Amendments to food labeling rules rejected

Two amendments to the nutrition labeling scheme tabled at the Legislative Council (LegCo) failed to obtain the legislature's endorsement yesterday.

The proposed amendments aimed to exempt from the scheme pre-packaged food items that are sold in the city in small volume (less than 30,000 annually) and those that indicate trans-fat content according to standards in other countries.

The LegCo decision means the government must implement the original scheme as of July 2010.

21 HK athletes to compete in Paralympics

So far 21 athletes will represent Hong Kong in the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, competing in eight events, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs Carrie Yau said yesterday.

Yau added the city was honored to be one of the Olympic co-host cities to stage the equestrian events.

Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Association for the Physically Disabled Chairman Jenny Fung said 16 students from eight special schools have been selected as Student Ambassadors for the Beijing Paralympics.

Smuggling syndicate shut down

Hong Kong and Shenzhen Customs officers have arrested 16 people and seized HK$6 million worth of goods while shutting down a syndicate smuggling high-value electronic goods and computer accessories across the Sha Tau Kok River into the mainland.

The syndicate used an aerial cable to convey the goods from the Sha Tau Kok area across the boundary, a method the officers had never come across.

Four local men were arrested and HK$4.4 million worth of goods were seized in the city Tuesday.

Intangible cultural heritage survey to launch

Local experts and scholars will be commissioned to conduct a city-wide survey to set up a database on intangible cultural heritage in Hong Kong, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing said.

"Once the intangible cultural heritage inventory is in place, the government will identify those of significant cultural value and apply for their inclusion in the list at national level. We will also examine the possibility of seeking United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's inscription for these items," he added.

One more EV-71 case confirmed

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has confirmed a case of Enterovirus-71 (EV-71) infection involving a 4-year-old girl.

She developed a rash with blisters over her hands and feet on Monday and sought medical treatment on the same day. She did not need to be hospitalized.

The nursery she attended reported earlier that a total of four children, including the girl, had symptoms of hand-foot-mouth disease.

CHP staff have provided health advice to the institution.

China Daily

(HK Edition 05/29/2008 page1)