https://www.scmp.com/rss/322041/feed City desk reporter covering Hong Kong community news, particularly for City Weekend. Covers environment, charity, culture, crime, politics and viral news. Before the South China Morning Post, Rachel worked as a reporter at the Evening Standard in London. Follow her on Twitter @rachelblundy. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Because of his dyslexia, Tim Wong Man-hon struggled at school. The 17-year-old pupil’s homework would often turn out sloppy and messy, much to his parents’ disappointment. “It drove my father crazy picking up my wrong words, but I couldn’t help it,” he said. “All I could do was to keep correcting and correcting.” But these days, things are looking up for Wong, in part thanks to a new-found passion for coffee. He is among a group of teenagers with special educational needs (SEN) who workers at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2112396/grounds-optimism-hong-kongs-special-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2112396/grounds-optimism-hong-kongs-special-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Sep 2017 08:32:18 +0000 Hong Kong trader Nelson Tse Shiu-ho has worked full time since he was just 13 years old, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he is looking forward to retirement. Now 70, the father of one has held a shop in Chungking Mansions – a hub for traders from developing countries, backpackers and asylum seekers – for more than four decades. “I want to go and visit my grandchildren in Australia, because so far I have only been able to see pictures on WhatsApp,” he says. Tse, who lives with his wife in Pok... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2111346/meet-one-last-remaining-hong-kong-chinese-traders-chungking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2111346/meet-one-last-remaining-hong-kong-chinese-traders-chungking?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2017 08:31:17 +0000 Four Filipino women are set to become the first group of foreign domestic workers to take on a 100km charity hike challenge around Hong Kong. Aleli Pena, 38, Beverly Martinez, 35, Marian America, 43, and Bernadette Durian, 37, will attempt the gruelling Oxfam Trailwalker route from Sai Kung to Yuen Long via the MacLehose Trail on November 17. The quartet, who have dubbed themselves “Maid of Heart and Sole”, are training hard ahead of the event, which has raised more than HK$538 million for Oxfam... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2111312/filipino-domestic-worker-team-take-hong-kongs-100km-oxfam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2111312/filipino-domestic-worker-team-take-hong-kongs-100km-oxfam?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2017 04:30:15 +0000 Eco warrior Jo Wilson has lived in Hong Kong with her family for 21 years, but she feels so depressed about the city’s environmental situation that she is increasingly splitting her time between here and her home in Britain. The founder of environmental group Living Lamma, which campaigns for greener practices on Lamma Island, said she was becoming more frustrated by the city’s waste problem. A mother of two whose children Max, 11, and Kate, 8, join her on regular beach clean-ups, she is one of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2111403/why-are-hong-kongs-expats-still-down-dumps-about-living-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/2111403/why-are-hong-kongs-expats-still-down-dumps-about-living-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Sep 2017 00:00:45 +0000 A Hong Kong cyclist with only one arm is looking to inspire other disabled people in the city to take on new challenges when he joins a 30km bike race for charity next month. Derek Ko Chi-kin, 59, will join about 1,500 riders on the 30km route from Tsim Sha Tsui to the Nam Wan Tunnel, as part of the third annual Hong Kong Cyclothon on October 8. The project assistant from the charity Hong Kong Network for the Promotion of Inclusive Society had his right arm amputated aged 12 after it got... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110487/hong-kong-amputee-set-take-city-bike-race-aims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110487/hong-kong-amputee-set-take-city-bike-race-aims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Sep 2017 03:30:51 +0000 Hongkongers with peanut allergies will be unlikely to benefit from a new probiotics study because there is a “lack of expertise” to test the treatment locally, one of the city’s top allergists has said. Dr Lee Tak-hong, director of the Allergy Centre at the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, said the city’s estimated 21,000 peanut allergy sufferers continued to be neglected by the city’s health system. He said the number of allergists had increased slightly since 2014, from one per 1.46 million... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2110311/does-hong-kong-have-enough-expertise-treat-peanut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2110311/does-hong-kong-have-enough-expertise-treat-peanut?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2017 06:00:24 +0000 Actor Michael Wong has been a favourite of the Hong Kong screen for more than three decades, making his debut in kung fu film Invincible Obsessed Fighters (1983) before going on to star in multiple action films, often as police officers. Born in the US to a Chinese restaurateur and an American artist, the 52-year-old star lives with his supermodel wife Janet Ma and three children Kayla, Irisa and Kadin. He spoke to City Weekend about the film industry, typecasting, discrimination and government... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110319/hong-kong-actor-straddling-two-cultures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110319/hong-kong-actor-straddling-two-cultures?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2017 05:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong-born Hollywood actor Byron Mann wants to bring stories set in the city to a global audience, and seeks to represent the territory in an “honourable” way, as an award lauds his contributions to the local community. Mann, who acted in US films and TV series such as The Big Short and Arrow, will be among eight personalities to be recognised at the Men of Hope 2017 awards, which will take place in October. The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of these influential men, who come from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110305/eight-winners-hong-kongs-men-hope-awards?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2110305/eight-winners-hong-kongs-men-hope-awards?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2017 03:32:54 +0000 Hong Kong’s expatriates are slightly more satisfied with their lives compared with one year ago, but they are still not as content as others living in Taiwan, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia, according to a new international survey. Expatriates living in the city felt frustrated by the high cost of living, the lack of work-life balance, and the difficulty of trying to learn Cantonese. In a poll of 13,000 users compiled by expatriate networking website InterNations, Hong Kong ranked 39th out of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109979/hong-kongs-expatriates-more-satisfied-not-happy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109979/hong-kongs-expatriates-more-satisfied-not-happy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Sep 2017 07:02:19 +0000 Hundreds of foreign domestic workers marched through Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon to demand a 27.6 per cent pay rise and an end to what they called slave-like conditions. About 600 turned out despite the less than favourable weather for the 1km procession from Exchange Square in Central at 2pm to rally outside the Labour Department building. Campaigners called for an increase in the minimum wage from HK$4,310 to HK$5,500 a month for the 350,000 helpers, plus a rise in the food allowance from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109539/hong-kongs-domestic-workers-march-through-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109539/hong-kongs-domestic-workers-march-through-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Sep 2017 09:50:42 +0000 Hong Kong’s Observation Wheel could be closed for up to two years and its replacement could be five metres smaller in diameter, as a new operator taking over is unable to strike a deal with its predecessor to keep the popular tourist attraction running. The Ferris wheel on the Central Harbourfront looks set for the scrapheap because of a payment dispute between former operator Swiss AEX and newcomer The Entertainment Corp Ltd (TECL). The tourist attraction was closed last week with no warning... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2109506/observation-wheel-set-scrapheap-hong-kong-official-says-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2109506/observation-wheel-set-scrapheap-hong-kong-official-says-new?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Sep 2017 04:57:42 +0000 Hong Kong filmmaker Tammy Cheung Hung is no stranger to controversial topics in the city, releasing many documentaries over the years dealing with racism and politics. The 59-year-old director, who once considered pursuing a career as a television reporter, made her first film Invisible Women(1999) on the lives of Indian women in Hong Kong. The multiple award winner, who lives with her photographer partner and long-time professional collaborator Augustine Lam on Cheung Chau island, strongly... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109215/hong-kong-documentary-maker-keeps-record-citys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109215/hong-kong-documentary-maker-keeps-record-citys?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2017 08:33:22 +0000 A Hong Kong snake catcher has hailed the hospital staff who saved his life after he was bitten by a Chinese cobra, and said he hoped others would not “be as stupid as me” and do the dangerous job without gloves. David Willott expressed his gratitude to the “great” doctors and nurses at Tseung Kwan O Hospital, despite losing half a finger, after being infected with the snake’s potentially deadly venom. The 50-year-old father-of-two, who has been catching snakes for more than 30 years and is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109451/i-deserved-what-i-got-contrite-hong-kong-snake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109451/i-deserved-what-i-got-contrite-hong-kong-snake?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2017 07:00:54 +0000 A blind athlete who once contemplated suicide because of his disability has completely transformed his life and receiving a guide dog contributed to this, boosting his confidence while giving him a “big sense of security” to explore Hong Kong. Gary Leung Siu-wai described how Gaga, his black Labrador from the Hong Kong Guide Dogs Association, had enabled him to become more independent since she came into his life in April this year. The 50-year-old runner, who will attempt a 1,200km run over 19... