bc magazine

European Tour Sevens Squads Announced

Ahead of a two-month-long European Tour the Hong Kong Rugby Union has announced the men’s and women’s Sevens squads.

The tour includes tournaments in England and Portugal, (the squad’s first international competition since last November) and offers HKRU sevens coach Paul John a chance to restart Hong Kong’s rugby journey ahead of a busy international season which includes the Rugby World Cup Sevens in South Africa, the Asian Games (Hangzhou, Sept.), Rugby World Series qualifiers (Aug.), and the Hong Kong Sevens (Nov.).

Training in the United Kingdom also offers the opportunity to enter both squads into two events on the upcoming UK Super Sevens Series and the international sevens warm-up tournament in the Algarve in Portugal.

The squads feature most of Hong Kong’s top sevens players – including Max Woodward, Melody Li, Natasha Olson-Thorne, Max Denmark, Chong Ka-yan and ex-Hong Kong sprinter Hui Manling – as well as uncapped players looking to make an impact.

After months of no rugby, there is an essential need among both squads for warm-up games with international opposition to prepare and get match fit for the demanding upcoming tournament schedule which culminates (hopefully) with Hong Kong Sevens in early November.

HKRU Mens’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

HKRU Women’s Sevens training squad (European Tour, Spring Summer 2022)

Additional reporting and images: HKRU, Asia Rugby

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 9 Wickets in the Fourth Women’s T20i, 30 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women made it a sweep of the four-game T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 9 wickets at the Malek Cricket Ground, 30 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 26 Runs in the Third Women’s T20i, 29 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women win the third T20 international beating Hong Kong Women by 26 runs at the Malek Cricket Ground, 29 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 28 Runs in the Second Women’s T20i, 28 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women go two up in the T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 28 runs at the Malek Cricket Ground, 28 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

UAE Beat Hong Kong by 7 Wickets in the First Women’s T20i, 27 April, 2022

On the Hong Kong Women’s tour of United Arab Emirates, the UAE Women go one up in the T20 series beating Hong Kong Women by 7 wickets (with 27 balls remaining) at the Malek Cricket Ground, 27 April 2022.

images: HKcricket

Immigration Department To Accept Extension of Stay Applications from Outside Hong Kong

With effect from 8 April, eligible non-permanent residents who are admitted into Hong Kong under the following immigration policies/schemes and whose limit of stay is about to expire – but are presently outside Hong Kong may apply for an extension of stay under the new measure:

General Employment Policy (including both employment and investment as entrepreneurs);
Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals;
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme;
Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates;
Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents;
Technology Talent Admission Scheme;
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme;
residence as dependants; and
students enrolled in full-time study programmes.

Eligible applicants may submit the applications online (www.immd.gov.hk/eng/evisaonline.html) in accordance with the prevailing application procedures for an extension of stay. If the applicant continues to meet the eligibility criteria under the relevant visa the ImmD may approve his/her application for an extension of stay. Successful applicants can then download the “e-Visa” after having paid the relevant fee.

Applicants will be able to complete the whole process and activate the “e-Visa” for an extension of stay from outside Hong Kong. The new measure will replace the temporary measure announced by the ImmD on 31 December, 2020.

The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2021 Winners

The winners of The Hong Kong Photo Contest 2021 organised by National Geographic – for photos taken in Hong Kong before 3 December 2021 – have been announced. There is no overall winner, just winners in each of the six categories: City; Wildlife; Landscape; People; Mobile and Short Video.

“It has allowed me to once again renew my perspective on Hong Kong’s urban, cultural and natural features,” said National Geographic Documentary director Andrew Yao about judging the entries. “A video entry that chronicled the Yau Ma Tei Car Park Building before its demolition impressed me the most this year. Using time-lapse photography, the videographer [So Ka Chun] succinctly captured the tenseness of Hong Kong’s daily life as well as the monotonous, if not mechanical pace of the city. It is a requiem for historical buildings, which when combined with its wonderful ending and soulful soundtracks, makes for a touching and deeply impressive piece of video work.”

There is a virtual exhibition of the winning entries at hkphotocontest.com/exhibition.asp which is online until 31 July 2022.

Instagram links to winners added – some beautiful images of Hong Kong.

City Winner: Cheung Chun Him, Jeremy – Man in the Mirrors

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-PM3XWBW

Wildlife Winner: Lee Ying Wah – Caught It!

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-Q8Bb3V4

Landscape Winner: Tse Hon Ming – Blossom in the Sea

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-rj8fn3t

People Winner: Leung Hon Shing – Duty

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-Bz9bKNn

Mobile Winner: Chiu Bong Chi, Dominic – Crimson Tide

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-pvszWt2

Short Video Winner: So Ka Chun – Stay

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2022/The-Hong-Kong-Photo-Contest-2021/i-LndLmMP

An exhibition of winning entries will be held at Gallery by the Harbour, Harbour City dates to be confirmed.

Vice News HK Triads Video Geo-Blocked

An informative VICE News video on Hong Kong’s Organized Crime Societies (often known as triads) and the 721 Yuen Long attack that was uploaded to YouTube on 26 March 2022 is now geo-blocked.

It’s an informative video about Hong Kong’s triads – how they originated and have evolved from community support groups to the profit-driven enterprises of today.

Today however the link appears to be geo-blocked – whether this is by Vice or the HK Government is not clear. We have asked Vice why the video is no longer available in Hong Kong and will update this article when/if we receive a reply.

At the moment to watch the video in Hong Kong will need a vpn or similar. The simplest way is to do this is to download and use a browser called Opera and turn on the built-in VPN.