Society
Security zone in Wan Chai during President Xi Jinping’s visit on 25th Anniversary
- 2022-06-28
- Society
- By: Lokman YuenEdited by: Jenny Lam
- 2022-06-28
Police said today that there will be strict security measures and control of the press around Wan Chai north from June 29 to July 1 in anticipation of a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Hong Kong to mark the 25th anniversary of handover. There will be an inaugural ceremony for the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Carparks and parking meters within the area will be shut down from 10 p.m. on June 28. There will be road closures and traffic diversions in the area near Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre from June 29 to July 1. All guests and vehicles entering the area will be subjected to security screening. The MTR Corporation said Exhibition Centre Station will be closed from June 30 to July 1. Eighteen bus routes will be affected. Lui Kam-ho, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Operations, advised motorists not to drive in the area. He said the force will adjust the security plan accordingly if President’s Xi doesn’t visit Hong Kong in the end. Different levels of security zones will be set up according to the itinerary and activities of President Xi. A designated interview zone will be allocated for the press inside the security zone. Video clips inside the venue and information will be provided by the Information Services Department. Chan Po-ying, Chairwoman of League of Social Democrats, published a statement today, stating the organization will not hold any protest on July 1 after the national security police invited them to a talk. When asked if the police are discouraging protest and the freedom of expression, Lui replied that the police will fully respect the rights of the people, and there is a designated public activities area outside the security zone. “The measures are a balance of the people’s …
No insurance compensation for the Jumbo floating restaurant, the company says
- 2022-06-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Karmen LiEdited by: Lokman Yuen
- 2022-06-28
The company’s loss is not covered by the insurance from the incident of Hong Kong’s Jumbo Floating Restaurant that happened on June 18, the statement from Aberdeen Restaurant Enterprises Limited said on Sunday night. The floating restaurant holds insurance only to indemnify and compensate the third party, according to the statement. “Where the assured has effected an insurance in express terms against any liability to a third party, the measure of indemnity, subject to any express provision in the policy, is the amount paid or payable by the assured to the third party in respect of such liability,” according to section 74 of Cap. 329 Marine Insurance Ordinance. Until June 26, the floating restaurant and its tugboats remained in the area of Xisha Island in the South China Sea. The company has noticed the Sansha Maritime Affairs Bureau. According to the statement released by the company on June 20, the seawater entered the vessel soon after the accident due to the poor weather conditions and capsized on June 18. It said that the vessel was sunk over 1,000 metres, which made the salvage works extremely difficult. Local media reported that the vessel was “sunk” on June 20 but their public relations representative did not clarify the sayings. The Hong Kong Marine Department (HKMD) mentioned that before the media began reporting on the sinking of the floating restaurant, HKMD had not received any notification from the vessel’s owner before June 23. While HKMD responded to the media request that the vessel’s owner submitted the written report regarding the incident on June 23. They cited from the report that the Jumbo floating restaurant was “capsized” and it is still in the water near the Paracel Islands. The official did not indicate that it was “sunk”. The company replied in the statement on …
Pandemic gives rise to depression and anxiety
- 2022-05-31
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Hamish CHANEdited by: Nicholas Shu
- 2022-05-31
Rachel Li Liang-yu, 24, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 12 years ago. It is a mental disorder associated with extreme mood swings, ranging from depressive lows to manic highs. She said her emotions are more unpredictable than before due to COVID-19, and her mood swings are the worst during lockdowns. “It is because the clinic where I used to meet my psychiatrist has been closed for a while due to the lockdown in Hebei, China,” Li said. Dr. Adrian Low, the president of the Hong Kong Association of Psychology, said it is common for people to feel stressed due to the massive amount of information during the pandemic. “For those who suffered from mental health issues before, they are more easily triggered,” Low said. “For the ordinary public, they may face depression easier than before as well.” According to the World Health Organisation’s research in 2022, the pandemic has triggered an increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide by 25%. Parents’ anxiety levels have also been elevated. Cheng Lihua, a mother of two primary school children in Hong Kong, said she feels anxious and depressed due to the pandemic. “As a parent, it is normal to be worried,” said Cheng, “especially when there is so much negative information on television, WeChat groups and other social media.” The depression rate of mothers increased from 19% before the pandemic to 35% in July 2020, while the anxiety rate increased from 18% to 31%, according to research by the Department of Psychology, University of Calgary. This research suggested that the mental states of parents taking responsibility for their children’s academics and daily lives at the same time are severely compromised. Cheng said when her children leave home for school, she often worries about the campus hygiene and is scared that her …
What can dreams tell us about our physical and mental health?
