News feed：Freedom of expression

[2020.11.04] 發表

【明報專訊】IN mid-October in France, Samuel Paty, a secondary school history teacher, was beheaded by an Islamic extremist, after he showed students a satirical cartoon of Muhammad (穆罕默德), the Islamic prophet. Police officers shot the extremist dead later. Thousands joined a rally in Paris and other cities in the country to show support for freedom of expression.

Changes in national flag and emblem law

IN MAINLAND CHINA, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全國人大常委會) has passed amendments to the National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance, criminalising behaviours such as mutilating the flag and emblem, displaying the former upside down, etc. The new law will be in effect starting from January 1, 2021. The HKSAR government said it would follow suit and change the local ordinance as well, citing the inclusion of related national laws in Annex III of the Basic Law.

Coral has no say in Greater Bay

FOR the first time, a research team led by the HKU school of biological sciences and marine science institute investigated the behaviour of coral in the Greater Bay Area, revealing that the distribution and diversity of coral in the area have seen a disastrous decline over the past decades. There is 40% less coral in Southern Hong Kong waters. Pearl River Estuary (珠江口) and Tolo Harbour (吐露港) are the hardest-hit areas. Research states that the decline was due to development and lack of conservation. The team helps collect fossil data and find out the most dangerous factors the coral is facing.

■Gear up

According to the passages on this page, circle the correct answers.

(1) Samuel Paty taught history.

( True / False / Not given )

(2) The HKSAR government would like to change laws that are related to the national flag and emblem.

( True / False / Not given )

(3) Coral reefs in every part of China are under threat.

( True / False / Not given )

(Answers on next text)

■Glossary

behead (v) 斬首

satirical (adj) 諷刺的