https://www.scmp.com/rss/500535/feed Jennifer Lo is programme associate of the Asia Business Council and co-author of the council’s latest research, “Public Health, Climate Change, and Technology: Innovating Toward a Healthier Asia”. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Months after Hong Kong was ranked by Bloomberg as the economy with the world’s most efficient health care, its public health system is caught in a crisis. More than 100 medical staff protested about the manpower crunch and ward overcrowding amid a winter flu surge in January, with many holding placards that sent the desperate message: “Breaking point”. This has been followed by a spike in measles infections since mid-March, and a shortage of vaccines. More alarmingly, the next public health... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3006317/along-climate-change-comes-mosquito-borne-disease-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3006317/along-climate-change-comes-mosquito-borne-disease-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Apr 2019 06:00:14 +0000 Buyers of inexpensive but shiny jewellery beware: it is likely to contain a metal that, while almost unregulated and requiring no labelling, can cause serious skin problems. Nickel, recognised by skin specialists as an allergy-causing substance, has flooded the cheap-jewellery market and is now emerging as the most common cause of contact dermatitis, which causes eczema, swelling, infection and fever after prolonged contact and reaction with sweat. 'Of about 10 cases of contact dermatitis,... https://www.scmp.com/article/979278/danger-lurks-amid-bling-nickel-jewels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/979278/danger-lurks-amid-bling-nickel-jewels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Simple, natural elegance Narciso Rodriguez has created a limited-edition perfume designed to reveal the feminine aura. Check out 'for her' (HK$445/50ml & HK$610/110ml), a musky fragrance with delicate floral hues. 'For her' is a light, youthful interpretation of the eau de parfum of the same name. This truly is a piece of modern art - Rodriguez created this especially to celebrate the beauty and personality of women, with floral notes and hints of wood and amber. Available at Sogo. Super... https://www.scmp.com/article/978095/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/978095/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 This hottest foundation produces no-makeup looks with the ability to even out skin tone and cover up dark spots and other blemishes. Skin Food Red Bean BB Cream (HK$75/45ml) Offers light to medium coverage, and blends on the skin very easily. It even has a yummy sweet smell to it! Hada Labo Air BB (HK128/40g) This super-light cream almost gives you a face lift. It makes your skin look smooth and flawless, and its thin texture is perfect for the summer. An essential buy. Coffret D'Or Fast... https://www.scmp.com/article/978094/week-we-test-bb-cream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/978094/week-we-test-bb-cream?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000 All about the eyes Anna Sui's latest autumn ensemble consists of four new eye makeup products. The Eye Liner Pencil (HK$145) comes in five vivid shades. The star of the collection is the Perfect Mascara in Rich Black (HK$220). The smudge-proof product comes with a unique brush that promises long, glossy lashes and wider-looking eyes. The Lash Amplifying Mascara (HK$220) is available in three different colours. Its cream formula allows for easy application and extra volume. Finally, the Eyebrow... https://www.scmp.com/article/977416/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/977416/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 With one sweep of a brush, these magic wands can make your eyelashes look full and plumped throughout the day. Coffret D'or 3D Wide Lash Mascara (HK$230) I Easy to apply, this successfully volumises and lengthens lashes, making your eyes pop. It's long-lasting, so you don't need to reapply - it's good to have one less thing to worry about. The case is stylish and cute, too. Maybelline Volum' Express Magnum Superfilm (HK$99) Perfect for lazy days, this is smudge-proof, long-lasting, and... https://www.scmp.com/article/977309/week-we-test-volumising-mascara?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/977309/week-we-test-volumising-mascara?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The city's real-life spidermen - scaffolding workers - are to receive an 11 per cent pay rise from next month, thanks to the construction boom which has pushed up demand for site workers. The increase, agreed by the trade association and union, is the biggest since 1997 and will see scaffolding workers paid around HK$1,000 for an eight-hour day, up from the current HK$900. Assuming 20 days of work a month, a scaffolder can earn HK$20,000 - comparable to that of a management trainee. The... https://www.scmp.com/article/976912/scaffolding-workers-be-given-11pc-pay-increase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976912/scaffolding-workers-be-given-11pc-pay-increase?