Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from December 2004

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from December 2004

AUSTRALIAN-GREYS-RESULTS COLLATED.
December 31, 2004... (From New Zealand Press Association) AUSTRALIAN-GREYS-RESULTS Wellington, Dec 30 -- The weather is fine and the track firm for the Australian Greys meeting at Australian Greyhounds tonight. RACE 1 W'BOOL LOCKSMITHS GRADE 5,...

AUSTRALIAN-TROTS-RESULTS COLLATED.
December 31, 2004... (From New Zealand Press Association) AUSTRALIAN-TROTS-RESULTS Wellington, Dec 30 - The weather is overcast and the track fast for the Australian Trots meeting at Australian tonight. RACE 1 CLUB PACEWAY C3 MOBILE PACE DOUBLE,...

Solon says nat'l gov't cheating LGUs.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Romy Amarado DUMAGUETE CITY-Negros Oriental Second District Rep. Emilio Macias II has accused the national government of cheating the local government units of billions of pesos of their...

Triple A.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza I HAVE this habit of greeting the New Year by digging up some words of wisdom. You know, I want to start the New Year right-if I could. I've always felt that whether famous or...

Aleck Bovick sues ex-manager for estafa, forcing her into 'orgy'.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza SEXY star Aleck Bovick on Tuesday filed charges of estafa and abuse before the Department of Justice against her former talent manager and boyfriend, whom she also accused of...

Alleged smuggle attempt foiled.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-A Korean company has been put on the watch list of suspected smugglers here after the Subic anti-smuggling task force on Tuesday foiled an alleged attempt by the firm to spirit highly...

Arroyo, Gordon prod GMA on Naia 3 opening.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael Lim Ubac ADMINISTRATION senators yesterday called on President Macapagal-Arroyo to immediately open the Naia passenger terminal 3 to show to the world that the country is open for...

Hermie's impeccable record speaks for itself.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Manolo R. I[currency]igo HERMIE Esguerra, popular owner of super horse Wind Blown, will be honored by the Philippine Sportswriters Association for his unparalleled success and contribution to...

A Rizal cottage industry.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ambeth R. Ocampo ANOTHER intriguing item in the Nov. 28, 2004 auction of the Philippine Numismatic and Antiquarian Society was a book reputed to be one of the last objects owned by Jose...

RP coach's tenure not etched in stone.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: June Navarro NOTHING'S permanent except change. PBA commissioner Noli Eala said this yesterday as he explained the pro league's stance on the tenure of the national team coach. Eala...

Mayors remind citizens to be safe in greeting New Year.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila B. Salaverria, Margaux C. Ortiz, Nancy C. Carvajal and Tina G. Santos WHY SPEND on firecrackers and put your life or limb at risk when there is a free, safer and more festive...

Terminal 3 expropriation just a start.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Amando Doronila THE ADMINISTRATION of President Macapagal-Arroyo begins the new year with a key economic-related decision that raises false expectations, with the promise to open by mid-year...

Estrada shakes off surgery jitters with few 'Eraptions'.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Armand N. Nocum HONG KONG-Even as he admits to being nervous over the prospect of going under the knife, ousted President Joseph Estrada can still dish out a few "Eraptions," his...

Cops told: Explain bungled case vs 'cybersex king'.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza POLICE investigators should explain the circumstances that led to the dismissal of the case against a Belgian national who allegedly operated a pornographic Internet site in...

Dangerous revelry.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) TONIGHT the skies will light up with a thousand and one flares and a legion of blazing portents. No, it's not the end of the world. It's just the traditional New Year's Eve revelry of fireworks,...

GMA eyes US funding for rice terraces' rehab.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO CITY-President Macapagal-Arroyo is seeking US funding for the rehabilitation of the centuries-old Banaue rice terraces, one of the World Heritage Sites, which have remained in utter disrepair due...

Groups give slain social worker award for dedication.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Estanislao Caldez TUGUEGARAO CITY-Two groups of social workers and officials of the Cagayan government presented a posthumous award to the family of an official of the Department of Social...

HOW TO USE FIRECRACKERS SAFELY.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Do not let children set off firecrackers. Guide them in using luces and sparklers. Do not use hands in setting off firecrackers. Use lighting equipment with long handles. Use firecrackers in...

LPG price to be cut by P1/kilo.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho THE NEW year will be off to a good start for consumers as Petron Corp., Caltex Philippines Inc. and Total (Philippines) Corp. will cut the prices of their cooking gas by P1 per...

Lucky stars shine on fortunetellers.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tarra V. Quismundo MUCH sought-after in good times and bad, Quiapo's fortunetellers are even more popular at the end of the year, with many anxious to know what the stars have in store for...

