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TYR Awards 2022 Winners
- 2022-11-30
- By: Robin Ewing、Jenny LamEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2022-11-30
Best Spot News 1st place: Jacky Poon, Timothy Fung & Kelly Pang for Hong Kong eases curbs on vaccine pass checks except cinemas and ice rinks Runner-up: Tse Man, Amber Li, & Ayra Wang for 1,200 swimmers make waves in harbour race Best Video Spot News 1st place: Karmen Li & Jayde Cheung for Covid lockdown in Kwai Chung leaves residents in the lurch Runner-up: Karmen Li & Jayde Cheung for Edward Leung Tin-kei released after six years in prison Best On-the-Ground Reporting 1st place: Annie Cheung & Chloe Wong for SOCO coverage, Policy Address Best Live Coverage 1st place: Noah Tsang for Tourism, Policy Address Best Video Feature 1st place: Karmen Li & Tracy Leung for Goodbye to the last sawmill in Hong Kong Runner-up: Wisha Limbu, Gini Pandey & Leona Liu for See the world in patterns: Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition at M+ Best Feature 1st place: Julia Zhong, Beata Mo & Karmen Li for Foodpanda riders strike over wage cuts Runner-up: Julia Zhong, Yongyi Cao & Karmen Li for Ready for snakes? Hong Kongers bring pets reptiles to new countries Best Human Rights Reporting 1st place: Jayde Cheung & Clarice Wu for Justice for silent frontline cleaners Runner-up: Malick Gai & Tiffany Ma for Renters face racial discrimination in Asia's world city Best COVID-19 Coverage 1st place: Tracy Leung, Kelly Pang & Clarice Wu for Hong Kong's health care system under stress during the fifth wave of Covid-19 Runner-up: Kate Zhang & Tracy Leung for Desperate for drugs during the lockdown in China Best Society Story 1st place: Gini Pandey, Warren Leung, & Leona Liu for Hong Kong immigration wave: the elderly left behind need more assistance Runner-up: Dhuha Al-Zaidi & Jayde Cheung for Foreign Domestic Helpers Under Stress Despite Wage Increase Best use of online technology during …
Multimedia: Urumqi's vigil in Hong Kong
- 2022-11-29
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Karmen LiEdited by: Jayde Cheung
- 2022-11-29
Demonstrators gathered in Central at around 7 pm to mourn the victims of a fire accident in Urumqi amid strict lockdown in mainland China. Mainlanders from provinces including Shanghai and cities like Guangzhou and Chengdu held blank sheets to protest against the COVID-19 measures, and chanted slogans to oust Chinese president Xi Jinping since last Saturday. After the ten mainland Chinese students mourned at the University of Hong Kong last Sunday, protestors in Central held blank papers and sent flowers to pay tribute to the ongoing protests in mainland China despite the police’s social distancing checks. Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/03HI_DwUHzY
Commemoration held in Central for victims of Urumqi's fire
- 2022-11-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde Cheung、Tracy LeungEdited by: Clarice Wu
- 2022-11-28
More than 100 people in Central mourned the fatal Urumqi fire last Thursday, following the unprecedented backlash against the rigorous zero-COVID measures in mainland China. Participants held white papers to resemble the “A4 revolution” that went viral in the mainland, expressing their discontent with the censorship on state-controlled social media with a blank white paper, alongside chrysanthemums tied with white ribbons for commemoration. “I need to support mainlanders who are speaking and fighting for their basic living rights,” said Ying who speaks on condition of anonymity. “The containment has gone too far that has affected the grassroots too much.” At around 8:15 pm, activist Alexandra Wong Fung Yiu, known as Grandma Wong, fell on the ground when her yellow umbrella was grabbed by an unidentified man. She has been sent to hospital and the man has been arrested by the police. Last Thursday night, a fire broke out in a residential building in Urumqi, causing 10 deaths and 9 injuries. Chinese netizens said the victims in the building were unable to leave due to COVID-19 restrictions, while the entrance door was locked and firefighters were blocked by the barriers set for pandemic prevention when they wanted to enter the building. But it has been denied by the city officials in the press conference held on Nov 25, who said that residents could go outside but lacked safety knowledge and the parked vehicles had blocked firefighters' access to the burning building. “None of the unit doors was locked and all the blockade images circulating online are fake news,” the spokesman said at the press conference. Snap lockdowns perpetuated in China, sparks anger across the country. As of yesterday, protests erupted across 51 universities in China including Tsinghua University and the Communication University of China, Nanjing, according to Hong Kong media Ming …
Indie music gets the thumbs up in Hong Kong
- 2022-11-28
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: Rex Cheuk、Mei Ching LEEEdited by: Kelly Pang
- 2022-11-28