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A blaze that killed 17 dogs and cats in a Happy Valley pet store last Wednesday has prompted an animal welfare group to call for sprinklers to be installed in such shops. The fire broke out at about 5.10am at Noble Lifestyle for Pets in Yuen Yuen Street because of a short circuit in an air conditioner. Firefighters took about 20 minutes to put it out. 'Animals in pet stores are no different from those in zoos,' Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals spokeswoman Rebecca Ngan said.... https://www.scmp.com/article/976929/call-sprinklers-after-pet-shop-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976929/call-sprinklers-after-pet-shop-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Manicure aids are the best at keeping nails healthy and looking good. Paul & Joe Nail Care Oil (HK140/10ml) As usual with Paul & Joe, the packaging is cute and colourful. The handle of the brush is quite long, which makes it convenient to apply the nourishing oil, and the sweet almond scent is a delight. The Body Shop Almond Oil Nail & Cuticle Treatment (HK109/60ml) Easy to use, and leaves your nails looking healthy and glossy all day long. You can even use the lid as a cuticle stick. Shu... https://www.scmp.com/article/976768/week-we-test-nail-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976768/week-we-test-nail-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A funghi story Dr Andrew Weil and Origins have released the Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Formula range (HK$260-HK$600). Products contain mushrooms as well as other natural ingredients such as olive fruit extract and holy basil. Mushrooms have long had a reputation for healing, and in these products those powers are said to moisturise tired skin and ease irritation. Available at Origins stores. Love yourself naturally SpaRitual is a spa brand that specialises in using aromatherapy and... https://www.scmp.com/article/976770/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976770/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Town planners have objected to the relocation and expansion plan of a kindergarten in Kowloon Tong, saying roads in the low-density residential area cannot cope with any more vehicles. York English Primary School and Kindergarten, which is seeking to move one of its campuses from 8 York Road to nearby Essex Crescent, has been ordered by the landlord, who bought the land last year, to vacate the York Road site by Monday. The school withdrew its proposal scheduled for the Town Planning Board for... https://www.scmp.com/article/976633/kindergartens-expansion-plan-falls-apart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976633/kindergartens-expansion-plan-falls-apart?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 From its humble beginnings in 1955 as a book listing amazing human achievements and extremes of the natural world, Guinness World Records has morphed out of all recognition, and in the process become a perfect fit for Hong Kong. Its latest figures show the city holds the second most world records of any city or province in China - only Beijing holds more. Guinness World Records' data shows that Hong Kong holds 71 world records - or about a seventh of the country's 454, more than the whole of... https://www.scmp.com/article/976557/hk-home-record-book?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976557/hk-home-record-book?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A Happy Valley pet shop where 11 dogs and cats died in a blaze yesterday plans a memorial service for the animals. Four fire engines and an ambulance were sent when Noble Lifestyle for Pets in Yuen Yuen Street was found ablaze at about 5.10am. Firefighters broke through the front door and took about 20 minutes to douse the flames. The mezzanine floor was damaged in the fire. A police spokesman said a short circuit was the suspected cause of the blaze and an investigation found nothing... https://www.scmp.com/article/976487/11-animals-killed-blaze-pet-shop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976487/11-animals-killed-blaze-pet-shop?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A coroner yesterday declared the deaths of four people when a To Kwa Wan tenement block collapsed last year were accidental - despite finding fault with both the owner and buildings officials. Michael Chan Pik-kiu said he was unable to find the deaths unlawful and said no one should be held criminally responsible. The victims' families said they may now take legal action against the owner, Chak Oi-luen, and buildings officials. One called the coroner's verdict after a six-day hearing... https://www.scmp.com/article/976388/everyone-fault-no-one-blame?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976388/everyone-fault-no-one-blame?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Yesterday was just another day for Chu Wai-wing, the repair man government officials accuse of triggering the deadly collapse of the tenement in To Kwa Wan. This was despite it being the day for the delivery of a coroner's verdict in one of the most closely followed public inquests in recent years. 