In Brief
Disguised asylum seeker granted bail in Canada
An asylum seeker who entered Canada on a flight from Hong Kong disguised as an elderly Caucasian man has been released after being detained for over three months. An Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicator ordered his release on condition that he post a C$5,000 (HK$39,100) bond and report weekly to the Canada Border Services Agency. A Chinese-Canadian closely linked with the young man's family in China agreed to post the bond and provide accommodation in Toronto. The 20-year-old, who cannot be named to protect his identity, boarded an Air Canada flight to Vancouver in October and was later identified as a mainlander who had been transiting Hong Kong.
Swine flu peak to last another three to four weeks
The peak for human swine flu will last another three to four weeks and people should stay alert, Secretary for Food and Health Dr York Chow Yat-ngok said. A total of 39 flu patients were being treated in intensive care units in hospitals. Extra beds are needed in wards for internal medicine and paediatrics at most hospitals and all hospitals are 100 per cent occupied, with non-urgent surgery being postponed.
Travel industry told to obey list of new rules
The government said the 10 new rules rolled out by the Travel Industry Council since the start of the month, should be strictly adhered to. The statement came after Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan and Commissioner for Tourism Philip Yung Wai-hung met more than 10 outbound travel agencies, including Hong Thai Travel Services and Wing On Travel, who all backed the new policies. Some agencies complained of problems with the rules, particularly one that stipulates only one guide can accompany each tour.