Mandaluyong organizes seniors.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ruth L. Navarra MANDALUYONG has decided that the best way to resolve issues concerning its senior citizens is to manage all of them under one organization. The Federation of Senior...

IM Sanchez nears Nice chess title.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) FILIPINO International Master Joseph Sanchez took the scalp of Croatian Grandmaster Nenad Sulava with the black pieces yesterday to grab the solo lead after the sixth and penultimate round of the 20th...

Gonzales clears knock-out bar for Hastings tilt.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) LONE Filipino entry International Master Jayson Gonzales defeated Ronald Harman of England on Wednesday to join the first-round survivors in the 80th Hastings Chess Congress in England. The...

Revelers told not to burn tires, or else...
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Edson C. Tandoc Jr. and Tarra V. Quismundo UNLESS you want to spend the first day of 2005 behind bars, celebrate New Year's Eve without burning tires. Or so the National Capital Region...

Save your fingers tonight.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Neal H. Cruz Happy New Year to everybody. May all your fingers remain intact after the revelry. ON THE EVE of the New Year, when the whole Philippines erupts in a paroxysm of explosions...

Digital tales.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael L. Tan WE'VE seen the footage played over and over again on CNN of tsunami waves moving up the shore and making their way inland like some creatures from outer space, devouring anyone...

'Poetic, magical, sensitive storytelling'.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) "IN THESE times of slick melodramas and high-tech thrillers, 'Panaghoy sa Suba' takes a path less traveled and brings its audience to a world that is both strange and familiar, troubling yet serene....

Palace laughs off ruling on FM money.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. MALACAYENANG yesterday laughed off a United States court's decision blocking access to the $638-million bank deposits of former President Ferdinand Marcos, saying the...

Palace to take Jalosjos pardon issue to DOJ.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) MALACAYENANG yesterday said it would seek the Department of Justice's opinion on whether or not to grant a presidential pardon to convicted child rapist former Rep. Romeo Jalosjos. This was revealed...

Rizal: nationalism, exile and return.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Raul C. Pangalangan IF "exile is the nursery of nationalism," then the eight million OFWs must be our long incubated patriots for the 21st century. Historians say that Jose Rizal and his...

Gov't rejects Joma claim on rights violations.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE GOVERNMENT yesterday rejected an alleged claim by communist leader Jose Ma. Sison that an existing joint agreement on human rights gives the National Democratic Front the right to arrest and prosecute...

No restful slumber for this family.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila B. Salaverria A FAMILY who lay in deep slumber at a sidewalk off Roxas Boulevard in Manila was attacked by three men armed with knives and lead pipes early yesterday morning. ...

Doomsday reflections.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez-David AS we bade 2004 and its many heartaches behind, allow me to share with you an article written by TV journalist Howie Severino and published in the last quarter 2004 issue...

Firecracker hurts 2.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CABUYAO, Laguna-Two persons were injured after an explosion rocked a firecracker factory and triggered a two-hour fire that razed at least three houses in Barangay Bigaa this town on Dec. 28. Police said...

GMA praises resilience of typhoon victims.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Melvin Gascon DUPAX DEL NORTE, Nueva Vizcaya-President Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday expressed admiration for the strong resolve shown by typhoon victims here, who tried to rise from the...

Logging monitored.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SORSOGON CITY-An environment official here said while logging continued in Sorsogon, his office was closely monitoring the cutting of trees to make sure it doesn't exceed levels allowed by law. Oscar...

Firecracker zones.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CABUYAO, Laguna-Newly designated Calabarzon police chief of the Calabarzon Oscar Calderon on Wednesday asked Laguna Gov. Teresita Lazaro and the different mayors of the province to immediately designate a...

Smuggling foiled.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SUBIC BAY FREEPORT-The government's newly revived anti-smuggling task force on Dec. 2 foiled an attempt to smuggle out of this freeport zone a sports car worth P1.9 million. Retired Gen. Jose Calimlim,...

Safety is PNP catchword for tonight's fest.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christian V. Esguerra and Ronnel W. Domingo BE MERRY but be safe. The Philippine National Police yesterday gave this piece of advice in a last-minute effort to minimize the number of...

Sorsogon irrigation.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) SORSOGON CITY-Sorsogon Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Emerson Moral said recently that the proposed second irrigation project in Casiguran town under the Agrarian Reform Program Infrastructure Support...

SC sacks judge who convicted Ecleo 'fall guy'.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jolene R. Bulambot CEBU CITY-The Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal from service of a regional trial court judge who became controversial here when he convicted the alleged fall guy in...

Mwah!
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Emmie G. Velarde POCHOLO MALILLIN would rather have a Studio 54 in his hands. "I want people to surrender to the music as soon as they step in, while they make their way to their favorite...

