The Young Reporter
Super Typhoon Ragasa: How Hong Kong looks from different viewpoints
- 2025-11-24
- The Young Reporter
- By: Lok Tung LAU、CHENG Tsz Sen Sean、Yu Yan PuiEdited by: Lok Tung LAU、LAI Uen Ling
- 2025-11-24
The Hong Kong Observatory issued the T10 signal at 2:40am on Wednesday, and later issued the T8 signal at 1:20pm in the afternoon. Our reporters recorded timelapse videos from Yau Tong, Tuen Mun, and Wu Kai Sha to show how Ragasa hit Hong Kong. Reported by Canny Lau Lok-tung, Sean Cheng Tsz-sen, Jennifer Yu Yan-pui Edited by Canny Lau Lok-tung, Elaine Lai Uen-ling
Taiwan's president Lai Ching-te deeply moved by A Foggy Tale, a film on Taiwan’s White Terror
- 2025-11-22
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: CHAN Wing YiuEdited by: Wing Chi HO、AU YEUNG Jim
- 2025-11-22
TAIPEI, Taiwan – Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te attended the screening of A Foggy Tale, a Taiwanese film about the era under authoritarian rule, in the Xinyi District on Friday. The historical drama is about Taiwan’s White Terror period, the political suppression from the 1950s to 1990s when Taiwan was ruled by the Kuomintang. The film follows a girl from Chiayi, who travels to Taipei alone to collect her brother’s remains and meets a former soldier, now working as a rickshaw driver. After the screening, Lai said to the audience that he was deeply moved by the film, set in 1951, the year he was born. “In that era of the White Terror, many people might have had nothing at all, except courage, they only wanted to step out of the thick mist and see a bright future, they had no conditions, no resources—only courage,” Lai said. “Back then it was 1954, and now it is 2025. We have come this far through the sacrifices and dedication of many people,” Lai said. “I truly hope that everyone who watches this film can understand how difficult the past was, and that we must all cherish the achievements of today as we move toward a better future.” “White Terror” refers to the political suppression of dissidents carried out by the Kuomintang from 1949 to 1992, which included mass arrests, interrogations, trials and imprisonments and even executions of suspected communist spies or independence advocates, according to the National Human Rights Museum of Taiwan. The Kuomintang lifted the Martial Law in 1987 with the “Temporary Provisions Effective During the Period of National Mobilisation the Communists Rebellion” repealed in 1991, according to the National Human Rights Museum, putting an end to the era of political suppression and the restriction of civil and political rights in Taiwan. …
Exhibition by Hong Kong’s Press Photographers Association cancelled after host venue orders “emergency repairs”
- 2025-11-22
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Wing Chi HO、AO Wei Ying VinciEdited by: AO Wei Ying Vinci
- 2025-11-22
Members of the Hong Kong Press Photographers Association dismantled their exhibit at 12:30am on Saturday at Hong Kong Baptist University, after the host venue cancelled it saying it had to conduct “emergency repairs”. Prior to its opening ceremony on Saturday, HKPPA cancelled the show after showing it publicly for four days at the Koo Ming Kown Exhibition Gallery at HKBU. Security staff outside the venue at the Communication and Visual Arts Building said the issue was related to an electrical voltage problem. The exhibition, titled PRESENT – HKPPA 35th Anniversary Retrospective & Focus at the Frontline 2024 Exhibition, was set to feature historic photographs documenting key moments in Hong Kong since the late 1980s, showcasing the long-term commitment of local press photographers. Apart from the retrospective, the association also displayed the award-winning entries of “Focus at the Frontline 2024,” showing important news images from the past year. Two talks were also announced by the association, featuring experienced journalists to share insight on visual narratives. The exhibit included a photo of the former Apple Daily headquarters building, taken by Lam Chun-tung from Initium Media, which was the “Photo of the Year” exhibit. A photo of Ronson Chan Long-sing, the former chairman of Hong Kong Journalists Association, taken by Leung Yin-to at the HKJA General Meeting on Jun 22, 2024, was also featured at the exhibition. According to an online statement by HKPPA, the show had taken nine months to prepare, and the scale of the display meant that it was impossible to find an alternative venue at short notice. Initially, the exhibition was scheduled to open daily from Nov. 18 to Dec. 8. The association decided to cancel the event due to an unclear reopening date of the gallery. HKPPA said the cancellation is a significant loss for the industry and …
Italian driver Antonio Fuoco Dominates FIA GT World Cup Qualification Race in Macau, heads to Grand Prix
- 2025-11-16
- The Young Reporter
- By: Chun Hei LUKEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2025-11-16
