Replacement review rejected

The High Court refused to grant the leave for a judicial review of the government-proposed replacement mechanism for filling midterm Legislative Council (LegCo) vacancies.

Cheung Tak-wing, a public estate resident, filed the application seeking the review without legal representation.

In his application, he said the government should withdraw its proposal until there has been public consultation and that the exercise fell within the framework of the government proposal.

The government's counsel countered that a judicial review would be pointless at the current stage because the proposal may be altered after consultation.

Hiker's body found in pond

The body of a 64-year-old man who was swept away by a flood during a storm while hiking in Sha Tau Kok on Sunday was found on Monday.

A search party had worked round-the-clock after the man, who trekked with his son and friends on Sunday afternoon, fell into a creek and was swept away by the torrent.

Frogmen found his body in a 4-meter-deep pond in Lu Keng on Monday morning.

The pond is about 2 km away from the locality where the man fell into the water and was swept away.

'Uncle Ba' gets three years in jail

Former chairman of the listed company, China Sciences Conservational Power (CSCP), Abba Chan Tat-chee, was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a HK$7.2 million theft from two listed companies.

Chan, 64, pleaded guilty to charges including six counts of conspiracy to defraud and steal, theft and money laundering in 2006.

He also turned prosecution witness against three co-defendants.

In mitigation, his defense lawyer submitted 17 letters from singers including Andy Lau and Samuel Hui.

The writers described Chan, better known as "Uncle Ba" in the entertainment industry for organizing sell-out Cantopop concerts on the mainland, as a generous person always ready to help people out.

Locations with high peeping risk

The Chong Yuet Ming Amenities Center and Meng Wah Complex at the University of Hong Kong, the Yuen Long Station and Siu Hong Station of MTR's West Line and a few Causeway Bay malls are among high-risk locations for women to accidentally expose themselves to peeping Toms, according to an inspection by Women Affairs Committee from Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB).

These locations often have escalators with glass balustrades or buildings with full-length glass walls, said the committee.

It suggested women be careful when they are on steep escalators or stairs. If they suspected they are targets for under-skirt photos, they should alert police.

China Daily

(HK Edition 07/12/2011 page1)