https://www.scmp.com/rss/327305/feed Veta is a summer intern on the Hong Kong desk. She graduated with a degree in Asian and International Studies from City University of Hong Kong, and will be pursuing a Master of Journalism at the University of Hong Kong. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Thirteen years ago, a 19-year-old Hong Kong man whose right hand was crushed by a machine making fishballs was rushed to a local hospital. It was the man’s first day at his factory job and he had ended up losing four fingers, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Ho Pak-cheong recalled. “He was only 19 years old and left with a thumb … no matter what [we] needed to figure out a way to help him,” he said. Paramedics who helped the man were able to salvage the severed fingers and Dr Ho and his team managed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160379/meet-hong-kongs-replantation-specialists-who-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2160379/meet-hong-kongs-replantation-specialists-who-have?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Aug 2018 23:04:07 +0000 An elderly cardboard scavenger who was fined HK$1,500 (US$191) for setting down a bag of rubbish on a Hong Kong street last month had the littering penalty waived after a concern group appealed to the authorities. The Waste Picker Platform said the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) on Monday told Chen Kung-lan, 63, that it would no longer prosecute her. Almost 1,600 people and groups signed an online petition the group launched after Chen’s plight surfaced. At a press briefing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159853/hk1500-government-fine-hong-kong-cardboard-granny-waived?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2159853/hk1500-government-fine-hong-kong-cardboard-granny-waived?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Aug 2018 08:30:00 +0000 Mary Chiu has been living in her flat in To Kwa Wan for the past 29 years, but about five years ago she noticed cracks in her flat widening and the water in her toilet cistern cutting out when she flushed – incidents that coincided with the construction of an MTR station in the area for the Sha Tin to Central link. Still, even she was shocked to learn from media reports on Thursday that her home at 71 Maidstone Road had a bigger problem – it was one of the buildings in the area that had subsided... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159042/residents-fear-safety-cracks-appear-walls-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2159042/residents-fear-safety-cracks-appear-walls-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Aug 2018 23:00:44 +0000 Migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong on Tuesday told stories of eating instant noodles, leftovers, and only vegetables with no meat as they appealed to the Labour Department to mandate a rise in their monthly wages and food allowances. At their annual meeting with the authorities, 15 representatives from two of the most active maids’ groups asked for their food allowance to double from HK$1,053 a month to HK$2,500, along with a 24.7 per cent increase in their monthly wage to HK$5,500. By law,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158705/hong-kongs-domestic-helpers-reveal-hunger-horror-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158705/hong-kongs-domestic-helpers-reveal-hunger-horror-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000 Youngsters aiming to do a medical degree at the University of Hong Kong from next year will know upfront the minimum required score to qualify, even before they sit their Diploma of Secondary Education exam. HKU’s medical school said on Monday it would make known the score needed about three to four months before the exams, which normally start in March. Youngsters now look at the previous intake’s minimum score for acceptance before applying through the joint admissions scheme, the year before... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158538/hku-announce-dse-exam-score-requirements-medical-degree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2158538/hku-announce-dse-exam-score-requirements-medical-degree?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Aug 2018 14:50:19 +0000 When Hong Kong paraglider Patrick Chung Yuk-wa went missing on July 22, hundreds of rescuers and volunteers searched for days in the Lantau mountains and surrounding seas. Sadly, the 44-year-old was last Friday found dead near Sunset Peak after an exhaustive six-day operation. The cause of death has yet to be determined, but he was found on rocks with his helmet cracked and right leg fractured. Chung is one of a growing number of outdoor adventurers to lose his life in recent years. Last year,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158107/expert-tips-could-save-your-life-if-hong-kong-hike-takes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158107/expert-tips-could-save-your-life-if-hong-kong-hike-takes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Aug 2018 03:34:10 +0000 An investigation and safety review have been launched following a paragliding accident that claimed the life of a 44-year-old Hong Kong pilot last month, the Post has learned. The board of inquiry was set up by the Hong Kong Paragliding Association after rescuers found the body of Patrick Chung Yuk-wa last Friday, six days after he went missing on July 22. Chung had joined a group of more than 10 paraglider pilots who took off from Sunset Peak, also known as Tai Tung Shan, in Lantau South... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158067/paragliding-association-launches-safety-review-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2158067/paragliding-association-launches-safety-review-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Aug 2018 03:10:30 +0000 A scheme requiring producers of some electronic appliances to pay for their recycling and waste disposal came into effect in Hong Kong on Wednesday, but retailers warned it would only be a matter of time before the added costs were passed on to customers. Under the official “Producer Responsibility Scheme”, sellers are required to provide free, government-approved removal services for old and unwanted appliances to customers who buy new products of the same type. Hong Kong’s illegal e-waste... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2157868/hong-kong-government-scheme-requires-appliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2157868/hong-kong-government-scheme-requires-appliance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Aug 2018 13:45:45 +0000 The search for a missing Hong Kong paraglider continued into its fourth day on Wednesday, even as volunteers reported being hampered by extremely low visibility in the mountains. Patrick Chung Yuk-wa, 44, remained uncontactable after being blown off course from Sunset Peak, also known as Tai Tung Shan, in Lantau South Country Park on Sunday at 2pm. He had taken off from the spot with a group of 10 paragliders. According to the Hong Kong Paragliding Association (HKPA), up to 40 volunteers would... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156694/we-will-never-give-search-missing-hong-kong-paraglider?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156694/we-will-never-give-search-missing-hong-kong-paraglider?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jul 2018 13:55:28 +0000 Rescuers on Tuesday morning continued looking for a paraglider who was blown off course over Lantau Island more than 40 hours after he was reported missing. The search and rescue operation began on Sunday at about 7.40pm when Patrick Chung Yuk-wa, 44, could not be reached after his paragliding group members were dispersed by winds. The 10 enthusiasts had taken off from Sunset Peak, also known as Tai Tung Shan, in Lantau South Country Park at 2pm on Sunday and were expected to land on a beach in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156375/search-missing-hong-kong-paraglider-blown-course-lantau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2156375/search-missing-hong-kong-paraglider-blown-course-lantau?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jul 2018 00:53:50 +0000 Parents paying high prices to educate their children in Hong Kong may be surprised to learn the city only ranks 10th in the world, according to a survey on the cost of international schools. But the cost of an international school education increased by 8.5 per cent last year and a family would likely spend HK$2.7 million (US$343,969) for their child to complete 12 years at Hong Kong International School – the most expensive international school in this city – the same ExpatFinder.com survey... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2156047/international-schools-hong-kong-cost-85-cent-more-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2156047/international-schools-hong-kong-cost-85-cent-more-family?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jul 2018 12:45:15 +0000 Taxi drivers in Hong Kong who repeatedly overcharge or refuse fares will get bigger fines and more time in jail, as the government cracks down on the industry’s notoriously bad service. Besides heavier penalties, the Transport and Housing Bureau confirmed on Wednesday it would roll out a demerit point system for cabbies but only for 11, instead of 18 offences as previously proposed. Drivers who accumulate 15 or more points within two years could lose their licence for three to six months. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155885/taxi-drivers-put-notice-hong-kong-government-brings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2155885/taxi-drivers-put-notice-hong-kong-government-brings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Jul 2018 13:35:14 +0000 Uniforms from two Hong Kong secondary schools have been found to contain cancer-causing chemicals from dyes banned years ago in Europe and Japan, the Consumer Council revealed on Monday. The girls’ uniforms were for Lingnan Secondary School in Heng Fa Chuen and Fung Kai No 1 Secondary School in Sheung Shui, and were sold by at least two of about 40 suppliers in the city. Both suppliers said they had stopped selling the uniforms and that the toxic material came from mainland China, which had only... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155504/uniforms-two-hong-kong-secondary-schools-found-contain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2155504/uniforms-two-hong-kong-secondary-schools-found-contain?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jul 2018 10:45:15 +0000 Frenchwoman Fanny Riou had bought face paint and plastic sunglasses in the red, white and blue of her national flag, and on Saturday was eagerly awaiting the World Cup final between her team and Croatia the following night. Riou, 30, who works for a travel agency, planned to watch with 800 fellow France fans on the big screen in the grand ballroom of the Kerry Hotel in Kowloon, at an event organised by the Union of French Expats (UFE). “This is a great opportunity for the country to gather... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155281/fifa-world-cup-france-and-croatia-fans-gear-watch-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2155281/fifa-world-cup-france-and-croatia-fans-gear-watch-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jul 2018 03:30:45 +0000 After the city’s Primary 6 pupils found out which secondary schools they had been assigned to on Tuesday morning, the Au family dashed to four schools in different parts of Hong Kong to ask for a place for their daughter. Au Kin-wah said the 12-year-old had burst into tears when she learned she had been assigned to Ho Tung Secondary School, her fifth choice. So, armed with the girl’s academic performance reports, the accountant went to True Light Middle School in Wan Chai to see if there were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154675/hong-kong-pupils-given-harsh-life-lesson-value-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154675/hong-kong-pupils-given-harsh-life-lesson-value-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 11:18:36 +0000 Siddhartha, a Hongkonger originally from Bangladesh, always wanted to be a doctor but an inability to speak Chinese ended his journey before it began. The 19-year-old said his ability to speak and write in the language was at the level of a Primary 2 pupil, and admitted he had not known he would need to be proficient in both to pursue his chosen career. He only found out his chances of becoming a doctor were slim when he went to University of Hong Kong (HKU), and Chinese University (CUHK), the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154479/hong-kong-teens-dreams-being-doctor-dashed-education?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2154479/hong-kong-teens-dreams-being-doctor-dashed-education?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jul 2018 01:03:17 +0000 A shortage of burial space in Hong Kong has prompted some locals to opt for a final resting place miles away on the mainland or even in the United States, according to funeral business operators. The latest trend, which was reported on Friday by burial services companies at the 50+ Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, saw an increasing number of Hongkongers buying burial plots or niches in Guangdong and San Francisco. Alex Chan Ka-po, sales director of one of the exhibitors,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2154150/more-hongkongers-opting-burial-sites-mainland-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2154150/more-hongkongers-opting-burial-sites-mainland-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jul 2018 12:30:30 +0000 An exhibition of images showing the gamut of Hong Kong’s weather is aiming to raise awareness and understanding of its volatility, and debuted just a day after an 18-year-old student was struck and killed by lightning. Launched on Tuesday, the event was the outcome of a competition held earlier this year in which 63 entrants were shortlisted from a total of 2,000 photos and video clips to be displayed at Hong Kong International Airport. Organisers the Hong Kong Observatory and the Airport... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2153653/exhibition-highlights-dangers-hong-kong-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2153653/exhibition-highlights-dangers-hong-kong-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jul 2018 01:33:56 +0000 With World Cup fever coursing through the veins of Hong Kong’s legions of soccer fans, local medical experts warn that bingeing on matches could be deadly. Staying up late for games, lounging on a sofa for hours and snacking on fast food loaded with salt, fats and carbs all put more stress on the heart and affect blood pressure, not to mention the risk of a heart attack for soccer fans amid an emotional roller coaster as their teams battle it out in Russia. It is especially risky for men with an... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2153158/why-watching-world-cup-could-kill-you-late-nights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2153158/why-watching-world-cup-could-kill-you-late-nights?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jun 2018 05:00:30 +0000 Hong Kong has been rocked by its first shooting in years, in a family dispute turned daylight murder in a Hong Kong park. In a city with stringent gun control laws, shootings are almost unheard-of. But Ada Tsim Sum-kit, a 44-year-old bodyguard, allegedly shot dead an elderly aunt and uncle and wounded two other relatives during a family meeting on Tuesday afternoon. She had arranged to meet her aunts and uncles, all aged between 60 and 80, in the public park to settle a dispute over her... https://www.scmp.com/china/family-dispute-turns-murder-hong-kong-public-park/article/2152722?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china/family-dispute-turns-murder-hong-kong-public-park/article/2152722?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Jun 2018 08:45:45 +0000 A row over inheritance turned deadly on Tuesday afternoon when a 44-year-old female bodyguard allegedly shot dead an elderly aunt and wounded three other relatives during a family meeting in a Hong Kong park. Two of those injured were in critical condition on Tuesday night. The woman, Ada Tsim Sum-kit, had arranged to meet her aunts and uncles, all aged between 60 and 80, in Quarry Bay Park to settle a dispute over her grandmother’s inheritance. When the meeting broke up without agreement... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2152547/shooting-hong-kong-park-leaves-four-injured?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-law-and-crime/article/2152547/shooting-hong-kong-park-leaves-four-injured?