《前線‧焦點 2024》比賽結果 “FOCUS AT THE FRONTLINE” 2024 RESULTS
2024年度圖片
林振東 Lam Chun Tung 端傳媒 Initium Media
2024年9月，將軍澳《蘋果日報》總部大樓已停止運作。
突發組
冠軍：
曾國宗 Tsang Kwok Chung 南華早報 South China Morning Post
A construction worker’s clothes caught on fire after an accident on a road work at How Ming Street in Kwun Tong.
26MAR24.
亞軍：
楊子磊 Yang Tzu Lei 報導者 The Reporter
The 2024 Hualien Earthquake struck at 7:58:09 AM local time on April 3rd, with its epicenter in Shoufeng Township, Hualien County, Taiwan. Measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale with a focal depth of 22.5 kilometers, the earthquake’s tremors shook the entire island for approximately 98 seconds. The disaster claimed 18 lives nationwide, injured 1,155 people, and left 3 missing. Numerous buildings collapsed fully or partially across affected areas. Eastern Taiwan bore the brunt of the damage, with extensive destruction to roads, bridges, utility lines, schools, and other infrastructure. Since the earthquake struck during morning rush hour, all major transit systems—including the Taiwan Railways North-Link Line, High Speed Rail, and MRT systems—suspended operations. This marks Taiwan’s most powerful earthquake since the 1999 Jiji earthquake.
By 10 PM on April 3rd, government workers were demolishing structurally compromised buildings in downtown Hualien, while a bystander’s reflection caught in a discarded roadside mirror bore witness to the scene.
Infrastructure resources in eastern Taiwan have long lagged behind the developed western cities. As a journalist, it is our duty to expose to society the challenges faced by areas lacking resources.
季軍：
趙世勳 Chao Shih Hsun 中央通訊社 CNA
April 4, 2024 – A man walks on the road that was damaged in a landslide, trees collapsed and covered in ash after the earthquake, in Hualien, Taiwan.
優異：
曾國宗 Tsang Kwok Chung 南華早報 South China Morning Post
A cargo ship broke into two parts and ran aground at Cham Shuen Wan near Bate Head (Tuen Tsui), Sai Kung East. The ship, which has no name or number, had been close to shore for months. The Marine Department said the ship had drifted from the mainland. 03DEC24.
一般新聞組
冠軍：(從缺）
亞軍：(從缺）
季軍：(從缺）
優異：
張志華 Cheung Chi Wah Davies 自由攝影師 Freelance Photographer
李睿哲 Lee Yui Chit Eugene 南華早報 South China Morning Post
Tang poses for a photo with the doll she ordered from Germany to better understand her daughter’s “shaken baby syndrome” during an interview in Causeway Bay on 26 August 2024. Allegations that the infant, known affectionately as “Little Suet-yee” by her family, had been physically abused by a babysitter in late January 2024. The child’s injuries had affected her brain, hearing, vision and movement to varying extents.
曾國宗 Tsang Kwok Chung 南華早報 South China Morning Post
At Ebenezer School & Home for the Visually Impaired in Pok Fu Lam, Ian Yu Yu-yeung achieved a total score of 25 points with a 5** in mathematics and an attained grade in the new citizenship and social development (CS) exam of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE). His goal is to pursue artificial intelligence at university. 17JUL24
體育組
冠軍：
李澤彤 Li Chak Tung, Elson 南華早報 South China Morning Post
A worker prepares for the construction of a viewing platform overlooking Po Pin Chau which is known for its columnar shapes.The planned platform – which is near the East Dam of the High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung East Country Park – is around a three-hour hike from Pak Tam Chung,It is slated for completion by the end of this year with large-scale building work set to start this month. Po Pin Chau was detached from the Sai Kung Peninsula after centuries of coastal erosion.
23MAY24
季軍：
李睿哲 Lee Yui Chit Eugene 南華早報 South China Morning Post
An egret stands next to a buffalo enjoying a mud bath at Shui Hau in South Lantau on 29 May 2024. The animals roam free on the outlying island, which was the source of debate in the Legislative Council with the Development Bureau pledging to deliver some “quick win” projects to develop South Lantau into an eco-recreation destination in the next two years.
優異：
曾國宗 Tsang Kwok Chung 南華早報 South China Morning Post
Goats go foraging and pass a construction site.Ho Kwai-wah, a 72 years old shepherd, who feeds more than 50 goats in his farm at Shek Wu San Tsuen, Sheung Shui. The goats foraging at the construction site beside Ng Tung River in Sheung Shui. Ho Facing the problem of land resumption, as The North East New Territories New Development Areas Planning. 27FEB24
圖片故事組
冠軍：
ZHAO Yan Agence France-Presse
[ Fallen Trees’ Whisper ]
Uprooted trees appear to be standing in aerial views after Typhoon Krathon smashed into Taiwan’s southern city of Kaohsiung in October 2024.