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109290/how-guide-dog-led-blind-hong-kong-athlete-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109290/how-guide-dog-led-blind-hong-kong-athlete-better?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2017 05:03:21 +0000 When you first meet Nicholas Wong, a small and softly spoken Hongkonger with a cheeky smile, he doesn’t seem likely to be a world-class athlete. But this summer, the 23-year-old from Wong Tai Sin ranked 11th in the World Street Workout Freestyle Championships in Moscow, Russia. He is also the three times Hong Kong street workout champion. His achievements are all the more impressive given Wong, formerly a self-confessed video games geek and an ongoing fast-food addict, only took up the sport in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109115/how-self-confessed-gamer-geek-and-fast-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2109115/how-self-confessed-gamer-geek-and-fast-food?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Sep 2017 04:00:30 +0000 Bobbie Huthart is enjoying a second shot at life. The 69-year-old former financial adviser previously known as Robert, son of former Lane Crawford managing director Robert Huthart Snr, is now living as a transgender woman in Bangkok, Thailand, after calling Hong Kong home for decades. In 2015, she came out to friends and family as transgender, and eventually decided to have full gender reassignment surgery in Thailand. Last year, her incredible journey was featured in a documentary from TV... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2108317/how-ruthless-playboy-businessman-hong-kong-became?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2108317/how-ruthless-playboy-businessman-hong-kong-became?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2017 07:00:34 +0000 Former triad member Lau Tsz-Ching, 22, admits she used to be a very angry person. As the daughter of a Hong Kong police officer, she says she often rebelled against her overly strict parents,and was frequently punished. “This drove me away from them even more,” she says. “I would often come home late. But eventually, I decided to leave the triad because I didn’t want my family to worry anymore. It was around this time that I took up Muay Thai.” Lau, who is fast becoming a formidable competitor... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2108365/triad-members-muay-thai-coaches-young-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2108365/triad-members-muay-thai-coaches-young-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2017 06:00:45 +0000 A Hong Kong property manager who moonlights as a photographer has recreated his home city’s iconic Victoria Harbour night scene using classic children’s toy, Lego. Ric Tse, 39, who has been capturing his playful interpretations of Hong Kong since 2009, recently shared his latest project of the view from Tsim Sha Tsui harbourfront with his 40,000 Facebook fans. The scene features various detailed elements made from Lego, including tourists taking selfies; artists painting portraits; a travel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2108366/property-manager-turned-photographer-recreates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2108366/property-manager-turned-photographer-recreates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2017 05:33:47 +0000 Hong Kong’s workers remain at risk of exploitation because most do not know their rights, leaving them vulnerable to employers’ sometimes unreasonable demands, experts have said. Within the last decade, rows have erupted at workplaces in which employees have complained they lacked adequate freedoms and even basic human rights, despite the special administrative region being a signatory to 41 international labour conventions. In the latest high-profile dispute, the employer of a foreign domestic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107972/workers-know-your-rights-experts-say-after-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107972/workers-know-your-rights-experts-say-after-high?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2017 00:00:30 +0000 A Hong Kong artist whose innovative photographs of the city’s major landmarks and everyday scenes have become an online hit said he only started the project to “cheer Hong Kong people up”. Tommy Fung has used Photoshop to adapt hit shots of sites including the IFC, the Big Buddha and the Star Ferry, often giving them a distinctive reinvention. His Instagram series @SurrealHK has quickly amassed almost 10,000 followers since he launched it last year, with fans lapping up his imaginative images... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107355/going-against-flow-fun-photos-show-surreal-side?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107355/going-against-flow-fun-photos-show-surreal-side?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2017 06:02:36 +0000 A British expat is hoping to set a new record for swimming around Hong Kong Island in one go. Simon Holliday, 39, a learning and development manager for a Hong Kong law firm, plans to complete the 45km route without taking a break on November 11 in a bid to raise HK$1 million for his charity Splash, which offers free swimming lessons for the city’s domestic workers and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. There is no official record for swimming around Hong Kong Island, but the challenge was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107399/lawyer-eyeing-record-swimming-around-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107399/lawyer-eyeing-record-swimming-around-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2017 05:03:06 +0000 Up until now, Hong Kong has not convincingly