation-first ecotourism policy,” it wrote. Peng Liqing, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Hong Kong, said while visitor caps are direct management tools, their actual effectiveness ultimately depends on quota calibration and visitor behavior management. Before the policy was implemented, the East Dam—the starting point of Po Pin Chau—recorded a daily average of 2,900 visitors during this year’s May Day holiday, peaking at 5,700 in a single day, the AFCD said. According to the Policy Address 2026, …
Dare to taste? Sweden’s Disgusting Food Museum arrives in Hong Kong
- 2026-10-02
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Fu RongEdited by: Li Yinheng
- 2026-10-02
Presenting more than 80 unusual foods from 35 countries with their historical and cultural background, the Disgusting Food Museum opens up to the public from Sept. 29 till Nov. 26. “People should come with an open mind to see things that they haven’t really seen before,” said Andreas Ahrens, the CEO and founder of the Disgusting Food museum. Coming to the exhibition with a given vomit bag, visitors can tease up to eight selected foods at the end. The museum’s concept originated in Malmö, Sweden, had recorded 761 vomits over the eight years, and had tours to Los Angeles, Berlin, Bordeaux and Taipei, attracting more than 500,000 visitors. Follow the link below to watch the full reel: http://www.youtube.com/shorts/6pVvPC0A1bc Reported by Audrey FU, Linnea Hedman Edited by Henry Li Yinheng
Women’s sports is on the up in longest‑ever women’s world road race
- 2026-09-28
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: RONG Miu Tung ShellyEdited by: CHAU Wing Yau
- 2026-09-28
MONTREAL, Canada Sept. 26 - The Women Elite Road Race of the 2026 Union Cycliste Internationale Road World Championships started its longest race in history, covering 180.4 kilometres after the Union Cycliste Internationale changed its rules. The championships ran for eight days from Sept. 20 to Sept. 27, in Montréal, Canada, featuring 13 separate races. After raising the maximum distance for elite women’s world championship and Olympic road races from 160 km to 180 km, this year’s event has become the longest Women's World Road Cycling Championships since the women elite race was first introduced in 1958. The eight-lap course in Mount Royal circuit had passed through Côte de la Polytechnique with a gradient of over 11% and finished at the uphill of Avenue du Parc. In the final laps, the women's elite riders have to climb roughly 2,150 of the 2,570 metres total, testing riders' endurance. Around 141 riders have joined the Women Elite Road Race on Sept. 26. Demi Vollering from the Netherlands won the championship, beating Katarzyna Niewiadoma in the race, while Elisa Longo Borghini took bronze. Amanda Spratt, an Australian 39-year-old rider, finished 39th, said her strategy to the added kilometres was to conserve energy from the very start by eating and drinking constantly. “I think it is not very hard with the distance in the legs and when you were just doing the climb once,”Spratt said. “But it was definitely difficult for the last two laps, after making so much distance and laps,”she added. Spratt considered it a fun race, despite hours of racing and the punishing laps of Mount Royal. “It was a hard race, but giving up is not really in my DNA.” she said. Around 500,000 audiences arrived at the Avenue du Parc for the eight-day competition. Sean Zimmer, a …
Aberdeen Fire Dragon Festival returns with new elements
- 2026-09-28
- Culture & Leisure
- By: ZHENG WU Anny、XIE Xinni CindyEdited by: Lan Xinbei
- 2026-09-28
The Aberdeen Mid-Autumn Fire Dragon Festival was held at Aberdeen Centre and Wah Fu Estate on Sept. 25. The parade involved 13 troupes and nearly 600 participants. For the first time, a roller-skating dragon dance was performed by the WeSkate team, a local roller-skating organisation. Follow the link below to watch the full reel: https://youtube.com/shorts/UMZCHnG_dLU?si=hBsAeyfSFg4v-FI6
Global visitors flock to Victoria Park for festive lanterns
- 2026-09-27
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: Cao Beiyu、MA Yifan ChloeEdited by: Li Yinheng
- 2026-09-27
Hong Kong’s first International Lantern Spectacular is bringing lanterns from more than 20 countries to Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, alongside local lantern art and traditional lantern-making craft from Nanjing. Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board under the theme “Reunion”, the show was originally scheduled to run from Sept. 17 to 27 but has been extended through Oct.4. Follow the link below to watch the full reel: http://m.youtube.com/shorts/oQcVdWFLN3s?ra=m
Fintech leaders weigh AI returns as Hong Kong steps up support under Five-Year Plan
- 2026-09-23
- Business
- By: GUO Tongyao 郭童瑶、Zhang Xuan、CHU Ka Ying Ashley 朱家瀅Edited by: ZHOU Yun、LIN Xiaoyou、Wang Yunqi
- 2026-09-23
AI summary: Fintech leaders said AI adoption must deliver business value, with growth, revenue and margins remaining key priorities. Speakers highlighted AI’s potential to personalise marketing while acknowledging its limitations and the need to manage risks. Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan supports AI development and adoption by SMEs, while industry leaders see mainland connections as a potential advantage. The APAC Fin.Tech Marketing Conference 2026, held in Central on Tuesday, covered the growing use of AI in marketing, including how fintech marketing executives translate its use into measurable return on investment (ROI). Benjamin Quinlan, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing partner of Quinlan & Associates, said investors and buyers still focus on business fundamentals when assessing companies, despite the growing importance of AI. Growth, recurring revenue, and margins remain key factors, he said. Quinlan added that organic reach has collapsed amid the rapid increase in AI-generated content, as everyone is competing for the same limited amount of human attention and screen time. Addressing the operational side, Carrie Law, CEO and director of WOW Impact Group, said ROI includes both tangible and intangible benefits. Law said companies that send large volumes of generic or poorly targeted emails risk low returns on investment, open rates and engagement. She said AI could help marketers use customer behaviour data to tailor messages to individual customers rather than sending the same content to everyone. Stephen Wong, head of regional business solutions for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan at Xiaohongshu, said that authentic data can help brands identify the customer segments they need to reach. He added that AI could help users complete roughly the first 70% of a task. While AI can efficiently assist in those initial stages, moving from 70% to 90% remains exceptionally challenging because of the frameworks and logic within which AI models …