After Krathon made landfall, more than 2,500 reports of fallen trees blocking roads were recorded in the city. The city government quickly cleared them from the streets to restore traffic, but many others were uprooted and left scattered in parks, along roadsides, or in grassy fields.
The sturdy shape of a standing tree often symbolises strength and resilience. In a disoriented aerial view, the sight of the uprooted trees appears full of life with their upward shape. Yet, here, they whisper a message of an urban landscape’s fragility in the face of nature’s powerful force.
An aerial view shows an uprooted tree lying on the riverbank after Typhoon Krathon swept through the southern port city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.
Thousands of trees were brought down by the storm, which brought destructive winds and rain to the island, claiming at least four lives, injuring more than seven hundred people, and triggering mudslides and flooding.An aerial view shows an uprooted tree lying in a car park after Typhoon Krathon swept through the southern port city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows two people standing next to an uprooted tree by the roadside after Typhoon Krathon swept through Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows commuters driving on the road next to two fallen trees lying on the roadside after Typhoon Krathon swept through the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows an uprooted tree lying flat on a grassy lawn after Typhoon Krathon swept through Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 5, 2024.An aerial view shows an uprooted tree lying in a park after Typhoon Krathon swept through Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows an uprooted tree that fell over a river after Typhoon Krathon swept through the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 5, 2024.An aerial view shows two uprooted trees lying on the roadside, cordoned off by traffic cones, after Typhoon Krathon swept through Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows an uprooted tree and severed branches lying next to a school sports ground after Typhoon Krathon swept through Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 6, 2024.An aerial view shows fallen branches and a tree knocked down by Typhoon Krathon, lying near an intersection in the city of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 5, 2024.
亞軍：
Chan Yu Pang George 自由攝影師 Freelance Photographer
In a hotel in the small town of Aramac in outback Queensland, a map of Australia crafted from kangaroo leather hangs on the wall on April 14, 2024. The hotel owner, David Culton, is a kangaroo harvester and operates multiple chiller boxes for kangaroo meat in town.A kangaroo crosses a dirt road as a kangaroo harvester drives his truck through the outback in search of prey in outback Queensland on April 28, 2024.Kangaroo harvester Roger Haydon fires his rifle from the window of his truck at a kangaroo in outback Queensland on April 28, 2024. A shooting test and a Macropod Harvesting Licence are required to ensure the humane and safe harvesting of kangaroos.A kangaroo lies bleeding after being shot during a culling operation in outback Queensland on April 29, 2024. Professional kangaroo harvesters target kangaroos as part of population control programs. Harvest quotas, which vary by state and are based on population surveys, are adjusted annually, typically allowing around 15% of a few abundant species to be harvested commercially.Kangaroo harvester Roger Haydon dissects kangaroo carcasses in outback Queensland on April 29, 2024. The hunter removes the heads and internal organs before transporting the bodies back to a freezer.Kangaroo harvester Roger Haydon moves the kangaroo carcasses into his chiller box after the culling operation on April 29, 2024. The carcasses will later be sent to the processing factory to be made into goods.A kangaroo is anaesthetised on the operating table as veterinarians conduct a physical examination on May 25, 2024, at Possumwood Wildlife, a hospital and recovery centre for wildlife in New South Wales.Professor Steve Garlick, founder of Possumwood Wildlife, a hospital and recovery centre for wildlife in Bungendore, New South Wales, and also the founder of the Animal Justice Party, looks at the crippled kangaroo on May 25, 2024. He has saved over 5,000 kangaroos in the past 25 years. The centre currently cares for around 90 kangaroos, with veterinarians on-site weekends for check-ups and surgeries. Many kangaroos arrive with bandaged legs and tails, limping or hopping, but those that recover will be released back into the wild, while those unable to heal will remain at the centre for life.A recently born kangaroo joey is being cared for as part of efforts to rehabilitate injured or orphaned kangaroos on May 25, 2024, at Possumwood Wildlife, a hospital and recovery centre for wildlife.Kangaroo rescuers Kim and and her son Kieran Palmer cover a baby kangaroo’s eyes as they feed it milk, simulating a pouch to help the joey feel secure during rehabilitation on April 25, 2024. Started 10 years ago, they have successfully rehabilitated over 100 kangaroos in the past and now care for over 50 kangaroos at her property and is struggling to find a suitable location to rehabilitate them.Kangaroo rescuer Kim Palmer stands among her rescued kangaroos on April 25, 2024. Kim and her son care for over 50 kangaroos at her property and is struggling to find a suitable location to rehabilitate them.Kieran Palmer, caring for 50 kangaroos in outback Queensland, is greeted warmly as the kangaroos, each named, eagerly seek affection and cuddles from their caregiver on April 25, 2024.Hundreds of kangaroo carcasses hang upside down inside the processing factory, Australian Independent Game Meat, in Roma, Queensland, on April 30, 2024. According to the owner, Allan Brady, 90% of the meat is processed into dog food for the local market.Inside the processing factory, Australian Independent Game Meat, in Roma, Queensland, workers are processing kangaroo skins and meat on April 30, 2024.A drone shot shows three kangaroos swiftly jumping through the woods in outback Australia on April 15, 2024.
