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Willing to “pay the price,” says Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil organizer just hours before arrest

Chow Hang-tung told The Young Reporter yesterday that she was willing to pay the price for lighting a candle to mark today’s anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. She was arrested this morning before she got the chance. Police arrested Ms Chow, vice-chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, on suspicion of advertising or publicising an unauthorized assembly. She made a Facebook post last Saturday saying she would continue to keep the promise she has been keeping for 32 years to light a candle in a place where everybody can see. Police said she used social media to advertise or publicise a public meeting that had been prohibited, after banning this year’s vigil on Covid-19 grounds. Police banned the vigil for the first time last year for the same reason, but many, including Ms Chow, entered the basketball court at Victoria Park to light a candle for the victims of the crackdown. Ms Chow was charged with illegal assembly and inciting others in 2020. She said she expected to go to jail and would get prepared. The Hong Kong Alliance has been holding a candlelight vigil in Victoria Park for decades to commemorate the People’s Liberation Army crackdown on a student-led movement in Tiananmen Square, Beijing on June 4, 1989. “This is originally done by hundreds of thousands in Hong Kong every year. I am just being who I have been,” she told The Young Reporter. “We cannot get used to or allow them to swipe away the truth of June 4.” Hong Kong Alliance closed its June 4th Museum on Wednesday after the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department made an inspection based on a complaint that it did not have a license. Chris Fu, who tried to visit the museum after its …

Health & Environment

Only one in four will get jabs, says survey

Only a quarter of unvaccinated people intend to be inoculated against the Covid-19 virus over the next six months, a survey has found. The findings have led researchers to conclude that the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine remains low in Hong Kong, which still has a long way towards reaching herd immunity. The Faculty of Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong interviewed 1,200 Cantonese or Mandarin-speaking Hong Kong residents in a telephone survey conducted between April 23 and May 8. It found that 76.1% of the respondents had not taken any jabs, and only 25.1% of them said they would make or had made reservations to be inoculated in the coming six months. Professor Paul Chan Kay-sheung, chairman of the university’s Department of Microbiology, said it was alarming that the predicted acceptance of vaccination was only 37%, which was much lower than the target required for herd immunity protection or for relaxing of containment measures required for the recovery of the economy. “Hong Kong should set a goal of vaccine coverage of at least 70% through informed, voluntary vaccination,” said Professor Chan. To achieve the target, he suggests the Government could proactively address people’s concerns over the new form of vaccines purchased by Hong Kong, the vaccine manufacturers’ track record and the country of production. According to the survey results, belief of fatal side effects after vaccination is the major reason why people do not want to be vaccinated, followed by a lack of confidence in the government’s recommendations and in the place of vaccine production, and waiting for a better vaccine. Professor Eliza Wong Lai-yi of the university’s Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care said people were hesitant about getting vaccinated because there were few reports about the effectiveness of the vaccines, but a …

Society

Hong Kong workers suffer from mental health issues, research shows

Hongkongers are overworked and stressed out, research shows. More than 60% of workers have symptoms of “burnout,” including easily getting tired and losing interest in everything, according to research by the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong and Tung Wah College. A quarter of interviewees said they feel “extremely depressed or anxious.” More than a third work overtime with an average 48.4 hours per week despite an average contract of 41 hours per week, the research found.  “Hong Kong is starting late for promoting workplace mental health,” Lawrence Lam, Vice President of Tung Wah College, said in a press conference today.  Most surveyed said they did not have flexible working hours. “We encourage enterprises to have ‘Mental Health Workplace Policies’, including family friendly policies and flexible working hours,” Stephen Wong, the Assistant Director General of the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong, said at the press conference. Mr Wong said employees should learn more about mental health, pay attention to the mental health condition of people around them and develop a caring culture in the workplace.  It is normal to have high working pressure in Hong Kong and having workshops and online lessons is a waste of time, Steve Lam, 47, a clerk in a telecom firm, said. “The best way to release our pressure is to give us more holidays,” said Mr Lam. “It is good to have positive communications, but managers need to communicate and understand us first.”  “I think having lessons and workshops will work, it will help reduce our working pressure,” said Brook Chan, who is in his 30s and works in customer service.  The researchers interviewed 213 full-time employees from two different enterprises and plan to talk to 400 more of different backgrounds and ranks, said Prof Lam. The full report will be released at …