RP sending forensic team to Phuket, docs to Sri Lanka.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: TJ Burgonio and Alex Pal WHILE awaiting word on the fate of Filipinos in tsunami-hit countries, the government is sending a team of forensic experts to Thailand to help document hundreds of...

Cojuangco PSA Awards main guest.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) INCOMING Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Jose "Peping" Cojuango will be the guest of honor when the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) fetes the top achievers of 2004 during its...

Special session may be a dud.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cynthia D. Balana and Michael Lim Ubac WHAT if she called a special session and nobody came? This could well describe President Macapagal-Arroyo's recent call for a three-day special...

Terror war draws thin line between Islam, terrorism.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) COTABATO CITY-The global anti-terror campaign is drawing a thin line between Islam and terrorism, according to reports compiled by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (PCID) at a forum in Quezon...

Stars Vilma, Boyet shine brightest.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marinel R. Cruz SHORT and sweet. Make that short and sedate. The awards ceremony for the 30th Metro Manila Film Festival, now called MMFF Philippines, on Wednesday night was over in...

Solon pushes trust fund for coco tillers.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carlito Pablo ANAKPAWIS party-list Rep. Rafael Mariano has called for the creation of a "genuine small coconut farmers trust fund'' to constitute the billions of pesos in coconut levy funds....

War over 'jueteng' turf turns bloody in Batangas.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Mei Magsino-Lubis TANAUAN CITY-In what could be a continuation of a gang war among several crime syndicates in Batangas, a suspected gang leader and jueteng kabo (manager) in Batangas was shot...

Trust in cops tagged reason for less crimes.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO CITY-President Macapagal-Arroyo said the people's increasing trust in the police has contributed to the drop in crime rate. "Today, more and more citizens report crimes and trust the police to...

GMA: 2005 a year of urgent change.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Labog-Javellana LOOKING at 2005 as a "year of urgent change," President Macapagal-Arroyo has spelled out her priorities for next year as President: collecting more taxes and fighting...

No massive layoff despite Toshiba pullout, DTI says.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ronnel W. Domingo THERE will be no loss of jobs following Toshiba Corp.'s decision to transfer its PC notebook production line from the Philippines to China, according to Trade Secretary Cesar...

Yorac bucks PCGG downgrade.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ceres P. Doyo and Fe Zamora THE CHAIR of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, Haydee Yorac, yesterday reacted sharply to reports that the commission that she heads may be...

GOCC '04 budget deficit seen at P92B.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo THE DEPARTMENT of Finance said the 14 government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) it was monitoring were projected to post a budget deficit that was much lower than...

PLDT to cut debt by $540M in '05.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Clarissa S. Batino TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. plans to reduce its debt by $540 million next year as part of continued efforts to clean up its books. ...

Gov't pushes for ethanol use in gasoline.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho IN A bid to ease the country's dependence on imported oil, the Department of Energy is set to require all oil companies to produce and sell gasoline with ethanol content. ...

Retailers expect cash registers to ring often in 2005.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tina Arceo-Dumlao THE YEAR 2004 was not exactly an annus horribilis for the retail industry, and it has the burgeoning population and the unabated inflow of money from Filipino workers abroad...

Never too old for freebies.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Romulo S. Danao and Emmylou G. Patnugot, SGV & Co. GETTING ahead in years does not necessarily mean getting left behind in modern-day society. In fact, it is common in most countries around...

Restoring the Christmas stressed-out skin.
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Kinny Salas THE ENDLESS round of Christmas shopping, late-night parties, food bingeing and dawn Masses might have taken its toll on our skin. Beauty editors compare notes on what creams...

What a ball! What a bash for resto great!
December 31, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Maurice Arcache AS IN the past, one of my must-go-to happenings, palanggas, is the annual Grand Ball, organized by those workaholic gals of the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines...

Indifferent weather makes it tougher but fish still there.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Unfavourable and changeable weather at the coast and inland did little to dampen the spirits of large numbers of holiday anglers wetting a line during the Christmas-New Year break. Surprisingly too, most areas...

IN BRIEF.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Phelps' drink-drive charge Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was sentenced to 18 months' probation yesterday after pleading guilty to drunken driving. Judge Lloyd O. Whitehead granted Phelps probation before...

Mckay sat in driver's seat of Australian motoring revolution.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) One of Australia's most versatile race drivers, whose resourcefulness and determination changed the face of national motorsport, died late last week at the age of 83. David McKay was Australia's first touring...

SCOREBOARD.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) here NBA Yesterday (home team in caps): Houston 98 CLEVELAND 87, Milwaukee 111 ORLANDO 105, Detroit 107 WASHINGTON 105, Indiana 74 CHARLOTTE 71, NY KNICKS 100 Minnesota 87, Phoenix 107 NEW ORLEANS 96, MEMPHIS 117...