季軍：
梁文熙 Leung Man Hei 自由攝影師 Freelance Photographer
[ The Vanishing Hong Kong-China Border ]
A narrow river separates Hong Kong from mainland China, but the boundary has become increasingly blurred in recent years as the government pursues deeper integration with China. The “one country, two systems” policy, originally intended to remain unchanged for 50 years, has become increasingly ambiguous, with development priorities shifting to align with mainland China’s strategic goals.
The government introduced the “Northern Metropolis” development plan in 2021 and officially launched it in 2024. Covering approximately 30,000 hectares—one-third of Hong Kong’s total area—the plan aims to transform the northern regions into an economic and innovation hub, fostering professional services, logistics, and closer cooperation with mainland China.
To achieve this, 3,000 hectares of undeveloped land, including fishponds, farmland, and multiple villages, will be acquired. This has sparked dissatisfaction among affected villagers and landowners, who consider the compensation and resettlement terms inadequate. The project has also drawn criticism from citizens concerned about its financial implications, as expenditures and budgeted projects have already surpassed HK$224.7 billion. Amid a fiscal deficit of approximately HK$100 billion, many argue that resources could be better allocated elsewhere.
Despite this, organized opposition has largely been stifled. Following the 2019 social movement, the Hong Kong government implemented the National Security Law in 2020 and introduced an additional version in 2024. These measures, alongside electoral reforms, have silenced dissent and curtailed public opposition. Protests and demonstrations now carry the risk of being deemed acts of dissent, punishable under the new laws. As a result, citizens and villagers face sweeping changes brought about by the Northern Metropolis project with limited avenues to voice their concerns.
Fishponds in Hong Kong’s Deep Bay area, foreground, are separated from mainland China, background, by just a river, in Hong Kong, China, on 12 December 2024. As China outlined in the Outline of the Fourteenth five-year plan, Hong Kong is being positioned as an international innovation and technology hub. To advance this national strategy, authorities are planning to transform the fishponds in Deep Bay into a technopole that synergizes with Shenzhen’s development. However, the area is currently one of South China’s most important habitats for migratory birds, with significant ecological value. According to the China Coastal Waterbird Census Report 2012–2019, Deep Bay ranks among the top five in China for waterbird species richness, shorebird diversity, and duck population density.A fisherman sits on a boat fishing at San Tin Fishpond, in Hong Kong, China, on 16 December 2024. San Tin fishpond is home to the locally renowned “Yuen Long’s Gray Mullet Fish,” a species originally bred in saltwater. Fishermen at San Tin gradually introduce saltwater into freshwater ponds, allowing the fish to adapt over time. This process enhances the fish’s flavor, making it fattier and richer in fish oil. The fishpond’s soil, naturally infused with salt, creates a slightly brackish environment when combined with freshwater, producing this unique Hong Kong specialty. However, the government’s development plans for the San Tin fishponds pose a potential extinction threat to the “Yuen Long’s Gray Mullet Fish.”A locally farmed “Yuen Long’s Gray Mullet Fish” from San Tin fishpond lies on a pile of bread loaves, in Hong Kong, on 16 December 2024. The bread is a primary feed used by fishermen to cultivate Gray Mullet Fish.A woman plays with her dog on an open space near her home in Kwu Tung North. To the left are some of the villagers’ homes in Kwu Tung North, while on the upper right is a construction site being developed into modern residential buildings, in Hong Kong, China, on 3 December 2024. Under the government’s “Northern Metropolis” plan, villagers affected by land acquisition have been offered resettlement in public housing units, with the largest unit measuring around 376 square feet and the smallest around 150 square feet. However, public housing prohibits pet ownership, creating concerns among villagers, many of whom have long kept pets as part of their rural lifestyle. This has led to significant opposition and dissatisfaction among some villagers, who fear being separated from their beloved animals.A man stretches on a bridge near the Ng Tung River, in Hong Kong, on 21 November 2024. The river and its surroundings have become part of an active development site.Mr. Lai, one of the owners of the San Tin fishpond, watches as workers harvest “Yuen Long’s Gray Mullet Fish” from his fishpond, preparing them for sale at the fish market, in Hong Kong, China, on 16 December 2024. His fishpond also faces land acquisition under the Northern Metropolis project, but the compensation offered is insufficient for him to find a new site to farm “Yuen Long’s Gray Mullet Fish.” Moreover, even if a new fishpond is secured, differences in water quality and soil conditions would make it difficult to maintain the production of this unique local specialty.Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, top row center, with Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, Zheng Yanxiong, top row left four, and other officials witness the signing of letters of intent for the “Northern Metropolis” plan by 85 companies, in Hong Kong, China, on 29 November 2024. The agreements signify a corporate commitment to invest in and develop the Northern Metropolis, a key government initiative aimed at transforming the northern New Territories into a hub for innovation and integration with mainland China.Legislative Council member Tik Chi-yuen, along with around 30 villagers affected by the Hung Shui Kiu development plan, marched from Admiralty to the Government Headquarters to submit a petition, urging the government to properly resettle the displaced residents, in Hong Kong, on 24 November 2024. Hung Shui Kiu is among the first areas affected by the Northern Metropolis development plan, with residents required to vacate by December 6.Employee of Kwong Tak Loong Sauce Factory takes a break, in Hong Kong, on 27 November 2024. The factory has been rooted in Kwu Tung North for over 70 years, where large sauce jars are placed outdoors to naturally ferment soy sauce using traditional methods.Kwong Tak Loong Sauce Factory, rooted in Kwu Tung North for over 70 years, displays multiple sauce jars on open grounds for traditional natural fermentation of soy sauce, in Hong Kong, China, on 27 November 2024. In the 1950s, the factory relocated from Tsuen Wan to Kwu Tung North due to redevelopment by the colonial government. Once one of six sauce factories in the area, Kwong Tak Loong Sauce Factory now faces land acquisition under the “Northern Metropolis” plan. Due to insufficient funds, finding a new location to continue operations is unfeasible, and the factory will operate only until the final moment before the land is reclaimed.A male worker at a tofu factory watches television broadcasting news of Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee speaking at a press conference about the “Northern Metropolis” plan, in Hong Kong, China, on 3 December 2024. The plan, a key government initiative, has drawn criticism for its impact on local industries and communities, with many residents and business owners uncertain about their future under the redevelopment scheme.A flock of sheep raised by local villagers grazes along the Ng Tung River near Lo Wu Station, venturing toward Ma Shi Po in Sheung Shui, in Hong Kong, China, on 21 November 2024. The once-vast grasslands of Ma Shi Po have now become a construction site under redevelopment, but the sheep still traverse their traditional grazing routes, offering a stark contrast to the rapidly changing landscape.Banners opposing the land acquisition, such as “Protect Our Homeland” and “Swear to Defend Ngau Tam Mei Village,” are displayed inside and outside the village office ahead of a residents’ meeting, in Hong Kong, on 5 December 2024. More than 400 villagers and local workers attended the meeting, with many expressing discontent.Development Bureau Deputy Secretary, Lam Chi-man, led officials into Ngau Tam Mei Village to attend a residents’ meeting and explain details of land acquisition and compensation. A male villager, holding a microphone, voiced his opposition to the plan, likening it to the destruction of the village, in Hong Kong, China, on 5 December 2024. The atmosphere at the meeting was tense, with some villagers visibly emotional. The venue and its surroundings were adorned with banners opposing the land acquisition, bearing slogans such as “Protect Our Homeland” and “Vow to Defend Ngau Tam Mei Village.” Over 400 villagers and local workers participated, expressing dissatisfaction. Some accused the government of prioritizing financial compensation over respect and community ties.Sun Hing Farm in Ngau Tam Mei Village remains active, with a young farmer tending to the soil and covering crops and soil with long black cloths after nightfall to protect them from damage, in Hong Kong, China, on 15 December 2024. Sun Hing Farm was revived 10 years ago and once produced local rice while promoting agriculture to the younger generation. However, following the announcement of land acquisition in Ngau Tam Mei, farmers are now forced to discuss their future plans.
