Thousands sign against national education
Thousands of people signed petitions against the planned introduction of the national education curriculum in September at signature stalls across the city yesterday, said the convenor of the student-activist group Scholarism, Joshua Wong Chi-fung. The petitions would be handed to the Education Bureau, he said.
Health minister to move on long waiting lists
Referrals to specialists would be reviewed in light of growing waiting times for public hospital patients to see certain specialists, health minister Dr Ko Wing-man said. The secretary for health said the government had no plan at present to increase the HK$100 fee for emergency ward consultations, despite criticism that it was not high enough to deter people who did not require emergency treatment.
Swimmer drowns off Ma On Shan
A man in his 60s drowned while swimming off Ma On Shan. Swimmers spotted the man off Lok Wo Sha Lane, Wu Kai Sha, at about 9pm and called for help. Fireman pulled him from the water, but he was declared dead at a hospital. Separately, a Filipino woman who got into trouble at about 7am while swimming at Deep Water Bay was rescued by one of her friends.