'Why should I feel relieved? I know justice will be upheld at the end,' said Chu when told about the verdict. In the end, the coroner - disputing the version of events put forward by the Buildings... https://www.scmp.com/article/976399/repair-man-officials-tried-blame-collapse-has-clear-conscience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976399/repair-man-officials-tried-blame-collapse-has-clear-conscience?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 An elite Christian secondary school will switch to direct subsidy and raise fees from HK$3,000 to HK$30,000 from the 2012-13 academic year. The Education Bureau gave the 75-year-old Heep Yunn School in Kowloon City approval to become a DSS school. There are 73 schools under the scheme. Schools under this scheme have more freedom to change curriculums and allocate resources; many raise their school fees substantially. Heep Yunn's decision was made because it suffered a deficit this year. The... https://www.scmp.com/article/976308/school-gets-approval-subsidy-switch-and-raises-fees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976308/school-gets-approval-subsidy-switch-and-raises-fees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The victims of a deadly building collapse at To Kwa Wan were 'murdered', their relatives said yesterday as they urged the coroner to record a verdict of unlawful killing. The Buildings Department, the landlady, her main tenant and a workman were all responsible for the four deaths, the families told the Coroner's Court. But lawyers for the Buildings Department and the landlady have urged the court to declare the collapse of the 55-year-old tenement in Ma Tau Wai Road in January last year an... https://www.scmp.com/article/976276/relatives-seek-tough-ruling-over-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976276/relatives-seek-tough-ruling-over-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Slashed prices, bargain-basement offers and one-dollar tokens had gadget geeks queuing in their hundreds yesterday as the annual Computer Mall Festival opened in Sham Shui Po. More than 300 bargains priced as low as HK$1 are being offered daily during the 11-day fair at the Golden Computer Arcade, Golden Computer Centre, Golden Computer Plaza and New Capital Computer Centre and - for the first time - the Wan Chai Computer Centre. But numbers were down on the festival's opening day, thanks to... https://www.scmp.com/article/976006/bargain-prices-really-do-compute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/976006/bargain-prices-really-do-compute?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Doctors at Queen Mary Hospital have set up a database on leukaemia treatment which they hope will lead to an expensive cancer-fighting drug being made available at a fraction of its current price. At present, a six-month course of treatment using the drug rituximab, which is widely used in Europe but has not been studied properly in a Chinese context, can cost as much as HK$130,000. Haematology specialists Dr Eric Tse Wai-choi and Dr Kwong Yok-lam, who are behind the move to collect data on... https://www.scmp.com/article/975852/doctors-track-leukaemia-cut-drugs-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975852/doctors-track-leukaemia-cut-drugs-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Passengers were relieved yesterday morning after Sheung Wan MTR station reopened on schedule following a 54-hour closure for major track works linking to the new HK$12.2 billion West Island Line. Sheung Wan, the last station on the Island Line, reopened at 5.55am and the first train departed punctually at 6.05am. Some commuters said they had left home earlier than usual to ensure they would be on time for work if there were delays. In fact, services operated as usual at two-minute... https://www.scmp.com/article/975724/relief-station-reopens-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975724/relief-station-reopens-time?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 After 34 years as the main gateway to university study, the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination officially became history yesterday as the last 27,000 students to sit the tests got their results. The exam will be replaced by the Diploma of Secondary Education under a new education system. For Yuen Pui-chuen, his results yesterday did not tell him what he'd hoped - he failed again in the Chinese section. The 20-year-old is now opting for a subdegree course offered by the Institute... https://www.scmp.com/article/975442/results-mark-end-old-exam-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975442/results-mark-end-old-exam-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 'Exams are what you need to get through here,' said Victor Lo Wai-tak, formerly from Dujiangyan, one of the worst-hit areas in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Now a sixth-former at Heung To Middle School, Lo, 19, was among this year's 26,000 self-study pupils making a last-ditch attempt to pass the city's last Form Five public exam, better known as the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination. From now on, pupils will stay in secondary school for a sixth year and sit for the Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/article/975323/last-ditch-effort-get-pass-mark-old-exams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975323/last-ditch-effort-get-pass-mark-old-exams?