proved itself capable of keeping up with its Asian counterparts in developing its creative industries, with some places having dedicated authorities to promote the sector. Meet the young designers leading growth in Hong Kong’s creative industries despite challenges South Korea In South Korea, the Korean Creative Content Agency is the central body which oversees the development of its creative industries, covering everything from music and fashion to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2107394/how-does-hong-kong-compare-asian-counterparts-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2107394/how-does-hong-kong-compare-asian-counterparts-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2017 02:01:52 +0000 Hong Kong’s young creative entrepreneurs have insisted they continue to face significant social, financial and cultural barriers to success despite being hailed as key to the generation who will drive the city’s economy into the future. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has pledged to boost creative industries as the city loses ground on its traditional strengths such as retail. But those working in the creative sector have suggested their success is almost entirely self-made, as they... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107400/meet-young-designers-leading-growth-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107400/meet-young-designers-leading-growth-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2017 00:03:00 +0000 A Hong Kong domestic worker has described how she cried with happiness after reaching the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro at the end of a charity climb. Liza Avelino, 46, a Filipino worker who has lived in the city for more than 20 years, finished her seven-day trek up the 5,895 metre mountain, Africa’s tallest, last Friday morning. After arriving home from Tanzania on Tuesday, she said she was still recovering from her adventure but was “really happy” she had completed her mission. “All my friends... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107178/hong-kong-domestic-helper-recounts-tears-joy-upon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2107178/hong-kong-domestic-helper-recounts-tears-joy-upon?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Aug 2017 08:33:17 +0000 Buildings officials will consider prosecuting the owner of an unauthorised, subdivided industrial building flat in Hong Kong that went up in flames on Saturday night, killing three. A preliminary investigation by the Buildings Department indicated that no authorisation had been given to the owner of the 10th floor unit to alter building plans and carve up the 6,000 sq ft space into 17 separate rooms, nor did it submit an application to carry out minor building works. Some of the alteration works... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2106592/hong-kong-subdivided-flat-where-fire-killed-three-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2106592/hong-kong-subdivided-flat-where-fire-killed-three-people?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Aug 2017 04:15:00 +0000 Asylum-seeking families in Hong Kong have enjoyed a summer of free volleyball coaching thanks to a highly motivated group of international students seeking to “connect with the community”. The families – predominantly from Pakistan, Syria and parts of Africa – were coached throughout July by the International Volleyball Academy based at Hong Kong International School (HKIS). The scheme was the brainchild of HKIS pupil Naina Mishra, 16, whose team offered lessons to about 50 asylum seekers as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2106462/hong-kong-asylum-seekers-get-volleyball-coaching?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2106462/hong-kong-asylum-seekers-get-volleyball-coaching?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Aug 2017 07:30:30 +0000 Hong Kong cobbler Wong Yun-keung has been repairing shoes in the city for more than 25 years – using the very same machine he started out with. The 52-year-old tradesman, who works with his wife Chan Suk-yee at their shop Shing Do Shoe Repair in Central, started out as an apprentice cobbler for another company, before eventually setting up his own business and employing his own staff. With a stall close to Landmark luxury shopping mall, home to over a hundred designer brands, he often handles... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2106491/hong-kong-cobbler-puts-heart-and-sole-repairing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2106491/hong-kong-cobbler-puts-heart-and-sole-repairing?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Aug 2017 07:03:20 +0000 Environmental campaigners remain concerned the government will push through with plans to build housing on the fringes of country parks to relieve the city’s housing crisis. Hong Kong, the fourth most densely populated city in the world at 6,682.5 people per square kilometre, faces an ongoing land shortage due to a steadily growing population. Country parks account for about 40 per cent of the territory’s total land space – 1,105.6 square kilometres or 44,300 hectares. The city is home to 24... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2105517/why-fight-raging-over-proposal-build-homes-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2105517/why-fight-raging-over-proposal-build-homes-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Aug 2017 07:31:39 +0000 Hongkongers are being reminded to protect themselves from joining a growing group of online shopping scam victims in the city, as police favour targeting lucrative scam syndicates over one-off scammers. Senior police officers this week insisted they had secured convictions in some of the biggest cases of shop scams, which involve the seller taking an online payment for advertised goods, but never actually sending the product. But they admitted not keeping records of how many suspects have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2105493/hong-kongs-online-shoppers-reminded-be-vigilant-police?