https://www.scmp.com/rss/12733/feed Susan Ramsay first arrived in Hong Kong in 2000 and joined Young Post as editor in 2008 after more than two decades as a sub editor and writer in her native South Africa, and Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Parrots are famous for their ability to copy human voices and make a lot of other sounds. But there are 372 different parrots, and not all of them speak. They come in all sizes and colours, from the brilliant macaws to the little budgerigars and the clever African grey. They are popular pets, but be warned. They make a lot of noise and live for a very long time. And before you buy one, make sure it was not caught in the wild, which harms wildlife. Meet the kea New Zealand is very far away from... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/big-read/article/3226045/beware-kea-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/big-read/article/3226045/beware-kea-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 May 2022 04:28:35 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Today is World Parrot Day, so let’s take the chance to learn a bit about our fine feathered friends. Parrots are famous for their ability to copy human voices and make a lot of other sounds. But there are 372 different parrots, and not all of them speak. They come in all sizes and colours, from the brilliant Macaws to the little budgerigars (also called budgies) and the drab African grey. They are popular pets, but be warned. They make a lot of noise and live for a very long time (many often... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3135484/honour-world-parrot-day-meet-our-feathery-friend-kea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3135484/honour-world-parrot-day-meet-our-feathery-friend-kea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 May 2021 08:32:39 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Because we at Young Post are native English speakers, when we see writers repeating the same mistake in English, we want to help them out. Here are some we see very often in letters and stories, or hear in conversation. Sneaky ways to insult someone in English I’ll see you one month later Even professionals make this mistake. The right phrase is “in one month’s time”. “Later” is an adverb talking about something that will happen in the near future. So we can say “I’ll see you later this month”... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/article/3133183/im-so-boring-and-other-common-english-mistakes-we-hear-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/article/3133183/im-so-boring-and-other-common-english-mistakes-we-hear-all-time?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 May 2021 23:00:13 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Things are definitely looking up for students in Hong Kong, with the Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor telling the media yesterday that by May 24 all local schools would be able to have face-to-face classes. The arrangement will only be for half a day, though. Lam said there had been no major outbreak of Covid-19 variants since the first cases were discovered in the local population last month. Meanwhile, in Canada and the US, people as young as 12 will be able to get a Covid vaccine.... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3133068/coronavirus-news-round-hong-kong-students-will-head-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3133068/coronavirus-news-round-hong-kong-students-will-head-back?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 May 2021 09:59:33 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Right now, tens of thousands of Hong Kong’s students are facing the most stressful time of their lives. Not only do they have to cope with the HKDSE or IB exams, but they have come out of a year of fear and uncertainty as the pandemic gripped the world. What’s more, at any moment, they could be sent to quarantine or experience an overnight building lockdown. When you’re so intensely stressed that you break down crying, go ahead, and cry your eyes out. As the saying goes, tears wash the soul. But... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3132234/hkdse-ib-covid-19-how-make-sense-stress-and-sadness-youre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3132234/hkdse-ib-covid-19-how-make-sense-stress-and-sadness-youre?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 May 2021 10:56:47 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay On this day, 60 years ago, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel to space.  To remember this amazing pilot and his ground-breaking feat, Yuri’s Night is a yearly event that began on the 40th anniversary of Gagarin’s launch. This day also marks the celebration for other space milestones as well, making it a party day on the International Space Station (ISS). Beginning in 1962, it was celebrated as Cosmonautics Day in the USSR and continues now in Russia. In 2011, the day... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3129214/celebrating-first-human-space-yuris-night?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3129214/celebrating-first-human-space-yuris-night?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Apr 2021 08:12:58 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Around this time last year, the Young Post team were swept into quarantine . And while things have changed a lot since then, we still have some useful tips to share. What is quarantine? People who have been in contact with those who test positive for Covid-19 are sent into quarantine. This is to make sure that if you are infected, you won’t infect anyone else. While we went to camps in Fo Tan and Lei Yue Mun last year, you will most likely be sent to the Penny’s Bay centre on Lantau. How to... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3127437/how-make-quarantine-slightly-less-miserable-load-your-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3127437/how-make-quarantine-slightly-less-miserable-load-your-netflix?