Your Voice: Ronaldo getting benched in Qatar was the last straw; Hong Kong government must help preserve tradition (short letters)

To my family’s dismay, as well as much of the rest of the world’s, Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench for two games in his last Fifa World Cup – including Portugal’s semi-final against Morocco.

Ronaldo has done wonders for the world of football, and getting benched was the last straw for his 380 million Instagram followers and for fans around the world. On Twitter, fans expressed their frustration by tagging the world-famous player using the tags #ronaldoexit and #mufcronaldo to catch his attention.

This has been a particularly engaging World Cup, as teams seen as underdogs have done better than ever. Japan shocked the world with their wins, and finished in ninth place, proving that they are here to stay.

Accounting for the human cost of the Fifa World Cup in Qatar

Ronaldo came onto the pitch 49 minutes into the game, well past half time. He rose to the pressure that he was under. However, his efforts were not enough and even though he came close to scoring a goal, it wasn’t to be.

With over five minutes of extra time added on, and tired Moroccan players, it was a nail-biting match.

Morocco made history by beating the Portuguese team. Maybe if Ronaldo hadn’t been benched he could have done something. Nevertheless, the Moroccan players are ones to watch in the future.

Chan Wing-lam, Pope Paul VI College

I am writing to express my opinion on “The art of preserving old Hong Kong: one artist’s quest to honour sunset trades and vanishing neighbourhoods” (November 14).The artist preserves the old Hong Kong by recording scenes of old streets and buildings with his brushes.

I really appreciate his actions as it is important to preserve our traditional shops. They capture the collective memories of many people. They have been operating for 30-40 years, offering convenient and friendly services. They used to be a major way for locals to earn their living. These authentic places are also a unique characteristic of Hong Kong. By visiting them, tourists or new generations can know more about the countless stories behind them. It is a way for us to witness history with our own eyes.

However, many of these shops have closed due to urban redevelopment. I think we should support them by paying visits and also let more people know about how they strive to survive. It would be even better if we can record them using our own methods like the artist has been doing.

The government, as a resource allocator, could ensure better urban planning to encourage the continuation of these small businesses. It is our responsibility to find a way to preserve these traditional scenes amid the rapid development of our city.

Artist behind the Moving Drawing Instagram page shares the joy, comfort in cartoons of moments on MTR

Cherrie Leung Cheuk-lam, Valtorta College

Recently, (G)I-DLE, a K-pop girl group, have made a comeback with their new song Nxde. Great repercussions have followed. I would like to share this refreshing song with the public.

Nxde, the title of this song replaces the word “nude”. It is eye-catching already.

Never before have I heard a song like Nxde. The song starts with the lyrics: “Why you think that ‘bout nude. Cause your view’s so rude.” It describes the phenomenon of society usually viewing women’s bodies as erotic due to prejudiced viewpoints. Pornographic content is easy to find if people search for “female nude” on the internet. Nonetheless, most of these female nudes may be the victims of sexual exploitation. Now, Nxde by (G)I-DLE will appear in the search results instead.

After the K-wave, it’s Canto-pop’s time to shine

Not only is it a meaningful song concept, but it should also have a good effect on the community. The girl group tries to fight back against society’s views on women’s bodies, clothing and behaviour. The well-known “Nth Room” blackmail case, in which sexual exploitation videos were sold by a criminal through the Telegram app, caused panic among women in South Korea.

These girls’ bravery has woven a net of protection for women. That’s why I love this amusing, mesmerising and purposeful song.

Owen Leung Cheuk-chun, CNEC Christian College

I am writing to comment on “Hong Kong’s latest tobacco control proposals – tax rises, bans on future generations buying cigarettes” (November 21).

It is wonderful to hear that the number of smokers in Hong Kong has fallen to a record low. To begin with, I think the government has a significant motive to reduce the number of smokers. Smoking has brought no advantage but severe damage to human beings. Cancer, chronic respiratory conditions and heart disease are the main effects of smoking. The indirect effects of smoking – polluting the air and harming family members’ health – are inconsiderate towards others.

Hong Kong to consider lifetime tobacco ban for youth born in or after 2009, health chief confirms

To deal with these problems, the government proposes raising the tax on cigarettes and banning residents born in 2009 or later from buying these drugs. These are positive moves.

I think there are more actions that the government could take to ease the problem. For example, organising lectures to explain the detrimental effects of taking drugs, educating the next generation about the harmful effects of smoking, and holding games and sports activities about drugs to help citizens absorb more information.

To conclude, the problem of smoking could be solved by working together as a team. By staying away from drugs, we are one step closer to a preferable future.