- 2022-05-19
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Lokman YuenEdited by: Kiki Lo、Clarice Wu
- 2022-05-19
The crowd rushed at me, embraced me in an uncomfortable way. I struggled to get away, or get help, and then I woke up. That was my recollection of a dream to Akira Cheung Ka-fai, founder of HARMONIC Holistic Healing Centre. Cheung is a clinical hypnotherapist who specialises in the interpretation of dreams. He said that graphics and sensations may be merely symbolic representations of real-life issues, but emotions and feelings are not distorted, but are real because the subconscious mind does not lie. “With more intense emotions and feelings, or more frequent occurrences, messages from the subconscious mind become more important and urgent to the conscious mind,” he said. Cheung does not think one should use the conscious mind and rational thinking to interpret dreams, because the landscape can change and is symbolic, and sometimes what appears in a dream may not necessarily be the problem. It wasn’t until we tried to understand and analyze my dream that I fully understood how the conscious mind can block out the subconscious mind. “So what was the scene in the dream? Who came up to you and hugged you,” he asked. “A wedding, a relative’s wedding, and then my mum’s relatives interrupting me,” I said. “But now that I clearly remember that wedding from my secondary school days, and it wasn’t that terrible, and my relatives weren’t that annoying,” I added, But soon I realised it was my conscious mind analysing the dream. “What emotion did you feel in the dream,” he asked. I closed my eyes and tried to recall the dream and identify the strongest feelings in that situation. “Pure annoyance, a struggle to break free, a feeling of powerlessness,” I said. “Elements and images in dreams can change and are symbolic only, but the feeling is always true, …
Polycystic ovary syndrome patients regain menstruation by following the ketogenic diet
- 2022-05-19
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Gigi Chong、Tiffany MaEdited by: Hamish CHAN
- 2022-05-19
After Patricia Wong Oi-wai went a year without menstruating, she went on a ketogenic diet, a popular high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet commonly called “keto”. She weighed her meals, checked for fat content and only seasoned them with salt and pepper. Diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome at the age of 36, Wong refused to take medications. Instead, she read that a ketogenic diet could relieve her symptoms. She tried it to see whether it was real. PCOS is a common endocrine hormone condition among women of reproductive age that causes irregular menstruation, acne and excessive masculine features such as an overabundance of body hair. PCOS affects between 6% and 12% of women of reproductive age around the globe, according to a study from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. However, there is no precise clinical procedure to cure PCOS. "If there is a way that would heal my sickness without taking any medication, why not give it a try?" Wong said. "After trying it out, it works." Wong used to cook for herself and cut back on social gatherings to meet the strict requirements of the ketogenic diet – a daily food consumption of 70% fat, 20% protein, 5% vegetables and 5% carbohydrates. Wong lost nine kilograms after strictly following the ketogenic diet for a month and regained her menstruation four years ago. A ketogenic diet is often used to lose weight and improve insulin resistance. PCOS patients said their emotions and hair condition improved on the diet and that it helped with weight loss and regulated menstruation cycles. It even increases the chance to get pregnant, according to a pilot study from Nutrition & Metabolism. Wong, who said her PCOS symptoms have mostly been relieved by adopting a ketogenic diet, said it was tough for her to avoid carbohydrates and sugar …
Multimedia: Hong Kong's sixth chief executive election
- 2022-05-16
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Nick Yang
- 2022-05-16
The sixth chief executive election was held last Sunday. John Lee Ka-chiu, becomes the chief executive-elect with over 99% support from the Election Committee. The Young Reporter documented this first uncontested election in the city.
Trouble in mainland quarantine after escaping pandemic in Hong Kong
- 2022-05-11
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Ziyu Bruce ZhaoEdited by: Summer Li
- 2022-05-11
As the pandemic hit Hong Kong with unprecedented Omicron variants, many people working and studying in the city have started their journey to escape to mainland since mid February to avoid the health crisis. However, the poor living condition, extraordinary high prices and awful food during the 21-day quarantine caused a lot of inconvenience to the people longing to return home.