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The number of unmarried couples in which one partner carries the hepatitis B virus rose in the past decade, according to a new survey. The Family Planning Association studied 10,000 couples in the last two decades and found that 6.5 per cent were carriers last year, compared with 5.1 per cent in 2001. This prompted the association to warn young adults and couples to undertake pre-pregnancy check-ups, as once they became sexually active they would be more prone to hepatitis B infection. The... https://www.scmp.com/article/975174/more-hepatitis-b-carriers-among-young-adults?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975174/more-hepatitis-b-carriers-among-young-adults?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 About 120 civil servants, some in face masks, were the first tenants to move into the new government headquarters in Admiralty yesterday in a swirl of sand and dust. Officials from the commerce, industry and tourism branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau took over two floors of the west wing of the complex on the site of the HMS Tamar British naval base, amid concerns about construction delays. Andrew Wong Ho-yuen, Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development,... https://www.scmp.com/article/975157/first-staff-move-tamar-hq-its-far-done-and-dusted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/975157/first-staff-move-tamar-hq-its-far-done-and-dusted?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Speculation in limited-edition comic figures is so profitable that a group of buyers is paying students and others more than the statutory minimum wage to queue up for them at a fair that provides a once-a-year chance to snap up the colourful figurines. Buyers of popular figures can make instant profits of double to five times what they spent to acquire them, depending on whether they resell the items in Hong Kong or on the mainland, where demand is higher. One company, Hot Toys, saw all its... https://www.scmp.com/article/974841/limited-edition-figures-draw-speculators?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/974841/limited-edition-figures-draw-speculators?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 If your tastes range from prize-winning foie gras and the best Italian hams to James Bond's favourite cocktail ingredient or even fish bladders selling at HK$380,000 for 600 grams, then you are likely to find them at this year's Food Expo. The five-day event is at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai from August 11 and this year's highlight will be the Gourmet Zone - featuring delicacies from more than 40 exhibitors. Rarity will be the rule, as sellers display the utmost... https://www.scmp.com/article/974767/expo-offers-food-glorious-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/974767/expo-offers-food-glorious-food?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Do you know that one in 12 adults in Hong Kong is a hepatitis B carrier? If you don't, you're not alone. Seventy per cent of respondents to a recent survey didn't know either. That wasn't all they didn't know. Of about 2,000 people surveyed by the Hong Kong Hep B Free Foundation last month, only a third realised that someone with a chronic case of the liver disease might show no obvious symptoms. And 40 per cent were unsure if they were a carrier. Simon Chan, 56, said he was one of the... https://www.scmp.com/article/974666/ignorance-hepatitis-b-widespread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/974666/ignorance-hepatitis-b-widespread?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The annual Book Fair wrapped up yesterday with a record tally of about 950,000 visitors who spent HK$500 million in the past seven days. A survey showed that people were more willing to spend this year but exhibitors said that had little impact on their profits because of increased manpower costs and rent. Visitors spent on average HK$522 at the fair, a 10 per cent increase over last year, according to the Trade Development Council, the event organiser. This is about a quarter of what most... https://www.scmp.com/article/974601/book-fair-sets-record-profits-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/974601/book-fair-sets-record-profits-down?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A town planner is warning that interim cultural programmes planned for the West Kowloon arts hub will not succeed without improved access to the venue. Town planner Pong Yuen-yee said the government should consider supporting a water taxi to the site, 'instead of just relying on the remote MTR station'. 