Local "poetic pop" duo, per se, will mark their tenth anniversary next month with a concert at Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre. Stephen Mok and Sandy Ip founded per se because they wanted to explore a new music style beyond the rock band they were playing in. Ip and Mok categorise their songs as “poetic pop” because they want their audience the reflect and feel after listening to their songs, “just like reading poetry.”. Over the past decade, the music industry in Hong Kong has been dominated by major production companies such as Warner Music and Universal Music. Dear Jane, of Warner Music has had nine songs with over 10 million views in the past decade . But more local indie groups that are not attached to any commercial record labels are showing up in festivals and award presentations. Among them, per se which has won several local awards. “Our production focuses on the difficulties people might face in life, including challenges, separation, and the end of life,” said Ip. The group has gained popularity over the past few years. Last year their song, Candy Crushed was one of the top 10 songs in the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation , a major Canto Pop award presentation in Hong Kong. Their latest album includes five songs on the theme of the apocalypse in which they invite fans to imagine how they would react to the end of the world. The fourth song, The Forgiven, is about how to let go of past regrets. “The message is to stay positive when dealing with bad happenings like an apocalypse,” said Mok. Mok and Ip are the composers, and their songs are in Cantonese and English with themes such as society, family and personal growth. “We get out inspiration from daily …
Experts call sustainability for Hong Kong’s F&B industry, but SMEs are struggling to practise
- 2022-11-24
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Yongyi CAO、Yuhe WANGEdited by: REN Ziyi David
- 2022-11-24
Sustainability promotion faces challenges in Hong Kong's catering industry as small restaurants lack resources to implement it, said industry leaders in a panel discussion last Thursday. Scholars and representatives from the sector in Hong Kong discussed the importance of the circular economy, a model that recycles and reuses materials or energy to tackle global environmental challenges such as climate change, waste and pollution, to Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry. The food and beverage industry is one of the most wasteful industries in the city, regarding the amount of food waste and single-use plastic containers hander out every day. Kitchen waste accounts for 30% of Hong Kong's municipal solid waste, while plastic waste accounts for 21%, according to the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department. And about 10% of plastic waste was plastic cutlery in 2019. In the plastic waste disposed of locally every day, 200 tonnes are plastic cutlery made of styrofoam and other plastics. “Hong Kong's traditional linear food system results in many recyclable resources being discharged or incinerated as waste. This pattern causes not only economic loss but also significant harm to the environment and public health,” said Dr. Winne Law in the panel. She is the deputy director and principal lecturer at the Centre for Civil Society and Governance of the University of Hong Kong and has been teaching courses on sustainable development and environmental management. However, panellists also admitted the difficulties, especially the high cost of achieving sustainability for small businesses. "Many restaurants can't afford to pay the HK$ 7,000 per month for food waste disposal," said Nandine Maurellet, General manager of Business Diversification and Group General Counsel for The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited. Food waste disposal can help develop circular economy in the F&B sector, by generating biogas for heating and cooking made from …
Hong Kong pubs see slow start as football fans head to pubs to watch World Cup
- 2022-11-24
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Tsz In Warren LEUNGEdited by: Gigi Chong
- 2022-11-24
Football lovers across Hong Kong returned to bars and restaurants to watch the game as the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off last Sunday, but some pubs didn’t see much boost in business, despite authorities relaxing opening hours earlier this month. Many venues screening the matches expected crowds, particularly for the more popular matches, including Brazil, Germany, France and England. However, Lan Kwai Fong, the city’s entertainment district, was almost quiet when the match between England and Iran was aired on Monday at 9 pm, with only a handful of patrons watching the games. Chu Ka-chun, 30, manager of The Derby Pub & Restaurants in Wan Chai, said the rapid test requirement has reduced customers' willingness to watch the game at bars and called the potential boost to business from the event “questionable”. However, Eddie Chan Ka-kin, 44, founder of Lockeroom Dining in Mong Kok, is optimistic and expects the tournament to bring up to 50% growth to his business. “Around 60% to 70% of the tables have been reserved for matches between the “traditional powerhouses,” Chan said. “It’s dull to watch the football match alone at home. Watching football matches in pubs has a completely different atmosphere,” said Jimmy Wong, a 60-year-old football enthusiast and a first-time visitor to Lan Kwai Fong to watch the tournament. Daniel Wosner, another football lover who came to Lan Kwai Fong for the tournament, said he would continue to enjoy the remaining matches there because of the excitement brought by the extended bar opening hours. This year’s FIFA World Cup tournament will run for 28 days until Dec. 18.
See the world in patterns: Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition at M+
- 2022-11-23
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: Wisha LIMBU、Rajnandini PANDEYEdited by: Leona Liu
- 2022-11-23
M+ celebrates its first anniversary with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s exhibition, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now. The exhibition follows a number of themes such as Infinity, Accumulation, Radical Connectivity, Biocosmic, Death, and Force of Life.
