Law Society lifts Lam suspension

The Law Society of Hong Kong has revoked the suspension of the license of lawyer Andrew Lam, after Lam was cleared at the Court of Final Appeal Monday of perverting the course of public justice. The charge and subsequent conviction arose from an Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation in 2004.

Albert Wong Kwai-huen, president of the society, said the council unanimously voted in favor of restoring Lam's license to practice law. He said the decision is fair and reasonable. Lam's license was suspended solely because of the conviction at the District Court. Lam still must re-apply for his license, since the suspension took place more than two years ago.

In response, Lam said he would need time to regroup mentally, though he looked forward to practicing law again. He also said he wished people would stop calling him an "ICAC killer", saying the label has become a curse.

Sparks fly aboard Cathay

A Cathay Pacific jet flying some 400 passengers from Hong Kong to Amsterdam on Sunday experienced engine problems. The aircraft landed safely at Amsterdam Airport. No one was injured.

According to a report filed with the Civil Aviation Department, sparks erupted when the pilot shut down the problem engine on flight CX271. The plane, a Boeing 747-400, has four engines.

Diagnosis using TCM software

Computing experts at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have unveiled a series of diagnostic tools based on concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and can detect diseases through images of the tongue, from the pulse and from the breath.

The computer systems were developed through analysis of biometric information from more than 30,000 ethnic Chinese patients. One, the Automated Tongue Image Analysis System, correctly detected 80 percent of internal organ problems such as kidney diseases. Another is the Pressure Pulse Diagnosis System, which correctly detected 85 percent of common diseases such as duodenal ulcer.

HK among top 5 in civic education

Hong Kong students were among the best performing in the world in civic and citizenship knowledge, as revealed in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) 2009.

The study, which surveyed over 140,000 Secondary 2 and 3 students from 38 countries or areas in 2009, aims to assess secondary students' understanding, competencies and dispositions with respect to civic and citizenship education. The international mean of the ICCS 2009 is 500. Hong Kong ranked in the world's top five, while Finland topped the rankings with a score of 576.

Shek O beach swimmer drowns

A 71-year-old woman who enjoyed going swimming in the sea in the mornings drowned at the Shek O beach Tuesday morning.

Swimmers at the beach spotted the unconscious woman floating in the waves at around 7 am. She was certified dead at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

China Daily

(HK Edition 06/30/2010 page1)