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jun 2018 07:45:00 +0000 A plan to reduce ferry services during non-peak hours between Hong Kong Island and Ma Wan, on which the sprawling Park Island residential development is built, has sparked unhappiness among residents. The proposal by Park Island Transport Company Limited (PITCL) was rejected by its owners committee last week, the firm said, although it can still apply to the Transport Department if it intends to press on with the plan. The island’s main public transport operator said ferry services were vastly... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2152453/plan-cut-peak-ferry-services-between-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2152453/plan-cut-peak-ferry-services-between-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jun 2018 03:07:02 +0000 About a dozen street sleepers and homeless advocates in Hong Kong pleaded with government officials for leeway ahead of a planned site clearance and also discussed the long wait for public housing. One of a group of about 13 homeless men who usually sleep under the Yen Chow Street footbridge in Sham Shui Po said he hoped the Home Affairs Bureau would give them more time at their spot. On June 8, the bureau’s Sham Shui Po office posted a notice telling the street sleepers to stop occupying the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151888/hong-kong-street-sleepers-plead-more-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151888/hong-kong-street-sleepers-plead-more-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Jun 2018 11:30:00 +0000 The only Hong Kong branch of the American restaurant chain Hooters has shuttered its prime location after facing two lawsuits for unpaid rent. Situated on Wyndham Street in Central, the doors to the outlet were closed and covered with cardboard and a notice indicating it was “relocating to an exciting new store in Kowloon”. Alongside the announcement, which appeared on Sunday, were posters promoting ‘2018 World Cup Live’. It was unclear whether the closure of the Hong Kong site happened abruptly... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151690/only-hooters-restaurant-hong-kong-closed-questions-linger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151690/only-hooters-restaurant-hong-kong-closed-questions-linger?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jun 2018 11:47:31 +0000 Climate change is not just hurting the environment – as it worsens, there has been a rise of between 300 and 500 per cent of city dwellers suffering from allergic diseases, according to local paediatricians. Writing in the June issue of the Hong Kong Medical Journal, the doctors said the rapid increase could not be explained by genetics alone and highlighted “the important role of environmental changes”. Why polluted Hong Kong needs a better programme to deal with asthma awareness and control In... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151517/climate-change-leading-spike-allergies-among-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2151517/climate-change-leading-spike-allergies-among-city?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Jun 2018 01:03:52 +0000 Revellers and rowers gathered at waterways across Hong Kong on Monday morning to soak in the fun and festivities of the Dragon Boat festival. Amid mild and slightly breezy weather, boat races took place at locations such as Sha Tin, Tuen Mun, Cheung Chau, Tai Po, Stanley, Aberdeen and Sai Kung as part of a ritual that has roots stretching back more than 2,000 years. “The weather was good, and the water peaceful,” said Clarence Lee Yui-cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Fireman Services Dragon... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151239/hong-kong-celebrates-dragon-boat-festival-rowing-rituals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151239/hong-kong-celebrates-dragon-boat-festival-rowing-rituals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jun 2018 04:30:00 +0000 While most Muslim families around the world spent Thursday evening preparing to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr, the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, many in Hong Kong were yearning for home at the end of another hard day’s work. Unlike in their home countries, where the celebration is a public holiday and the azaan – call to prayer – will ring out proudly, Muslim migrants in Hong Kong have relatively small communal gatherings to celebrate the end of their month-long fast. Indonesians – many of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151047/breaking-fast-muslims-hong-kong-many-far-home-celebrate-eid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2151047/breaking-fast-muslims-hong-kong-many-far-home-celebrate-eid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Jun 2018 09:47:54 +0000 Private tutoring has long been a multimillion dollar business in Hong Kong and it is no wonder tutors market themselves aggressively to compete for students. The best-known ones are popular because of their engaging delivery in class, and also because they can get students to memorise key points, predict the trend of exam questions and demonstrate the fastest way to solve problems, among other things. In recent times, celebrity tutors have made the news for the extent they will go to, just to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2149572/why-private-tutoring-such-big-deal-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/2149572/why-private-tutoring-such-big-deal-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000