No doubting Thomas is athletics' next big thing.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) As of Monday, Canberra will be home to one of the most promising runners in Australia, when Tasmanian Tristan Thomas, will officially start as a scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport. Thomas...

Australians donate $18m-plus to help survivors.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Australians have contributed more than $18 million to non-government agencies assisting survivors of the Boxing Day tsunami. More than half of this money has been contributed to Red Cross in Australia. ...

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Mail assorted items directly to Sri Lanka to: Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic Building, Colombo-1, Sri Lanka. Mail a cheque, money order or bank draft to be drawn in favour of...

Canberra families witness horror across Sri Lanka.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Canberra's Sri Lankan community leaders are mourning the loss of a local woman, joining international calls for unity and raising money for thousands of displaced relatives. About 27 Canberra Sri Lankan...

WA researchers develop warning system for catastrophes.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) A public warning system developed by Murdoch University researchers in Western Australia has the potential to alert people to impending catastrophes such as the devastating south Asian tsunami. However,...

Cobras look to strike back and reign over Thunder in nationals.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Intensity is one thing that definitely won't be missing from the opening match of this year's National Futsal Championships, in Canberra from January 10 to 14. When the ACT Cobras walk out onto the centre of the...

Australian skip role bowls over Lindbeck.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) There was never a chance all the socks and underpants in the world could convince Canberra bowler Ricky Lindbeck to trade his dream Christmas present. Just days before Santa was due to arrive last week, Lindbeck...

THE SUPER TEST.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Bradman XI v World XI at the Melbourne Cricket Ground Day five World XI 1st innings 318 Bradman XI 1st innings 581 World XI 2nd Innings Play resumed at 8/599. Not out batsman MARSHALL - 14, WARNE - 5. W. Lawry c...

Lack of batting fire costs Bradman's XI.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) After an absorbing day of fiercely contested cricket, Bradman's Best fell short of the 366 runs required to win what has been a magnificent test match. To the surprise of many in the stands, the World XI was able...

IN BRIEF.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Chubb fined $1.5m The consumer watchdog warned yesterday it would seek remedies for criminal breaches of the Trade Practices Act, as Chubb Security Australia was fined $1.51 million in the Federal Court. The...

Miner goes for gold while price is high.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Precious metals explorer AXG Mining Ltd is planning to merge with two other West Australian prospectors in a bid to begin mining while the gold price remains high. The junior company said yesterday it had...

Belt up and listen to experts on child restraint.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) R ESEARCH by Holden and Victoria's Monash University Accident Research Centre has confirmed the importance of restraining small children in belt-positioning booster seats until they are big enough for an adult seat...

Diesel doyen.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) A FTER being one of the doyens of British motoring for much of the 20th century, Rover lost its way for a decade or so. There were flirtations with Honda-based sedans and coupes in the late 1980s but then there...

What to do when you arrive at the 'Nats.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) YOU'LL have to pay for parking at Exhibition Park from January 7-9, 2005. If this is a concern for you, ACTION buses will be running regular services to the Summernats. More information is available at...

Turbo leads charge of the restyled Jeep Cherokees.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) J EEP has freshened up its Cherokee range for 2005 with the introduction of a turbo-charged 2.8-litre diesel engine, a new model and a six-speed manual transmission for the Sport variant's 2.4-litre engine. There...

THE FRIDGE DOOR.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) RECYCLING: Recycling bins will be emptied in Chifley, Farrer, Greenway, Kambah, Mawson, Oxley, Pearce and Torrens on Monday. Please put your bins out before 7am. Ph: 62601472. BLOOD DONORS: Australian Red Cross...

VICE-REGAL.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) On Wednesday, the Governor-General His Excellency Major-General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC, sent messages of condolence and sympathy on behalf of the People of Australia to the following Heads of State of those...

LOTTERIES.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) $2 Jackpot Lottery: First, $100,000, No173310; second, $10,000, No 19904; third, $5000, No 141036. The jackpot prize of $5,075,000 was not won. Tatts 2: 16, 93. Division 1 dividend: $1330. Tatts Keno: 3,...

Credit to help Third World poor create own businesses.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) T HE POOR do not lack initiative or motivation - they lack credit. They are often caught in a debt trap to moneylenders and middle people. If they can borrow small sums of money from reputable sources they can...

Wake-up call comes in waves.
December 31, 2004... (From Canberra Times) T HIS WEEK'S massive earthquake and resulting tsunamis in South Asia are a tragic reminder of just how vulnerable we are - and how fragile are our defences - when confronted by nature's destructive powers. The human...