Health & Environment

38-day Covid-free streak broken as policeman confirmed to be infected

Hong Kong’s 38-day streak without an untraceable Covid-19 case has ended, with a 35-year-old male policeman confirmed to have been infected today. The Centre for Health Protection said a sample of the officer’s saliva had tested positive, but the result of another test conducted after he was admitted to hospital was negative.    However, as a precautionary move, about 40 to 50 of the officer’s close contacts were being quarantined and further tests would be conducted to confirm if he was really infected, said officials. Meanwhile, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has defended the government’s warning that those who have been inoculated against the virus may not be allowed to enter restaurants or entertainment venues if another wave of infection hits Hong Kong. The idea was not meant to punish those who had not been vaccinated, but aimed at protecting public health, she said before today’s Executive Council meeting.  A high vaccination rate would give us a “vaccine barrier” if we were unfortunately hit by a fifth wave of infection, she said. If the ideal vaccination rate could be achieved by the end of August, then those measures would not be needed, she said. Heeding a call from the government, more and more companies are providing different kinds of incentives to encourage people to get vaccinated, including cash handouts, air tickets, meal coupons, theme park tickets and anti-epidemic supplies. The most eye-catching reward is a $10.8 million apartment donated by the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation, a subsidiary company of the Hong Kong Sino Group and the Chinese Estates Holdings Limited.  Lucy Lang, a university student, said the reward was attractive. “Hong Kong is known for its high housing prices. If you can get a flat, it will reduce a lot of burden on your life after graduation,” she said.  …

Health & Environment

COVID-19 means smoking more for some youths

Mandatory masking because of the COVID-19 pandemic has discouraged some young people from smoking in public, but it has also prompted others to smoke more at home. That is what The Young Reporter found after talking to a number of young people on the World No Tobacco Day 2021 today.  Even though the theme of the United Nations initiative this year is “Commit to quit”, it appears not too many university students have made a commitment to do so. A 22-year-old university student who would only be identified as Mr Wong said he had to reduce smoking since the outbreak of the pandemic because he could not smoke on the streets, worrying that he might be caught by police for not wearing a mask. Due to the switch to online learning, he said he had few opportunities to go out and had been smoking less as he did not want to subject his family members to the risk of second-hand smoke. However, for students who live on their own, the pandemic has meant smoking more. Jia Fengyuan, a 20-year-old student who lives off-campus, said he had been smoking more because he was spending more time at home. “Usually smoking is banned on the campus, but I can switch off the camera for a while and have a cigarette when I have online classes at home,” said Jia, who added that his roommates did not mind him smoking. Another 20-year-old student from the mainland, who would only be identified by his surname of Luo, also said he had been smoking since arriving in Hong Kong during the pandemic, as he had more time staying alone indoors due to online learning and didn't need to worry about his family being affected by second-hand smoking. In his message marking the World No Tobacco …

Culture & Leisure

Art Basel returns to Hong Kong, smaller with more local artists

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: KOO Chi Tung 顧知桐、WANG YichunEdited by: WANG Yichun
  • 2021-05-29

Art Basel Hong Kong returned to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre last week for the first time in two years with a hybrid exhibition of online activities and a smaller display. The annual art exhibition featured 104 galleries from 23 countries with more local and Asian art this year. “This fair seems to have a kind of feeling of excitement maybe. It’s like a lot of people are feeling the spring time and they want to come out,” said Kaitlin Chan, an associate at Empty Gallery. According to Ms Chan, the attendance this year was strong. “The circumstances of having an art fair at this stage amid the pandemic is that people are eager to do something different from their usual routine,” she added. Mrs Ren, 74, an art lover and collector from Taiwan, said she attends the exhibition every year to learn and purchase modern art pieces by young artists. “Because these antique paintings should be kept in museums for appreciation, they cannot affect your life. So I discovered paintings by young people create an environment affecting emotions,” she said.

Society

Tuen Ma Line to fully open on June 27

The Tuen Ma Line will be fully operational from June 27.  It is a key section of the Central-Shatin Rail link. “The government has confirmed that the new railway is in a good and safe condition, and it is ready to operate, ” said Frank Chan, the Secretary of Transport and Housing, in a press conference today. Part of the Tuen Ma line is currently operational, providing train services between  Ma On Shan and Kai Tak. From June 27, two new stations, To Kwa Wan and Sung Wong Toi, will be added to the line. Also, Ho Man Tin station of Kwun Tong Line and Hung Hom Station of East Rail Line will have new platforms in order to serve as transit stations.  Train services will run at three-minute intervals during peak hours once the entire Tuen Ma line is running. The new line will shorten travel time by up to 19 minutes. Passengers going from Kai Tak to Tsim Sha Tsui East, for example, will not need to change trains. Currently, they have to change twice. Passengers using Octopus cards at the two new stations will get a fare reduction. Adults will get a HK$1 reduction per ride, while Child and Student Octopus Card users will get a HK$0.5 reduction. The same discounts will be extended for passengers using Kai Tak and Hin Keng station, where the discounts are currently active. The discounts apply until Jan 1 2022. Passengers taking longer journeys in some stations may be cheaper. For example, a passenger travelling from Tuen Mun to Hung Hom, will pay a discounted fare around HK$20.6 using an Adult Octopus Card But if he goes one station further to Ho Man Tin, then the discounted fare will be around HK$18.9. “The fare setting has historical reasons. We need to …