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/2105493/hong-kongs-online-shoppers-reminded-be-vigilant-police?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Aug 2017 00:15:00 +0000 A Filipino domestic helper in Hong Kong is hoping to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Kilimanjaro to raise HK$150,000 for a local charity. Fitness fanatic Liza Avelino, 46, who has worked in the city for more than 20 years, will leave Hong Kong on August 1, before embarking on her expedition 5,895 metres up the mountain from August 4 to 12. Speaking to the Post ahead of her departure, Avelino said she will raise funds for non-profit group HELP for Domestic Workers (Help, Empowerment and Legal... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2104588/how-hong-kong-domestic-helper-training-climb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2104588/how-hong-kong-domestic-helper-training-climb?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jul 2017 08:07:25 +0000 Transgender activist Angel says she first knew she should have been born a woman in her early 20s, when she increasingly desired to inhabit a woman’s body. During this time, she recalled trying on one of her mother’s dresses when she was about 15 years old – perhaps an early sign of contemplating her gender identity. “It started with having certain feelings inside; I longed to have a woman’s face and body shape,” she says. “But most importantly, I wanted to be treated as a woman in society. Yet... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2104555/hong-kong-law-must-change-recognise-my-true-self?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2104555/hong-kong-law-must-change-recognise-my-true-self?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jul 2017 07:03:46 +0000 Unlike many professional soccer players, Ronnie Yau Man-lung makes money by playing the game in the virtual world. When the 22 year old was given the No 23 jersey by local team KC Southern District Football Club in March, he was signed to represent the club in an online tournament organised by world soccer body Fifa. At one stage, he was paid a five-figure sum in Hong Kong dollars for playing just one game. Some think it is useless playing video games, but people are making lots of money from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2104537/gaming-goes-gold-hong-kong-businesses-look-cash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2104537/gaming-goes-gold-hong-kong-businesses-look-cash?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jul 2017 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong faced its second tropical cyclone storm of the year on Sunday, enduring disruption to flights, ferries and the city’s popular annual book fair. The Observatory issued the No 8 signal at 9.20am when Cyclone Roke approached the city with maximum gusts of 73 km/h. But it quickly made landfall at Sai Kung East Country Park in an hour, with winds subsiding. By 1.20pm, the signal was downgraded to No 3 and further to No 1 at 3.10pm, when the cyclone departed the territory. While sparing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103788/flights-and-book-fair-disrupted-roke-hits-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103788/flights-and-book-fair-disrupted-roke-hits-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jul 2017 12:00:00 +0000 A few months ago, tragedy struck in a 15th-floor flat in Diamond Hill, where police discovered 58-year-old Au Kin-ming had jumped to his death after strangling his 56-year-old dementia-suffering wife, Fung Shuk-ying. Au, who himself suffered from a skin condition, sent a heartbreaking text message to his siblings moments before the murder, confessing he felt “hopeless” because of his wife’s illness. The shocking case was just the latest murder-suicide in the city, which in recent years have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103645/struggle-hong-kongs-old-and-sick-die-dignity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103645/struggle-hong-kongs-old-and-sick-die-dignity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jul 2017 10:15:30 +0000 Jeff Rotmeyer is on a mission to change the lives of Hong Kong’s homeless. The 40-year-old English teacher at a local school, who lives with his wife and seven-year-old daughter in North Point, first witnessed the extent of the number of the city’s rough sleepers in Sham Shui Po more than two years ago, after living in the city for about a decade. As he was guided by a friend through lines of makeshift shacks beneath an underpass, he recalls being “surprised” by the number of people who were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2103612/hong-kong-charitys-kindness-walks-step-right?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2103612/hong-kong-charitys-kindness-walks-step-right?