John Lee Ka-chiu confirmed to be the new leader in Hong Kong
- 2022-05-08
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Jayde CheungEdited by: Nick Yang
- 2022-05-08
John Lee Ka-chiu, 64, the sole candidate, secured his seat as the sixth chief executive in Hong Kong today with only eight votes against him. Lee won 1,416 votes out of 1,428, including four blank votes, gaining trust from over 99% from the election committee, a record high of support. Thirty-three members did not vote. “With loyalty and perseverance, I shall undertake this historic mission and shoulder this responsibility to unite and lead the 7.4 million Hong Kong people to start a new chapter together,” Lee said at the press conference after being elected. This is the first chief executive election since Beijing’s election reform ensuring governance by “patriots only”. It is also the first uncontested chief executive election in Hong Kong since its handover. “I extend my sincere congratulations to Mr John Lee on his successful election and later today,” said Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the current chief executive, in a statement today. “We will render all the support needed for the assumption of office by the new term of government.” Lee will take over as chief executive on July 1. The chief executive is chosen by the election committee, a body that has been expanded from 1,200 to 1,500 members after the electoral system reform and includes representatives from different sectors. “The election committee members are very responsive and completed their responsibility,” said Tam Yiu-chung, member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, also the Lee’s campaign manager. “This is an important event in Hong Kong. The sixth chief executive will be elected under the new election system. We wish Hong Kong to begin a new chapter and a good development.” Lee, a former police officer, handled the anti-extradition bill protests in 2019 as Secretary for Security. Lee’s latest ratings plunged to a new low of 34.8 between March 7 …
Desperate for drugs during the lockdown in China
- 2022-05-03
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Kate ZhangEdited by: Tracy Leung
- 2022-05-03
Liu Tian, 27, in Changchun, Jilin province, suffers from a major depressive disorder. She has been off her medication for ten days since the city went into lockdown due to COVID-19 in March. Her medicine is only available at three pharmacies in the city far away from her home, and she cannot get it delivered. She tried to contact epidemic prevention staff in the community and the hospital for help. The community staff issued her an emergency medication certificate, but she could not go to the hospital because of local traffic control. As a result, she had headaches, was irritated and emotionally unstable. She tried calling the hospital’s emergency number but was told that they were only responsible for emergency care and not prescriptions. “I don't want to keep looking for medicine anymore because I'm afraid of being rejected again,” Liu said. “When I was at my worst, I even thought about committing suicide.” Beijing has been sticking to the "dynamic zero tolerance" strategy for Covid. That means even a few positive cases would trigger a lockdown followed by large-scale testing. During the lockdown, no one can travel and delivery services are limited. Chronically ill patients like Liu Tian face difficulties purchasing medications. They turn to local community staff, volunteers, and netizens for help. Cheng Yulong, 51, has diabetes. “My blood sugar level kept rising, and I was really desperate. I cannot solely rely on the blood sugar-lowering medications because they are not as effective as insulin,” he said. When the lockdown started in Changchun in early March, he had to stay at the construction site where he had been working for almost 30 days, but he only carried a limited amount of insulin. The insulin Cheng needed was sold out in the nearby pharmacies. He sought help from community …
BRISBANE | Labour Day events in Queensland, Australia
- 2022-05-02
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: Hamish CHANEdited by: Clarice Wu、Kelly Pang
- 2022-05-02
Thousands of union members have flooded Brisbane’s CBD for the Labour Day parade in the capital of the State of Queensland in Australia today. The Labour Day events are organised by the Queensland Council of Unions, affiliated with the Australian Labor Party. The Queensland Council of Unions said that the event acknowledges the improvements made to the lives of working people and to society by the labour movement. Political figures from the Labor Party have participated in the parade. Annastacia Palaszczuk, the Premier of Queensland, marched along with Anthony Albanese, the Leader of the Opposition of Australia. Michelle Rae, the Queensland director of Media and Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said their goal in this parade is to raise awareness for press freedom and remind the rights of freelancers in the media industry. She explained that the Labour Day parade in general brings collective power to fight for a better working environment and holidays that labourers deserve. “The parade can bring a new generation along, and at the same time, it can give Union members a chance to talk about their reality,” said Rae. The march ended with live music shows and booths that provided refreshments for participants at Brisbane Showgrounds after an hour's walk.