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Mar 2021 05:55:10 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Today is World Water Day, and this year’s theme is “What water means to you”. It’s a good time to think of the world’s second-most precious asset. Water is vital to almost all living things, yet in Hong Kong we take it for granted. It’s easy to turn on a tap and have water come out. If we don’t want to boil and cool it, or we think other water is better to drink, we can buy some, wrapped in plastic and shipped halfway around the world to be on our supermarket shelves. In many other countries,... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3126425/world-water-day-we-show-gratitude-essential-resource?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3126425/world-water-day-we-show-gratitude-essential-resource?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Mar 2021 07:29:01 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay While vaccines have become more available to Hongkongers, the number of people wanting to get the jabs is relatively low. Some 70 per cent of the population needs to have been vaccinated for the city to reach “herd immunity”. Herd immunity is the goal, as that should allow Hong Kong to reopen, and Hongkongers to move around freely, go to school and play sports, go to the cinema again and so on. Herd immunity cannot be achieved without vaccination. While we wait for the magical 70 per cent... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3126211/coronavirus-hong-kong-needs-70-cent-its-population-be?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3126211/coronavirus-hong-kong-needs-70-cent-its-population-be?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Mar 2021 11:28:28 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay At least 10 Hong Kong schools closed yesterday due to the Covid-19 virus. Dr Chuang Shuk-kwan, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s Communicable Diseases branch, said all schools might have to close again if the situation did not improve. Ursus Fitness gym in Sai Ying Pun was found to have a “super-spreading” cluster which affected international schools, banks and other gyms. As a result, more than 240 people were sent to quarantine. At least 17 customers and staff members at the gym... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3125249/coronavirus-10-hong-kong-schools-close-following?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3125249/coronavirus-10-hong-kong-schools-close-following?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:05:28 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February March April May June July August September October November December  Feb 28 More than 20 million people in Britain have received vaccine dose Health Secretary Matt Hancock reports Faroe Islands free of Covid-19 for the first time since July 2020 Feb 27 Hong Kong receives delayed Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines from Germany Biden urges Senate to swiftly pass 1.9-trillion-dollar stimulus bill Feb 26 Facial surgery booms in Albania as people take advantage of wearing masks to... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/article/3123699/covid-19-pandemic-timeline-february-2021?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/article/3123699/covid-19-pandemic-timeline-february-2021?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Mar 2021 09:33:28 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay I suppose those who can afford it should. Those who earn or whose parents earn more than a certain are very lucky, especially given how many people lost their jobs last year and are struggling with everyday expenses. If people whose parents earn a decent income donated some of their lai see, it would help less fortunate Hongkongers to ride out the storm. Yannie Yan No. Instead, I think anyone who can afford it should spend some of their lai see on medical supplies, such as disinfection kits or... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3123056/talking-points-should-people-who-earn-or-whose-parents-earn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3123056/talking-points-should-people-who-earn-or-whose-parents-earn?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Feb 2021 05:18:16 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay The Year of the Ox often sees a few debates at Young Post HQ because people who speak English want more details. To us, an ox is a domesticated – meaning it lives with humans – desexed type of cattle. Usually they are used as “beasts of burden”, animals that carry carts, move cargo, or plough the land to prepare it for planting. In most industrialised places, oxen have been replaced by machinery. But they can still be found throughout the world helping farmers unable to afford... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/article/3122592/12-ox-cellent-facts-kick-year-ox?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/article/3122592/12-ox-cellent-facts-kick-year-ox?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Feb 2021 03:48:03 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Many English words end in the suffix -able or -ible, which sounds like the English word for “bull”. The addition of these letters means capable of something or suitable for something. So here are 14 words to add to your vocabulary as we enter the Year of the Ox. Abom a Bull Abominable: Yes, you know it as the abominable snowman, the mythical ape in the Himalayas. But really it means awful!In use: Jenny’s homework is abominable; she really needs to improve her writing. Eddy Bull Edible: able to... https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3121759/14-incredi-bull-english-vocabulary-words-year-ox?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3121759/14-incredi-bull-english-vocabulary-words-year-ox?