Sofa jumping leads to tragedy

A two-year-old girl plummeted to her death from her ninth-floor home on Monday after she catapulted off the sofa in her family living room.

The girl was found unconscious on a terrace of the apartment building in Tsat Tsz Mui Road, North Point, around 11:30 am. She was taken to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital where she was certified dead. The girl's aunt, who was watching the child while the parents were out, was taken to the police station to assist in the investigation.

The girl was reportedly climbing onto the back of the sofa then jumping, prior to her fatal fall. The opened window had no protective grille.

'Housing' ranked top policy concern

The housing problem is considered the most pressing policy concern in the Chief Executive's policy address, according to a survey by the Public Opinion Programme at the University of Hong Kong.

In the telephone survey of more than 1,000 people, 91 percent said it's very important, or quite important to deal with housing issue. Housing was followed by medical policy (88 percent), social welfare (87 percent), economic development (86 percent) and political development (64 percent) in terms of importance.

Man denies Ap Lei Chau rape

A 29-year-old man accused of raping a 22-year-old woman last year in Ap Lei Chau Estate denied the charge in the High Court on Monday.

The court heard that Cheung Siu-hung, who resides in Sha Tin, followed the young woman from Mong Kok to Ap Lei Chau in the early morning of Jan 26 last year. When she walked toward home after getting off the bus, police say, Cheung dragged her into a market and assaulted her. A passerby called police but the assailant escaped. After his arrest one month later, Cheung claimed he had taken cold medicine on the day of the incident and couldn't remember what happened.

The trial continues on Tuesday.

Bamboo theatre opens month's end

Three weeks of Cantonese opera and traditional dance and music will be staged at the West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre beginning late this month.

This is the second year for the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) to build a temporary stage on the site of the future Xiqu Centre, in celebration of the Chinese New Year.

WKCDA said the tickets for Cantonese operas were raised to HK$100-150, from last year's HK$10. Shows featuring well-known Cantonese opera actors are already sold out.

Illness infects 20 students

The Centre for Health Protection is investigating an influenza-like illness outbreak at a Sham Shui Po primary school, affecting 20 students.

The four boys and 16 girls, all aged six, have come down with upper respiratory tract infection symptoms since Jan 8.

Sixteen sought medical consultation from private doctors. None required hospitalisation, and all are stable.

The center's staff have visited the school and advised the management to adopt measures against respiratory tract infections.

China Daily

(HK Edition 01/15/2013 page1)