Focus

Under-stairs shops have been a feature of Hong Kong street life since the 1950s. They were popular with small, local businesses because of their cheap rents. But with prices for Hong Kong's retail spaces overtaking New York, these businesses are being forced to move or close for good.

A landmark case involving W, a transsexual woman who wants to get married in Hong Kong is expected to be heard at the Court of Final Appeal next year. Now, W's story is being dramatised in a musical called "Dream of the Mermaid". Varsity meets members of the production and looks at some of the struggles faced by transsexuals in Hong Kong.

The future of the government's plans to build a multi-billion dollar waste incinerator off Shek Kwu Chau has been thrown into uncertainty after legislators opposed the proposal. Opposition to the plan has been most vocal from green groups and residents on nearby Cheung Chau. But little has been heard from actual inhabitants of Shek Kwu Chau, who would live on the doorstep of the facility.

As rental prices continue to soar in Hong Kong, more and more people are struggling to find a place to call home. With long waiting lists for public housing, some low-income families and individuals are resorting to renting sub-divided units in industrial buildings. These are cheaper than sub-divided units in residential buildings but they are also illegal and tenants face the constant threat of eviction.

The rising cost of food in Hong Kong has hit its poorest the hardest. Increasingly, people on low incomes are turning to food banks to help fulfill their basic needs. But these food banks face operational restrictions, particularly those who that are subsidized by the government.

Taiwan's cafes and bookstores host to a vibrant salon culture that played an important part in the island's democracy and as Varsity discovers, continues to provide a platform for debate today.

There is greater awareness of animal welfare and rights as groups push for a bill against cruelty to animals in China. But Varsity finds some animals still being kept in cramped conditions and made to perform at a leading Guangdong safari park.

Hong Kong's remaining walled villages are an important part of the territory's heritage and history. But should the desire for preservation trump villagers' wishes to redevelop their homes?

Hong Kong protesters dig in at "Occupy Central" - the local answer to the world-wide "Occupy" movement that began in Wall Street last year.

The number of disabled students at Hong Kong's universities has risen over the past decade. New facilities built on the territories campuses have to comply with guidelines for disabled access. But as some disabled students have told Varsity, barrier-free access is not just about getting around campus.