'It can be an additional service introduced by the Star Ferry whenever there are special events,' Pong said. One such event, scheduled on October 1 and 2 as part of the annual Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/article/974509/launch-water-taxis-arts-hub-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/974509/launch-water-taxis-arts-hub-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Sha Tin Rural Committee chairman Mok Kam-kwai was arrested, along with nine others, by graft-busters on suspicion of corruption related to village housing. Mok, a recipient of the Bronze Bauhinia Star in 2009 for 'meritorious public and community service', confirmed his arrest, saying yesterday that he had been released on bail. He spoke before attending a Heung Yee Kuk meeting in Sha Tin. Mok said he had no idea why he had been arrested. 'Don't give me a hard time,' was all that he would... https://www.scmp.com/article/973930/village-chief-among-10-held-bribery-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973930/village-chief-among-10-held-bribery-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong has its first synthetic ice skating rink. The arena is about one-ninth the size of a standard ice rink and has been built in a Tung Chung school hall on Lantau Island, as part of the Hong Kong Academy of Ice Hockey's summer programme. The HK$1 million rink at HKFEW Wong Cho Bau School is made of panels of high-density polyethylene, which resembles real ice but is more resistant. 'Skating here isn't that much different from the real thing,' 13-year-old goalie Jonathan Hon Yi-feng,... https://www.scmp.com/article/973877/fake-ice-makes-unreal-summer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973877/fake-ice-makes-unreal-summer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Athletes returning victorious from international competitions can usually expect to bask in glory, sometimes enriched by lucrative sponsorship. Not so for members of a gold-medal-winning Hong Kong soccer team, many of whom had to quit their jobs or take unpaid leave to participate in an international competition, and have returned to obscurity and, in some cases, discrimination. 'No pain no gain, it's so true for them,' said Luk Wan-chuen, coach of the team, which won two competitions at the... https://www.scmp.com/article/973784/no-golden-future-some-sporting-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973784/no-golden-future-some-sporting-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Hundreds of mourners, including top officials and police chiefs, paid a final tribute to Detective Sergeant Lau Chi-kin, who died after falling from the roof of a walkway in Central during a protest. Along with the heads of the city's disciplined forces, Chief Executive Donald Tsang yam-kuen and scores of government officials briefly attended the public mourning ceremony, held yesterday evening at the Universal Funeral Parlour in Hung Hom. Wreaths of white flowers adorned the funeral hall,... https://www.scmp.com/article/973413/final-farewell-brave-policeman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973413/final-farewell-brave-policeman?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The Education Bureau is not doing enough to help ethnic minorities integrate into society and must provide better Chinese language teaching, the Equal Opportunities Commission says in its latest report. Chairman of the watchdog, Lam Woon-kwong, demanded the bureau ensure equal access to quality education for ethnic minority students. 'Education is the key for many of these families to escape from poverty. But since these students cannot read and write Chinese, they are deprived of the... https://www.scmp.com/article/973241/bureau-failing-ethnic-minorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/973241/bureau-failing-ethnic-minorities?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A father last night broke down in tears as hundreds paid tribute at a memorial service for his daughter, who died saving her family from a deadly blaze in Ma Tau Wai last month. Schoolmates, teachers and family members wept for Summer Tse Yan-yee, one of four people who died three weeks ago in a fire at a tenement building, in the school hall of Kowloon True Light Middle School. Tse Cho-suen said he was tired and speechless, despite having thousands of words to say, as he made a brief address... https://www.scmp.com/article/972975/tributes-summers-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972975/tributes-summers-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Secondary school place allocation results released yesterday heralded a hectic day for parents eager to get their children into the most desired institutions. Despite falling student numbers, competition for the most popular schools has increased rather than fallen because of the voluntary class-reduction scheme being introduced in the next academic year, affecting some 200 schools. Many parents who had applied for lower-ranked schools to make sure of a place were out knocking on the doors of... https://www.scmp.com/article/972692/parents-scramble-place-top-schools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972692/parents-scramble-place-top-schools?