Creativity inside the red lines: Hong Kong artists adapt to National Security Law
- 2022-11-21
- Politics
- The Young Reporter
- By: Tsz Yin HO、Le Ha NGUYENEdited by: Malick Gai
- 2022-11-21
Ng Kap-chuen, a cartoonist who goes by his artist name Ah To, left his native Hong Kong for the United Kingdom in April this year for fear of being jailed for his art. Ng, 39, is known for being critical of Beijing and the Hong Kong government. He has produced a number of artworks since 2014 expressing discontent over controversial issues, such as the National Security Law, social unrest, and COVID-19 measures. Some artists, including illustrators and cartoonists such as Ng, whose works tend to challenge and criticise the government in a satirical and controversial manner said they fear being accused of violating the NSL, implemented in 2020 after anti-government protests broke out across the city in 2019. The NSL aims to prevent, stop and punish subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, with critics warning it could silence dissent and erode freedom in the city. “The immense pressure, terror, and uncertainty of not knowing when I would be arrested really tortured me mentally and made it hard for me to be in a good mood for creation,” said Ng, a pro-democracy artist who still draws cartoons about Hong Kong’s social issues and politics from the UK. “I don’t feel comfortable if I can only make artwork that doesn’t express all my feelings. Self-censorship is not my way,” said Ng. “I am working on some sensitive topics that other artists in Hong Kong avoid talking about. They draw about local policies while I focus on sensitive political issues.” While no artists in Hong Kong have been arrested under the NSL, in September, five speech therapists were sentenced to 19 months in prison for conspiring to write and distribute books with seditious intent. The case involves a series of illustrated cartoon books about wolves and sheep, symbolising Chinese authority …
Foodpanda riders strike over wage cuts
- 2022-11-21
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Zimo ZHONG、Chengqi MOEdited by: Karmen Li
- 2022-11-21
Saam Bilal, a Pakistani Foodpanda rider, woke up at 6:30 am. He finished a quick breakfast before starting his 12 to 14-hour shift delivering food orders. It took Bilal two hours to get to work from his home in Tuen Mun to Central. “I used to earn around HK$50 per order, which is double compared to the wage now,” he said, showing his order record. “Now I only get HK$20 to HK$30 for each order.” Bilal joined a strike by a group of Foodpanda delivery workers on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4. Most of the strikers are Pakistani. On 29 September, the food delivery platform introduced a new system to calculate the riders’ earnings. Instead of using the linear delivery distance, Foodpanda switched to using Google Maps. Although Foodpanda claimed that the minimum order service fees had remained unchanged, couriers complained that the new system led to the salaries cuts again. Another local Foodpanda rider, Tim Law, 39, has worked for Foodpanda for about three years. He said that he earned at least HK$200 less every day since the implementation of the new mapping system. “(In order to get the same salary,) I have to work longer hours and sometimes I can’t even finish my work until 2 am,” Law said. The wage cut has sparked several strikes in October and November. Another rider who gave his name as M Lee joined Foodpanda in 2020. He was resentful about the company's batch system, an order distribution system which ranks delivery workers into batches based on certain criteria. The batch number determines the shift booking and service fees category they’ve been placed into. “Foodpanda uses this way to control us. If you follow the rules, you’ll become Batch 1, and the system will send you better orders, which means higher service …
Hong Kong eases curbs on vaccine pass checks except cinemas and ice rinks
- 2022-11-17
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Kin Hou POON、Ka Ki FUNGEdited by: Kelly Pang
- 2022-11-17
A number of premises like public wet markets, religious venues and game centres will no longer have active vaccine checks for visitors starting from today, but scanning the LeaveHomeSafe QR code is still required. Active inspections of vaccine passes will be scrapped for premises, as the government announced last Thursday. No actively check is patron’s vaccination records or exemption certificates upon their entry. That means amber code holders are permitted to visit those venues. People under the category of amber code means they are inbound visitors from overseas places or Taiwan, who are not allowed to enter premises subject to "active checking" of the vaccine pass. Wong Muk-ching, dean of Lai Yiu Alliance Church welcomes the policy, he said using vaccine pass to decide whether the congregation can go back to the church was unacceptable. “Amber code holders can go back to the church after the policy implemented, which they are not allowed to do so before,” Wong said. “There are people who have obtained amber codes due to not having the valid vaccine pass which has restricted them from going back to church during the COVID-19 outbreak. Those having an amber code can return the church in a legal way,” he added. Wong said the government has enacted effective policy in coping with COVID-19, ensuring those who are infected will not be able to enter the church. “This policy now even makes those with amber codes entering the church more conveniently,” he said. “Ice rinks which require facemasks and cinemas that prohibit food or drink could drop “active checking”,” Libby Lee Ha-yun, Under Secretary for Health announced today in the press conference. But one day before the launch of the updated policies, the government announced that social distancing measures for these two venues remain the same as before, meaning …