Attack over failure to announce CSSA change
The Society for Community Organisation criticised the Social Welfare Department yesterday for not making a public announcement in March when it revoked a rule that residents do not have to live in the city continuously for a year before they can apply for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance. It said about 10,000 people in need of welfare may not know they were now eligible. The department decided in March not to appeal against a June 2010 court ruling that the requirement was unlawful.
Tribute Garden denied to 'HK's Stephen Hawking'
The Home Affairs Bureau has rejected an application for Lau Hiu-fung, 'Hong Kong's Stephen Hawking', to be buried in Tribute Garden, the cemetery for civilian heroes in Fanling. Lau, who was confined to a wheelchair by a muscle-wasting disease yet gained a degree and was named one of 2010's 10 outstanding young people, died on April 2 aged 27. A memorial service will be held today at 7.30pm at Universal Funeral Parlour in Hung Hom, where the funeral will take place at 9am tomorrow. He will be buried in Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery.
Pupils return with medals from Physics Olympiad
A team of eight pupils returned from the Asian Physics Olympiad in New Delhi, India, with a gold medal, two bronzes and three honourable mentions. The gold went to Lam Ho-tat, a Form Five pupil at Pui Shing Catholic Secondary School. The bronzes went to Tam Pok-man (Sing Yin Secondary School) and Lum Kai-chun (Queen's College), and the honourable mentions to Wong Yiu-man (Queen Elizabeth School), Man Siu-hang (CCC Ming Yin College) and Tony Shing (Wong Shiu Chi Secondary School).