Donald Tsang to visit Shanghai

Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang will visit Shanghai in late May to call on the Communist Party's Shanghai Municipal Committee Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng, to strengthen ties and co-operation between the two places.

During his stay in Shanghai, Tsang will also visit the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and learn more about the development of creative industries in the city.

The CE will leave for Shanghai on May 30 and return to Hong Kong on June 1.

Fuel surcharge adjustments approved

The Civil Aviation Department has given approval for 13 airlines to adjust their passenger fuel surcharge levels.

Most airlines will boost their surcharges for short haul flights from HK$125 per passenger to HK$171, while surcharges for long haul flights will rise from HK$518 to HK$710, effective from June 1 to July 31.

The department said the surcharges on the local routes remain at a reasonable level. Short-haul and long-haul surcharges amount for about 41 and 68 percent of the international levels.

Language proficiency results out

The Hong Kong Examinations & Assessment Authority has posted results of the Language Proficiency Assessment for Teachers 2008, with passing rates for English-language papers ranging from 41.5 to 94.6 percent and Putonghua papers, 45.7 to 74.3 percent.

This year 1,964 candidates sat for the English-Language papers and 2,513 for the Putonghua papers. Results notices are expected to reach candidates today.

The assessment reports of the chief examiners' observations on candidates' performance will be released in late June.

Boy treated for E Coli infection

The Centre for Health Protection has confirmed this year's first E Coli O157:H7 infection involving an 18-month-old boy.

The baby boy came down with fever and vomiting on May 5. He was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital on May 12 and was discharged two days later. He had no travel history during the incubation period and none of his family members at home had symptoms.

Hong Kong recorded one E Coli O157:H7 infection last year and one in 2006.

China Daily

(HK Edition 05/27/2008 page1)