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Feb 2021 06:06:56 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay No. Although residents could move around within the area, and the government provided them with necessities, they were shocked by the suddenness of the blockade. They were unable to stock up. The government should prioritise closing our borders. In addition to local virus cases, Hong Kong is reporting infections among arrivals. We need to focus on stopping this first.Michelle Tsang, 12 Would you get the Covid-19 vaccine if it was available? The disadvantages of the lockdown outweigh the... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3120454/do-you-think-hong-kongs-first-ever-lockdown-was-worth-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3120454/do-you-think-hong-kongs-first-ever-lockdown-was-worth-it?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Feb 2021 03:01:06 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay No, because everyone is equal. We should respect others no matter their gender, ethnicity, or skin colour. What’s more, I think everyone has a right to have their own haircut – even prisoners. If men need to have a haircut when they enter prison, then so should women. We should say “No!” to discrimination. Amy Wong, 12 Both men and women should be forced to have their haircut because when they are in prison they are criminals. Also, they should not care about their outward appearance. They... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3119585/talking-points-should-male-prisoners-have-have-haircut-when?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3119585/talking-points-should-male-prisoners-have-have-haircut-when?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jan 2021 05:42:16 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay No, I don’t think so. This action by social media networks has caused a lot of debate about freedom of speech. I was very surprised when I read this piece of news. A president plays a crucial role in any society. Trump’s social media posts are very important even though some people say they lead to discord and violence in society. He has the right to have his views published. It’s problematic that the US president was blocked by big technology companies. This means they have control over all the... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/opinion/article/3118648/social-media-right-ban-former-us-president-donald?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/opinion/article/3118648/social-media-right-ban-former-us-president-donald?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:00:48 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay What the heck is a sea shanty, and why do we care? Well, because these ancient songs of sailors are exploding online, and they are a great way of coping in times of Covid! What did ancient sailors have to do with Covid, you might well ask. So did we, and we found out that men of yore would spend a long time at sea on a seemingly endless ocean, sometimes afraid for their lives and sometimes depressed and angry. Ships were small places, with people living on top of each other. The work could be... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/article/3118353/what-are-sea-shanties-and-how-can-singing-them-help-you?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/article/3118353/what-are-sea-shanties-and-how-can-singing-them-help-you?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:31:16 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Like almost everything in 2020, games had their setbacks - they missed deadlines or were released with annoying glitches and then recalled. But, there are some pinpoints of light on the horizon, so we've chosen the five games we're most excited about in 2021. Hogwarts Legacy Publisher: Portkey Games (Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment) Developer: Avalanche Software Available for: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S. We'd be lying if we said we didn't have high hopes for Hogwarts Legacy.... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/tech-gaming/article/3117939/nintendo-switch-ps5-and-xbox-games-were?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/tech-gaming/article/3117939/nintendo-switch-ps5-and-xbox-games-were?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jan 2021 10:59:22 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Yes, we should have that right. Many people are unhappy about the restrictions that have been placed on ID card photos. For example, we need to show our eyebrows and ears. As a result, many people have to trim their hair when taking ID photos. In addition, we can’t replace our ID cards unless we lose them. So anyone who has a “terrible” picture of themselves on their ID cards tends to be embarrassed to show them to other people. Therefore, I think we should have the right to use a good-looking... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3117887/talking-points-should-it-be-your-right-have-good-looking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/your-voice/article/3117887/talking-points-should-it-be-your-right-have-good-looking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jan 2021 07:28:38 +0000 Susan Ramsay,South China Morning Post Susan Ramsay,South China Morning Post A Hong Kong judge’s demand that court attendees and a lawyer remove their face masks during a hearing this week because the masks were yellow has ignited a debate among legal scholars and experts on whether he went too far. The drama unfolded in courtroom 7 of the District Court during a session on Monday presided over by Judge Ernest Lin Kam-hung, who was hearing the guilty pleas of four suspects involved in an illegal assembly inside Amoy Plaza on September 14, 2019, where three shoppers had... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3117603/hong-kong-judge-asks-court-attendees-remove-yellow-face?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3117603/hong-kong-judge-asks-court-attendees-remove-yellow-face?