Health & Environment

At-home fitness works during pandemic but may increase global health divide, WHO webinar says

Digital devices for home fitness may break down fitness barriers for some, but they also may exacerbate global inequalities in healthy and physical activities, according to a WHO webinar today. The fitness industry saw revenues drop 58% in the US during the pandemic, and UK gyms lost US$4.3 billion last year. Meanwhile, the market for global fitness apps grew 9.34% in 2020, according to market researcher Technavio.   “While doing exercise at home in your comfortable living room, you can build up that confidence, build up that experience,” Hugo Braam, the co-founder and CEO of Vituragym, a consumer health and fitness app, said on the webinar.  Steven Ward, chief transformation officer of the home-fitness brand Go Fit, said technology can democratize services to a broader range of society. But not everyone has access to the electronic devices needed for at-home fitness technology, Benjamin Uzokwe, a gym trainer from the UK, said on the webinar.  “I have access to a laptop or to a phone, but like a lot of children from underprivileged areas they don’t,” he said.  The fact that different media platforms among countries and regions means there is no one global fitness app, Jürgen Steinacker, professor for sports and rehabilitation medicine from University Hospital Ulm, said in the webinar. “We’re in that dilemma...digital provides such great solutions and at the same time, always is going to have that risk of excluding some people as well,” said Amanda Harding, who moderated the talk. “We need to act like a public health solution, rather than traditional fitness, in order to appeal to non-traditional fitness users to break down barriers and to become more inclusive,” Mr Ward said. The webinar is the first of a series of eight on health and fitness organized by the WHO.  

Culture & Leisure

First “Super blood moon” in 24 years occurs during total lunar eclipse

The total lunar eclipse coincided with the super moon, causing a rare cosmic phenomenon known as “super blood moon” that amazed large crowds all over Hong Kong tonight. When the moon enters the shadow of Earth, a lunar eclipse occurs and it appears red, according to the website of the Hong Kong Space Museum. A super moon appears when a full moon is at its closest to earth. The diameter is about 14% larger than a usual one. The eclipse started at 6:56 pm, peaked at 7:19 pm and ended at 9:50 pm. Photographer Thomas Tung said he was excited as this was his first time watching a lunar eclipse. “I came at 5pm to secure a place,” Mr Tung said. Astronomy enthusiast Zach Wong said he watched the total lunar eclipse three years ago, but it rained on that day. “I feel lucky as the sky is clear today,” Mr Wong said. The last “super blood moon” visible in Hong Kong was on Sept. 17, 1997, which was 24 years ago. The next one will be on Oct. 7, 2033.

Government u-turn on quarantine policy for residents coming from Guangdong not because of external pressure, CE says

  • 2021-05-25

The policy reversal that will continue to allow Hongkongers to return from Guangdong province without quarantine was not based on external pressure, Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said before the weekly Executive Council meeting this morning. Last Saturday, the Centre for Health Protection announced that Guangdong province would be listed as medium risk after a Covid-19 case was found in Guangzhou, effectively cancelling the Return2hk scheme for the province. The Return2hk travel scheme, launched in November, allows residents returning from certain areas of the mainland, including Guangdong province and Macao, to be exempt from 14-day quarantine. Former Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying questioned the move in a post on Facebook at 8:36 pm that night, saying the plan was a puzzle. “The area of Guangzhou city is 7,434 sq km. The area of remaining places in Guangdong Province is 23 times larger than Guangzhou city. When there is a case in Guangzhou, Return2hk cannot apply to the whole province. This is what I am unable to understand,” he wrote in the Facebook post. Two hours after Mr Leung’s critical post, the government announced only the Jinlong Huixin building in Guangzhou, where the case was found, would be classified as medium risk. Mrs Lam said today the original arrangement was “not very proportionate”. “When the government officials knew about the decision, they thought that immediate adjustments were needed and made it that night,” she said. She said the Secretary for Food and Health had the authority to decide the locations placed on the risk list and that they acted according to the existing mechanism. The next step is to allow mainland residents to come to the city with quotas and certain restrictions in order to boost labour flow, Mrs Lam added at the press conference. She said she is still discussing with …