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Waves a-crashing Keep an eye out for new brand Algologie, fresh from France, which uses natural ingredients to help beautify skin and replenish moisture. Products include marine plants mask (HK$580 / 75ml), which contains ocean minerals to help reduce oil and increase moisture, and eye contour gel (HK$390/20ml), which claims to increase circulation around the eye area, minimising eye and dark circles. Available at selected spa outlets. Pump up the volume Forget your streaky eye makeup worries... https://www.scmp.com/article/972461/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972461/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Scrub off the worries of the day - and all your dead skin, to keep your face looking fresh this summer. Benefit Cleanse Refined Finish Facial Polish (HK210 / 127.5g) You only need a little of this gentle scrub to polish skin. Not strong enough for a deep, down detox, but good for a regular clean. Great retro packaging! Kiehl's Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub (HK$265 / 100ml) The exfoliating grains are far from fine, so feel a bit scratchy. But it does smell really good, and leaves skin... https://www.scmp.com/article/972462/week-we-test-facial-scrub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972462/week-we-test-facial-scrub?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Summer Tse Yan-yee and her family could have been celebrating her A-level results yesterday. Instead, her father was stricken with grief because the results reminded him of what the future could have held for her. Summer (pictured), who died in the Ma Tau Wai fire last month, obtained passes in English, Chinese and three A-level subjects. Her results met the entrance requirement of local universities, according to teachers at Kowloon True Light Middle School. 'I'm in a dilemma, no matter what... https://www.scmp.com/article/972272/level-success-girl-killed-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972272/level-success-girl-killed-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 The government must provide interest-free loans to villagers who need financial help to remove illegal structures on their homes, rural powerbrokers the Heung Yee Kuk demanded yesterday. It was responding to the government's proposal of loans, made earlier this week. Kuk member Leung Fuk-yuen, who helped organise a protest outside the Legislative Council on Tuesday, described the loan scheme in its present form as 'unfeasible'. 'If they are not interest-free, we will be unable to repay the... https://www.scmp.com/article/972169/kuk-wants-interest-free-loans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972169/kuk-wants-interest-free-loans?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Loans and relocation accommodation would be provided for villagers affected in a crackdown on illegal structures, the secretary for development said yesterday. But as Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor explained the new sweetener for the enforcement policy in the Legislative Council yesterday, thousands of villagers from the New Territories led by rural affairs body the Heung Yee Kuk staged an hour-long rally outside. Police said there were 1,700 protesters, but organisers claimed there were... https://www.scmp.com/article/972056/loans-help-villagers-demolish-illegal-structures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/972056/loans-help-villagers-demolish-illegal-structures?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Job recruiters will go behind bars for the first time this summer for a job fair to help former inmates find work. The Correctional Services Department unveiled the project yesterday after a meeting to discuss the latest crime figures. Fight Crime Committee member Dr John Tse Wing-ling said the fair would offer about 300 jobs in various industries such as cosmetics and baking to male and female inmates who would be released by end of this year. Employers would meet applicants in prison next... https://www.scmp.com/article/971987/jail-job-fair-gives-former-inmates-shot-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971987/jail-job-fair-gives-former-inmates-shot-work?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Hello, honey For many, summer's all about getting a natural, bronzy glow. Add a yummy smell to your glow with The Body Shop's Honey Bronze Range, which has moisturising honey as the main ingredient. Standouts of the collection include Honey Bronze Shimmering Dry Oil (HK$149), for a glamorous sheen, and Honey Bronze Brilliance Powder (HK$179/5g) for a more subtle glow. Complete the look with Honey Bronze Lip Nectar (HK$109/ 14mL). Available at The Body Shop. Colour me beautiful Nars' 2011... https://www.scmp.com/article/971748/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971748/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 For a long day or dramatic night out, you don't want to always be worrying about your eye make-up smudging or coming off. Gel eyeliner will keep your peepers smoky and sultry all day and night. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner Sepia Ink (HK$195/3g) This buttery soft gel goes on so smoothly, even for pencil-thin lines. Waterproof and lasts all day so that you can avoid having panda eyes. Lunasol Gel Eyeliner 02 Colours 02 Dark Blue /03 Dark Brown (HK$230/2.5g) Glides on like a dream and... https://www.scmp.com/article/971749/week-we-test-gel-eyeliner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971749/week-we-test-gel-eyeliner?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Yesterday should have been a day of joy and family celebration; instead, June 21 will forever be stained with tears for the Tse family. Beloved daughter and promising student Tse Yan-yee (pictured), who died in last week's fire in Ma Tau Wai, Kowloon City district, would have turned 19 yesterday, but all her family has left are memories. A Facebook page specially set up in her memory simply says: 'Happy Birthday. We miss you.' Tse was one of four who died in a tenement filled with subdivided... https://www.scmp.com/article/971308/special-day-brings-tears-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971308/special-day-brings-tears-family?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Scarlet fever is suspected to have claimed the life of a second child yesterday as the number of recorded cases soared to nearly double the previous high. It would be the first time two deaths from scarlet fever have occurred in a year in Hong Kong since the present disease notification system began in 1997. A five-year-old boy who died in Princess Margaret Hospital yesterday had initially been treated for chickenpox but developed symptoms of scarlet fever on Sunday. He died of toxic shock... https://www.scmp.com/article/971299/scarlet-fever-feared-have-killed-second-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971299/scarlet-fever-feared-have-killed-second-child?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Look like a Grecian bronzed goddess this summer without breaking a sweat or even setting foot into the sun. Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder (HK$290/9g) Made from a blend of sheer powder and 'micro pearls', this gives your skin a sheer, natural look. Unfortunately, the added cost of a brush make this one to add to your very-early Christmas list. Paul & Joe Bronzer B (HK$450/9.4g) This finely milled product is accompanied by a rosy blush. It's the perfect combo for natural radiance... https://www.scmp.com/article/971045/week-we-test-bronzers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971045/week-we-test-bronzers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 Shark's fin soap Spend a day at the beach stepping outdoors. This summer, Lush has hooked up Shark Savers HK to launch a limited-edition Shark Fin Soap (HK$49/ 80g) which emulates the zestiness of the seas with ingredients such as seaweed and lime. There are also traces of coconut and lavender oil to help you unwind. Granules of sea salt help to exfoliate your skin, leaving it refreshed and clean. All proceeds go to Shark Savers HK to promote shark conservation. Summer shimmer Summer's the... https://www.scmp.com/article/971044/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/971044/wow-factor?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 A worker died after he was swept away in a torrent of water as he inspected a storm drain during heavy rain early yesterday. Fung Cheung-yau, 61, was carrying out an inspection with a surveillance camera in the drain beneath Kin Chuen Street, Kwai Chung, at about 2am when he was washed away. He was attached to a lifeline but his workmates were unable to pull him back through the metre-wide pipe against the force of the water. The married father-of-two was found unconscious in the water by divers... https://www.scmp.com/article/970897/storm-drain-horror-worker-swept-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/970897/storm-drain-horror-worker-swept-death?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000 'Where are my two sons?' This was the first sentence uttered by Ma Tau Wai fire survivor Lai Hok-man when he woke up in hospital yesterday. A moment later he was in tears after learning that his sons and his pregnant wife were among the four people who died in the fire that ripped through their dilapidated tenement on Wednesday. 'Why did they all die? Why could it not have been just one,' he asked former workmate Chan Kin-chung, who visited him in Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Chan said Lai, who... https://www.scmp.com/article/970902/why-did-they-all-have-die?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/970902/why-did-they-all-have-die?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000