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jan 2021 10:53:52 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay No, we’re very likely not going to be freezing in Hong Kong over the Lunar New Year. A rumour doing the rounds on social media this week said Hong Kong’s temperature would fall to minus 2 degrees Celsius on February 11, which is Chinese New Year’s Eve. Then, says the post, we would be suddenly be warming up to 7 degrees. The director of the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO), Dr Cheng Cho–ming, noted on his Facebook page that many people have received messages listing the expected temperatures for the... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3117436/hong-kong-probably-wont-be-freezing-chinese-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3117436/hong-kong-probably-wont-be-freezing-chinese-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Jan 2021 10:52:21 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay If you’ve ever wondered what yoga is all about, wonder no more. It’s a form of breathing and moving that is good for your whole body, including your mind. If you want to get the best out of yoga, you need to focus on what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. It’s kind of like meditation and exercise at the same time. There are plenty of videos on YouTube or helpful friends that can teach you what to do, but we will concentrate on why you should try yoga. Make mental fitness your New Year’s... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3117165/5-reasons-why-you-should-try-yoga?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3117165/5-reasons-why-you-should-try-yoga?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jan 2021 02:47:20 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay weaselly – a weasel is a small animal, related to a ferret which is often kept as a pet in Britain. Wild weasels are thought of as being untrustworthy.dodge – to quickly move out of the way of somethingset aside one’s differences – stop arguing over somethingcivility – being politewriggle out of – escape. e.g. my sister always manages to wriggle out of doing any household chores.implicit – suggested rather than being clearly saidposition is groundless – there are no facts to defend their... https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3115814/glossary-december-31-reading-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3115814/glossary-december-31-reading-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:00:09 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay It was a turbulent time in Hong Kong this year. Let’s take a quick look at what happened. January 1 More than one million Hongkongers join New Year’s Day march23 A man who enters the city from Wuhan becomes first Covid-19 case February 3 Hong Kong medical workers strike to demand Hong Kong closes its borders with China4 Hong Kong records first coronavirus death6 Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize14 Tuen Ma MTR Line Phase 1 opens, connecting Wu Kai Sha and... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3115718/protests-coronavirus-and-closures-hong-kong-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3115718/protests-coronavirus-and-closures-hong-kong-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Dec 2020 10:38:04 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay If you’re tired of whizz-bang CGI, or a world where right is always right and wrong is always wrong, you might want to try some of these classic movies to find a deeper meaning to life. Hotel Rwanda Rwanda, a tiny country in Africa, suffered a horrific ethnic cleansing that lasted for more than 100 days in 1994. During that time, more than 800,000 people were slaughtered, so any movie that deals with this subject must come with a warning that viewers should be at least 13 or older. In Hotel... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3114971/eight-classic-movies-every-young-man-should-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3114971/eight-classic-movies-every-young-man-should-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Dec 2020 10:00:15 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Hongkongers can look forward to free Covid-19 vaccinations beginning at the end of January. Not everyone is thrilled by the idea, however. Here’s a short breakdown of what you need to know. What is a vaccine? A vaccine is medicine that is specifically aimed at getting humans, or animals, to produce antibodies that will fight off a particular disease. Wait, what is an antibody, exactly? An antibody is a protein that your body makes to stop an invasion of a foreign substance, like diseases or... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3113897/what-you-need-know-about-covid-19-vaccine-coming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3113897/what-you-need-know-about-covid-19-vaccine-coming-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Dec 2020 11:02:31 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay This season’s Student of the Year awards have finally ended, with Dylan Robinson of German Swiss International School taking the title. Katrina Liu Tin-nam of Diocesan Girls’ School (DGS) was first runner-up while Benjamin Chan of St Joseph’s College was second runner-up. This year’s awards were hampered by Covid-19, with students having to do their interviews with judges through online video conferencing. Students in the Performing Artist category had to record their performances, with Diocesan... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3113197/soty-2019/20-award-winners-announced?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3113197/soty-2019/20-award-winners-announced?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Dec 2020 08:39:55 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay From midnight Thursday, Hongkongers will not be able to eat at restaurants after 6pm, and banquets will only be able to have 20 guests. All fitness and beauty centres have to shut. Civil servants are working from home. Students are learning from home. And people who live in high-risk neighbourhoods will be forced to wait at home to be tested. Five more testing centres will be added to the nine already open. More testing kits, 40,000 a day, will be distributed at public clinics, post offices, and... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3113077/coronavirus-hong-kong-imposes-new-covid-19-restrictions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3113077/coronavirus-hong-kong-imposes-new-covid-19-restrictions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Dec 2020 10:49:07 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay From poetry to a “manliness” guide and true stories from the front lines of the second world war, this collection of books is a must-read for any young man. Montana 1948 by Larry Watson This Western is told from the point of view of David Hayden. The housekeeper, Marie, a young Native American woman, falls ill, but is terrified of seeing the doctor, who happens to be David’s uncle, Frank. David’s father, Wesley, is the town sheriff, and when it becomes known that Frank has been molesting his... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/books/article/3112431/8-books-every-teen-boy-should-read-they-leave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/entertainment/books/article/3112431/8-books-every-teen-boy-should-read-they-leave?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Dec 2020 22:30:13 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Petrol bombs were thrown at a police sports club early on Tuesday morning, causing a lot of damage. Police said they were looking for three black-clad people who were seen throwing Molotov cocktails into the car park of the Police Sports and Recreation Club in Sham Shui Po. The attack happened around 1am and destroyed the front of a small truck. The case as been classified as arson. An 18-year-old male was arrested on Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, a short distance from the club, on suspicion of... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3112131/hong-kong-police-seek-suspects-early-morning-arson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3112131/hong-kong-police-seek-suspects-early-morning-arson?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Dec 2020 10:18:46 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay In her longest policy address yet, delayed from October 14, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor acknowledged that fighting climate change is an important global issue. Hong Kong hopes to become carbon neutral 10 years earlier than the mainland’s 2060 date, she said. In the first policy address when Hong Kong does not have a viable opposition, Lam said Hong Kong is a “gaping hole” in China’s national security. The new national security law, which was imposed on June 30, had... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3111362/carrie-lams-longest-ever-policy-address-acknowledges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3111362/carrie-lams-longest-ever-policy-address-acknowledges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Nov 2020 12:53:14 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Hong Kong junior Primary schools will close for two weeks because of a URTI outbreak. What is a URTI? Literally, it’s an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, i.e. a common cold Your upper respiratory tract is your nose, throat, and sinuses. URTI is a catchall term used by doctors to describe infections caused by a group of viruses, most often the rhinovirus. Sometimes they can be caused by a coronavirus, the same family as Covid-19. How to avoid catching a cold during Covid-19 You could have URTI... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3110721/explainer-what-upper-respiratory-tract-infection-or-urti?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/article/3110721/explainer-what-upper-respiratory-tract-infection-or-urti?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Nov 2020 09:07:47 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay You might think that phones are a thing of the past, but you would be surprised to know how often they are still used in everyday business. As in, actually making a phone call and speaking to another person. With your voice. If that very thought fills you with dread, you’re not alone. Being uncomfortable with talking on a phone has become normal for teens, who far prefer texting, where complicated issues can be broken down into emoji. There is a definite skill to making a call, other than all... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/advice/living/article/3110308/how-stop-texting-and-get-over-your-fear-phone-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/advice/living/article/3110308/how-stop-texting-and-get-over-your-fear-phone-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Nov 2020 03:42:43 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay As the Covid-19 virus out of Wuhan, China, spreads around the world, nations scramble to respond with tighter checks on citizens and visitors. So far, we know that it spreads from human to human, and that symptoms include a fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. Experts have identified the virus as a coronavirus, the same kind of pathogen as that which caused Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed more than 800 people in 2002/03 and also started in China.  As events are reported, we... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3108699/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-november?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3108699/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-november?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Nov 2020 02:59:51 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay With Halloween just around the corner, we thought you might like to learn about “original” monsters and their powers. Hollywood has given all of them a frightening makeover, but their backstory is scary enough. Vampires These nocturnal monsters feed off the blood of humans, usually by biting them in the neck. Once the person is bitten, they too become a vampire, as if vampirism is a kind of virus. Vampires live forever and are thought to be able to turn into bats.  