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jul 2017 09:00:39 +0000 The Hong Kong Observatory has downgraded the tropical cyclone warning, issuing a No 1 signal at 3.10pm on Sunday as Roke began to depart the territory. The forecaster earlier dropped the No 8 signal to No 3 at 1.20pm. Roke had made landfall at Sai Kung East Country Park at 10am, the forecaster said, but winds since then have continued to drop. Flights were affected by the tropical cyclone, according to a spokesman for the Hong Kong International Airport, who said 334 flights had been delayed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103722/typhoon-warning-hong-kong-observatory-issues-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103722/typhoon-warning-hong-kong-observatory-issues-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jul 2017 08:15:30 +0000 What is a “monster parent”? The monster parent has become a worryingly prevalent archetype in Hong Kong, and the problem appears to be worsening, experts say. Some of the defining factors of a monster parent, according to users on a popular parenting forum, Baby Kingdom, include; ● Having ultimate control over their child. ● Discouraging individual thought and believing academic results come first. ● Suggesting free time does not exist. ● Thinking their child is always right. Why has... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103663/are-you-monster-parent-experts-say-trend-worsening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2103663/are-you-monster-parent-experts-say-trend-worsening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jul 2017 07:00:18 +0000 Hong Kong is becoming a city where dying is an increasingly expensive affair. In the city, where land is scarce, there is a growing shortage of public spaces for placing urns holding cremated people’s ashes, let alone burial plots. More than 90 per cent of the city’s deceased were cremated in 2013, but the city is still struggling to find spots for them in public columbariums. In Chinese culture, it is important for a deceased family member to be buried close to his or her native place, so he or... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2102544/why-dying-hong-kong-getting-more-complicated-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2102544/why-dying-hong-kong-getting-more-complicated-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jul 2017 04:00:45 +0000 Yu Lai Wai-ling opens a wooden box in her living room and digs out piles of pictures of her oldest son, who has been missing for almost 17 years. Sobbing, she says: “If he ever comes back, it’d be the greatest thing in my life.” The disappearance of her autistic and hyperactive teenager Yu Man-hon on August 24, 2000, is one of the most prominent missing person cases in Hong Kong. On that day, Yu Man-hon – then aged 15 but with a mental age of two – let go of his mother’s hand at Yau Ma Tei MTR... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2102698/it-would-be-greatest-thing-my-life-see-him-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2102698/it-would-be-greatest-thing-my-life-see-him-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jul 2017 00:03:41 +0000 The world loves underdogs, and Hong Kong, it seems, is no different. In a classic case of people power, an elderly Hong Kong woman, who was arrested for selling cardboard to a foreign domestic helper for HK$1 last month, had her charges dropped following public outcry. The 75 year old, who was accused of trading without a hawker licence in Central on June 11, was eventually told she would face no court action after 15,000 people signed a petition to the government. The case sparked accusations... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2101757/nine-controversial-hong-kong-court-cases-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2101757/nine-controversial-hong-kong-court-cases-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jul 2017 04:00:45 +0000 The July 1 anti-government march on Saturday saw its size shrink by almost half to a two-year low of about 60,000, with organisers blaming the low turnout on perceived aggressive tactics by police towards protesters in recent years and heavy rain. Police put the turnout at 14,500 – the lowest number since official records of the turnout began in 2003. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong public opinion programme said about 27,000 to 35,000 people took part. The Civil Human Rights... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2100860/hong-kong-pro-democracy-march-sets-anniversary-citys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/2100860/hong-kong-pro-democracy-march-sets-anniversary-citys?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2017 07:15:00 +0000 What is the law on cannabis in Hong Kong? The use or sale of cannabis is banned in Hong Kong under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, which came into effect in 1969. If a police officer catches someone with a substance they suspect is cannabis, they may send the sample off for testing by a government chemist before charging the individual. But with larger amounts of the substance, a suspect may be brought before the courts while a sample is being tested. Manufacturing cannabis or any other drug... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100741/whats-deal-cannabis-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100741/whats-deal-cannabis-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2017 04:02:47 +0000 Yumi Chung The 10-year-old Hong Kong singer, who is of Filipino and Chinese heritage, is making a name for herself both here and in the Philippines, being fluent in Cantonese and Tagalog. The talented youngster, who can also dance and act, began singing aged just two years old and has already made appearances on TVB and RTHK. Is this Hong Kong’s next child star? Watch tiny five-year-old pianist show her huge talent She has said she always takes her mother with her to auditions and performances... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100757/if-you-five-year-old-hong-kong-pianist-maya-here?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100757/if-you-five-year-old-hong-kong-pianist-maya-here?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2017 00:03:14 +0000 Maya Sha Qian-hui is just five years old but is already able to play piano to a standard many adults could never achieve. The ISF Academy student, who asked her parents if she could take piano lessons on her third birthday, is the latest Hong Kong child star to study at music school Doremi Limited in Central. The school is known for producing two of Hong Kong’s most successful child pianists, Andy Lee (“Tsung Tsung”) and Phoenix Li, who shot to fame in 2013 and 2016 respectively after appearing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100754/hong-kongs-next-child-star-watch-tiny-five-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100754/hong-kongs-next-child-star-watch-tiny-five-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2017 00:03:14 +0000 Chance Wilson is helping vulnerable refugee families in Hong Kong and around the world, without even leaving his bedroom. Though he has never visited the city, the 17-year-old American high school student felt inspired to set up an English-language programme for refugees here, after establishing his own non-profit group Wilson Global Initiative (WGI) three years ago. As well as Hong Kong, WGI has literacy programmes in the United States, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Tanzania, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100753/meet-17-year-old-american-student-helping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2100753/meet-17-year-old-american-student-helping?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2017 00:03:13 +0000 Andy Chu Kong, a campaigner for Greenpeace in Hong Kong, is encouraged by the city’s increasing environmental awareness. He says that even his mother, who did not grow up with slogans about how to live a greener lifestyle, is making efforts to recycle at home. But Chu knows there is a lot more work to be done and he says that corporations are the key to solving the city’s waste crisis. Plastic accounts for 22 per cent of rubbish in Hong Kong’s landfills. About 2,000 tonnes of it is dumped every... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2099675/liking-sharing-facebook-posts-wont-bring-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2099675/liking-sharing-facebook-posts-wont-bring-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 10:03:01 +0000 Baz Dreisinger is on a mission to ensure the world’s prisoners get an education. The 40-year-old American professor, who advocates for penal reform internationally, believes everyone deserves a second chance and that access to education is a human right. This week she met representatives from the Hong Kong Correctional Services Department to discuss how they can better prepare inmates for life after prison, while further reducing recidivism rates. As part of her three-day visit she was given a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099722/hong-kongs-prisoners-deserve-education-too-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099722/hong-kongs-prisoners-deserve-education-too-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 06:03:42 +0000 Some people try aromatherapy or hit the pub for a pint to drown their anger, but in Hong Kong, residents can now vent their aggression in the city’s first rage room. At the Ikari Area in Kwun Tong, participants are invited to don orange jumpsuits and gas masks, arm themselves with metal pipes, and let out their rage on the nearest household appliance. For HK$300, they have 15 minutes to smash up bottles and old electronics in one of four rooms in a disused office, where black walls are splashed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099695/anger-management-or-violent-fun-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099695/anger-management-or-violent-fun-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 03:00:00 +0000 Infamous Hong Kong party bar Carnegie’s could be saved days ahead of a planned closure if its owners can secure a deal with investors this month, its bar manager has said. The owners of the popular Wan Chai watering hole, known for raucous nights where punters dance on the bar, have been in talks with several potential investors and buyers after announcing last week they would be forced to close on June 30. Duncan Smith, who has worked at the bar for 17 years and been manager for three, told... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099704/one-more-shot-carnegies-investors-talks-save?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099704/one-more-shot-carnegies-investors-talks-save?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jun 2017 02:48:18 +0000 A luxury hotel is investigating after a British rooftopper filmed himself balancing precariously on the top of its 26-floor building while performing his debut stunt in Hong Kong. James Kingston passed through a restricted area to reach the roof of the Butterfly on Hollywood in Central, where he then climbed even higher up on various ladders and metalwork. He shared terrifying video footage of the stunt on June 8 to his YouTube channel, which has accumulated more than half a million subscribers... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099021/british-rooftoppers-terrifying-debut-stunt-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/2099021/british-rooftoppers-terrifying-debut-stunt-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:15:04 +0000