City Briefs

Two in court over alleged Hong kong passport swap

Two men appeared in Eastern Court yesterday in connection with Independent Commission Against Corruption allegations of people smuggling. The court heard that Yu Yuen-chup, 43, and Shek Hung-lit, 40, conspired with others to transfer a Hong Kong passport to a mainland woman who then used it to seek entry to the United States. The pair entered no plea to a count of conspiracy to transfer to another a travel document, conspiracy to obtain services by deception and conspiracy to defraud the US Immigration Department. The offences are alleged to have been committed between December 21 and January 24. Magistrate Allan Wyeth released the pair on bail and adjourned the case for a month.

four groups named to run clothes recycling banks

Four non-governmental organisations have been appointed by the Home Affairs Department to look after 'community used-clothes recycling banks' placed at 172 off-street locations to support environmental protection and help people donate used clothes. They are Friends of the Earth, Christian Action, the Salvation Army and the Conservancy Association. Charitable institutions and trusts of a public character can apply to operate the banks from the four by the end of this month.

flesh-eating maggots found in man's cheek

A 67-year-old man was infected with flesh-eating fly larvae, the Centre for Health Protection has confirmed. The man, who lives in Kowloon City and has not been out of Hong Kong recently, was admitted to Kwong Wah Hospital on August 4, two days after maggots were found in wounds on his left cheek. The case is the eighth in Hong Kong this year. All the infections occurred in the city.