Italian driver Antonio Fuoco, 29, won the qualifying race for the FIA GT World Cup on Saturday in Macau, securing him pole position and setting him up as a favorite to win at the Macau Grand Prix on Sunday. Driving for Ferrari in a Ferrari 296 GT3, Fuoco clocked in at 02:16:111 in Q1 and followed it up with a 02:15.535 in Q2 for the 12-lap event on the Guia Circuit, a narrow 1.62 km street circuit also used for the Macau Grand Prix. “I had a strong start, and with new tires, I was able to push harder compared to the others at the beginning. Although the guys were gaining on me later, I managed to maintain a two-second gap,” Fuoco said at the press conference following the race. The qualifying race decided the starting grid for the fifteen-lap main event The Macau Grand Prix, known for its tight corners and elevation changes, making it a demanding venue for drivers and earning it a reputation for testing talent. “Antonio’s performance today showcases his skill and determination, securing the pole position and highlighting our team’s strength. We’re excited for the main race and ready to honor the Ferrari legacy,” said Alessandro Bianchi, pit crew of the AF Corse Ferrari team. Despite an aggressive start, Raffaele Marciello, 30, attempted to seize second place on the rush to Lisboa Corner but ultimately had to relinquish his advance, slipping into fourth as he maneuvered through the tight right-handed corner with the BMW M4 GT3 (Evo). “Finishing fifth in Macau after our team's win at Nürburgring is a solid result. While we aimed higher today, it’s clear our hard work is paying off. We’ll take this momentum into the next race,” a pit crew member of ROWE Racing said. Alessio Picariello, 32, driving the …
Lung Kwu Tan: the village paying for Hong Kong’s zero landfill vision
- 2025-11-12
- Health & Environment
- The Young Reporter
- By: ZHANG YipingEdited by: WONG Hong Ni
- 2025-11-12
Life at Lung Kwu Tan village, located at the west end of Tuen Mun, is disrupted by the construction of I･PARK 2, an emerging waste-to-energy incinerator. Villagers worry about even more garbage trucks driving through Lung Kwu Tan Rd, the only road connecting the residential area with the outside world. I･PARK 2 is crucial to help Hong Kong achieve the zero-landfill goal for direct municipal waste disposal, as set out in the Waste Blueprint 2035. However, Tuen Mun West already hosts many energy and waste facilities, including the WENT Landfill Extension Project and T･Park, the first self-sustainable waste-to-energy facility in Hong Kong that uses sewage sludge as fuel. https://youtu.be/4ITQ1b5xWz0
Discover Hong Kong’s 18 Districts: An Interactive Map of Local Stories
- 2025-11-12
- The Young Reporter
- By: KURNIAWAN Trista VaniaEdited by: Robin Ewing
- 2025-11-12
The Young Reporter’s latest project invites you to explore Hong Kong’s 18 districts through an interactive online map. Each clickable district reveals a unique story, ranging from community identity, culture and local issues that shape life across the city. Our team set out to capture what makes each district special. From bustling urban centres to quiet neighbourhoods, these stories showcase the real Hong Kong, where 7.5 million people live, work, and dream. Read about boat dwellers in Aberdeen, the iconic roast goose of Sham Tseng, Tai Po’s running club and more.
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
https://youtu.be/plzvnNi2Pms 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 …
Wong Tai Sin's human oracle: how fortune-tellers endure the challenge posed by AI
- 2025-11-07
- Culture & Leisure
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG ShuyiEdited by: WANG Jing
- 2025-11-07
The 73-year-old Frankie Chan Wang-yuen is not your average fortune teller at Wong Tai Sin Temple, especially in an age where AI can decode insights into your destiny in just seconds using traditional Chinese fortune-telling concepts. Below the large, dark green Chinese shop sign – founded in 1940 – is a small, lime-green, A4-size paper with four lines of English in Arial font that reads: Frankie Chan, spiritual therapist, M.A. (Social Work), English and Putonghua. That is about all one needs to know how Chan’s fortune-stick reading service would differ from his peers at Wong Tai Sin Temple. Chan inherited the fortune-telling store from his mother and ran it for 15 years after retiring from a lifelong career in social work focusing on children and mental health. In the face of pervasive anxiety in a post-pandemic era and demand for insights to control uncertain life circumstances, Chan said he could offer a bit more than just straightforward fortune-telling. Most of his early life revolved around the proximity of Wong Tai Sin, a Taoist temple offering worship and fortune-stick reading service. It remains one of Hong Kong’s most popular tourist destinations and also a place where he discovered the connections between traditional Chinese fortune-telling concepts and spiritual guidance via building connections with his customers. "Many of my customers have been coming since my mother's time," said Chan."They keep returning because of the deep connections we've built over the years." Like many, Chan too was faced with the impact of technological advancement, where traditional fortune-telling was outsourced to large artificial reasoning models that could generate insights using a wide range of Chinese astrological models. According to a report published by the Chinese online media outlet 36 Kr on Aug. 25, about 60% of respondents, who are mostly aged under 35, have used …