Vampires really hit their... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3107402/story-behind-vampires-zombies-and-other-monsters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3107402/story-behind-vampires-zombies-and-other-monsters?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2020 07:25:10 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February March April May July August September October November December January June 30 As of 6 pm today, 10,426,070 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 5,681,547 and 508,515 people have died. 25 countries and territories have no active cases. Anguilla, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Caribbean Netherlands, Dominica, Faeroe Islands, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Greenland, Grenada, Isle of Man, Laos, Liechtenstein, Montserrat, New... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3105114/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-june-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3105114/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-june-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2020 07:05:11 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay We have had a lot of thunder, grey skies and red rain warnings and thunderstorms in Hong Kong lately. But this is not very alarming. They are perfectly normal for this time of year. But if you want to read weather reports from other places, here are 18 weather words you might not know, and what they mean. Water Precipitation [pre-sip-ee-tay-shun] Water that falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow or hail. In use: There is a 40 per cent chance of precipitation this weekend, so we’ll be... https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3105120/18-weather-words-you-might-not-know-drizzle-smog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/learn/learning-resources/article/3105120/18-weather-words-you-might-not-know-drizzle-smog?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2020 05:11:26 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February March April June July August September October November December January 2021 May 30  There has still been no word from Chinese citizen journalists Chen Qiushi, a lawyer last heard from on February 7, and Fang Bin, a Wuhan resident who became well known after he released a video clip of dead bodies in a van outside a major hospital. Fang was taken away by plain-clothes police on February 9.  May 29 As of 7pm today, 5,931,867 people have been infected by Covid-19. The... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3105109/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-may-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3105109/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-may-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2020 04:31:13 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay The “People of Hong Kong” or teenage environmentalist Greta Thunberg could, tomorrow, win the world’s highest honour – the Nobel Peace Prize. Here’s what you need to know about it: The Nobel Peace Prize goes to the person “who has done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and the establishment and promotion of peace congresses”.  These rules were set out in the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite,... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3104657/15-facts-know-about-nobel-peace-prize-worlds-highest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3104657/15-facts-know-about-nobel-peace-prize-worlds-highest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2020 05:28:49 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Here’s the latest: 2019 - January March April May June July August September October November December January 2021 February 29 As of noon today, 85,176 people are infected with Covid-19. Deaths are 2,923 and 39,426 people have recovered. The area tallies are as follows: Mainland China, 79,251 with 2,835 dead, South Korea: 2,931 with 16 dead, Italy 888 with 21 dead, Diamond Princess: 705 with 6 dead,  Iran: 388 with 34 dead, Japan: 235 with 5 dead,  Singapore: 98 cases, Hong Kong: 94... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3104242/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-february?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3104242/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-february?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 10:11:36 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February April May June July August September October November December January March 31 As of 10 am today, 784,381 people are infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 165,035, and 37,780 people have died. There are 581,566 active cases. In total, 200 countries and territories, and two international transporters have been infected. The captain of a US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus, asks for permission to... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3104241/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3104241/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-march?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 10:11:15 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Masks are going to be a part of our lives for a long time, it seems. But we can never be too sure that someone won’t come up with some other way to protect humans from the Covid-19 virus.   We might be stuck with the single-colour, single-use face mask in Hong Kong, but Japan may soon have the ultimate mask. Students at Future University in Hakodate have designed a face shield that replaces the face of the wearer with one of an anime character. Yes, you can be Son Goku! The shield covers the... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3104208/coronavirus-students-japan-design-anime-face-masks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3104208/coronavirus-students-japan-design-anime-face-masks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2020 07:43:42 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Here’s the latest: 2019 - January February March May June July August September October November December January 2021 April 30 As of noon today, 3,220,830 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 1,000,983 and 228,239 people have died. There are 1,991,608 active cases and 1,229,222 closed cases. In total, 210 countries and territories, and two international transporters have been infected. Greenland, St Barth and Anguilla have no known active cases. Animal... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103461/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-april?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103461/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-april?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2020 06:18:30 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay As the Covid-19 virus out of Wuhan, China, spreads around the world, nations scramble to respond with tighter checks on citizens and visitors. So far, we know that it spreads from human to human, and that symptoms include a fever, coughing and difficulty breathing. Experts have identified the virus as a coronavirus, the same kind of pathogen as that which caused Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which killed more than 800 people in 2002/03 and also started in China.  As events are reported, we... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103475/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-august?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103475/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-august?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2020 06:18:23 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February March April May June August September October November December January July 30 As of 6.30 pm, 17,502,048 people have been infected by Covid-19. The number of recoveries stands at 10,957,716 and 677,255 people have died. Only 13 countries and territories to have no active cases: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, French Polynesia, Isle of Man, Macau, New Caledonia, San Marino, Timor-Leste, and Vatican City. Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103462/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-july-2020?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/global/article/3103462/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-july-2020?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2020 06:15:02 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay 2019 - January February March April May June July August September October November December January 2020 January 31 At the time of publishing the death toll from the coronavirus stands at 213, with 9816 cases reported, and at least 187 cases have recovered. Hong Kong confirms its first human-to-human case. Britain announces its first two confirmed cases, in Newcastle. In China, cities that flank Wuhan, Huanggang and Xiaogan, rack up infections faster than Wuhan itself. Thailand confirms... https://www.scmp.com/yp/article/3103458/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-november-april?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/article/3103458/coronavirus-timeline-outbreak-related-deadly-sars-november-april?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2020 05:14:58 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Today is World News Day. It’s a day when news organisations from around the world celebrate journalism and news, and what they mean to people. But what is news, really? Let us introduce you.    News is ... News is stories. Those stories can be about all sorts of things. You can control what news stories you see on your phone by changing the filters. So, you might want to know more about football or K-pop than business or politics. You can choose, you’re the boss. Why do people read news... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3103284/why-journalism-important-celebrate-world-news-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3103284/why-journalism-important-celebrate-world-news-day?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2020 03:33:09 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay It seems like we have a new virus word to add to our vocabulary every single day. Some of them can be quite confusing. Here are some of the words you might have heard in the news.  Aerosols (air-oh-soles) Many people use aerosols every day, spraying on deodorant or perfume, or using a spray of air-freshener. Aerosols are tiny, tiny droplets of liquid in the air. When we first learned about the virus, doctors thought it was passed on through touch. A person needed to touch an infected surface and... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3102333/whats-difference-between-superspreader-and-silent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/lifestyle/features/article/3102333/whats-difference-between-superspreader-and-silent?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2020 04:21:00 +0000 Susan Ramsay Susan Ramsay Hong Kong will be getting a new set of postage stamps next month. In the past, before email became such a common thing, people would send each other letters, on paper, folded into envelopes, and then pay the government postal service to deliver them. To show that they had paid, they would buy a stamp, and stick it on to the envelope.  Over the years, people began to collect stamps. Some of them were worth a lot of money. The most expensive stamp in the world is the “British Guiana One-Cent... https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3101441/hong-kong-post-release-new-stamp-collection-featuring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/yp/discover/news/hong-kong/article/3101441/hong-kong-post-release-new-stamp-collection-featuring?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2020 06:48:50 +0000