Periscope

The success of small budget local films such as "Ten Years" and "Mad World" in recent years has led to talk of a possible revival of Hong Kong movies, led by a new generation of independent filmmakers. But is this just wishful thinking in an industry now dominated by Hong Kong-mainland co-productions?

For years, Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement has concentrated its efforts on winning office through the ballot box. But more than 15 years since the handover, democratic reform in the city remains stalled. Increasingly, democrats are fed-up with trying to change the system through participating in it. As society debates plans to Occupy Central to, many have already taken their demands and protests out of the Legislative Council and onto the streets, organising campaigns of civil disobedience and seeking more radical means of resistance.

Hong Kong’s first Chinese medicine hospital is expected to open in late 2024. The hospital will integrate Chinese and Western medicine elements.

Reporters: Katherine Chan and Melanie Leung With a cap pulled over his head and a pair of black-rimmed glasses, 22-year-old Jay looks like a typical...

There is no doubt we have a problem with the air we breathe. Hong Kong's dirty air is costing the territory billions of dollars and driving away professional talent. The government has vowed to tackle roadside pollution by phasing out the most polluting vehicles. But maritime pollution is an even bigger culprit when it comes to some of the major pollutants in the air. As Varsity learns, even shipowners are urging the administration to take tougher action.

The anti-ELAB movement reminds Koreans of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. Korean students and witnesses of the Gwangju Uprising share their story of freedom fight and their sympathy for the movement in Hong Kong.

Overworked and underpaid - that's how many nurses in Hong Kong's public hospitals feel and they are leaving the public sector and even the profession in high numbers. So far, Hospital Authority efforts to stem the exodus don't seem to be working. Varsity looks at the underlying reasons behind Hong Kong's nursing shortage.

As airlines cut costs in the face of the fierce competition, front-line staff have to put up with heavier workloads and frustrated customers. We talk to flight attendants and ground-handling workers about their working conditions.

The government is proposing to tighten laws on street obstruction, but critics of the plan say the authorities should accommodate local features. Varsity visits black spots for street obstruction at Mong Kok’s flower market, Temple Street and Tai Ping Shan Street.

At home and in the world at large, societies seem to be getting more polarised and many are seeing a pushback against globalisation. Boundaries are becoming more apparent. In this issue's Periscope, Varsity looks at the boundaries and divisions between different groups of people in Hong Kong society.