In Brief
Merkel agrees to press HK democracy demand
German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel has agreed to convey Hongkongers' demand for democracy to Vice-President Xi Jinping when the pair meet, city legislator Lee Cheuk-yan says. He quoted Merkel as making the pledge after attending a meeting on Wednesday with labour union representatives from different countries ahead of a World Day for Decent Work event in Germany. Xi is on a two-week trip to Europe and is scheduled to arrive in Germany tomorrow.
Councillors apologise for aide's funding breach
Two Democratic Party district councillors apologised after their aide was found to have breached a rule on funding. Mak Tsz-hei, a party community officer who helps at the offices of Gary Fan Kwok-wai and Cheung Kwok-keung, said he would return the money involved to the government by today. Sai Kung District Council's finance and administration committee discussed complaints from residents about leaflets distributed by Mak to promote a Cantonese opera event, which the council had subsidised with HK$16,000. The activity was staged by a group of which Mak is vice-president. The leaflets also carried Fan and Cheung's details, which complainants said amounted to political publicity.
