Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from February 2004

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from February 2004

Battle Of The Beancounters.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Ashish Gupta On December 16, 2003, just three days before the scheduled beginning of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India's (ICAI) 30-member council elections, most of its 1,15,000...

"I Think Consulting Is About Thought Leadership".
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: R. Sukumar If the typical consulting firm is a democracy, then A.T. Kearney, a subsidiary of EDs, is a protectorate of sorts. Henner Klein is the first among equals at the traditional pure...

Gold Brick Gazing.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Aresh Shirali The Oxford History Of Indian Business By DwijendraTripathi OUP Price: Rs 1,-500 PP: 371 Offhand, the glittering cover of this book on India's transition to the...

Of Currency And Open Societies.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: George Soros Will the real George Soros please stand up? The world's most successful investor-and unsuccessful market philosopher-isn't unfamiliar with this plea. To many, he's the original enigma...

The Ultimate Office Chair.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Supriya Shrinate Ah, this is the life. No, I am not in Goa, or the south of Australia, places writers across the hall from where I work-they work for a travel magazine-seem to be get sent to on...

Test Drive, Good Old, Good Old, Health Notes, FAQs About The Prostate.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: KM, Muscle Mani, Ananya Roy TEST DRIVE Shrimp And (Giant) Squid In the space of a week, this writer drove the most expensive and the most inexpensive offerings from the country's largest...

The Year Of The VC.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: R. Sridharan & Priya Srinivasan additional reporting by Alokesh Bhattacharyya and E. Kumar Sharma A booming stockmarket is not usually the best of times for venture capital investors. While it...

The Wired 20.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Dipayan Baishya, Alokesh Bhattacharyya, Kushan Mitra, Priya Srinivasan, Venkatesha Babu, Ananya Roy In these enlightened times, almost every company boasts wired supply chains, online processes,...

He's Got Muscle, But What About Endurance?
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Sahad P.V. His gym at his farmhouse in Gadaipur, near Delhi's Mehrauli-Gurgaon road, can beat any five-star fitness centre. It's equipped with the most advanced treadmill (9500 hr) from Life...

Which Master's Voice?
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) They've never had a better time to shine their light on their revered Motherland. We refer to the 1,500 Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and other Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) who hauled their wisdom and wallets...

Karnataka's Gold Rush.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Venkatesha Babu Nowhere is good-enough description of this place. Its co-ordinates are 16[degrees]12' N, 76[degrees]43'E; it lies 484 kilometres North of Bangalore and some 300 km South-west of...

Distance Doc: GPs With GPRs.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Alokesh Bhattacharyya, Payal Sethi I am feeling much better now, doctor." The speaker is 100-year-old Jairoh Devi, and her rasping voice brings a smile to the faces of those gathered around her: a...

Get The Right People.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Venkatesh Mysore Leadership is fundamentally about people management. It is about having the right people in the right jobs. A good leader is one who has the ability to feel the pulse of people and...

Europe's eTraveller.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: R. Sridharan, Supriya Srinate, Sahad P.V. and Dipayan Baishya Europe's eTraveller Like a lucky traveller, Dinesh Dhamija has mostly caught his boat on time. After landing up in the UK along...

The Crying Game.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Swati Prasad It's a bitter December morning in the capital, but that hasn't deterred hundreds of Delhiites from congregating at Ansal Plaza in South Delhi. Now these Delhiites aren't exactly...

Bring On The Experts.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Narendra Nathan It's okay, everyone gets shudders. A brief spell of dizziness, too-when the going gets high, and getting higher looks to be more of a tightrope than a marked-out trail. This is the...

Debt Advice.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Narendra Nathan To the contrary, debt fund investors are a pampered lot for the moment. And with a lot less nail-chewing to do, too. Unlike equity fund investors, who've seen their NAVs zoom,...

Boom Quarter.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: BT-Mutualfundsindia.com The celebratory mood was unmistakable. And it wasn't just fund managers, but also mf investors who saw their wealth multiply. As the third quarter of fiscal 2003-04 began,...

Betting Big On Growth.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Ashish Gupta additional reporting by Amanpreet Singh If anyone was paying attention back on February 28, 2003, the day Finance Minister Jaswant Singh presented his maiden Budget, and to some of the...

Trends.
February 1, 2004... (From Business Today (India)) Byline: Ashish Gupta, Kushan Mitra, Sahad P.V., Roshni Jayakar, Dipayan Baishya, Venkatesha Babu, Vidya Viswanathan, Narendra Nathan, Brian Carvalho LEADER FTA Fallout Free Trade Agreements,...

Aces, Pals behind in imports' search.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: June Navarro EXCEPT for Alaska and Talk 'N Text, the rest of the Philippine Basketball Association teams have already beefed up their rosters with imports in time for the Fiesta Conference...

Arms cache seized from police official.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Luige del Puerto THE POLICE on Friday were only out to serve an arrest warrant to a ranking police official accused of bigamy. Instead, they found an arsenal of high-caliber firearms in the...

AFP gives slain ex-rebel full military honors.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Chito A. Fuentes TAGBILARAN CITY-A rebel leader-turned-civilian volunteer who died in a recent clash with former communist comrades was buried on Friday with full military honors. Luciano...

Bulacan official says budget open to scrutiny.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) AN OFFICIAL of the Bulacan provincial government said the province's budget and financial records are available to the public anytime and can be scrutinized to remove doubts that the people's money were...

Baseco victims get help overseas.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila Salaverria VICTIMS of the devastating Jan. 12 fire at the Baseco Compound in Port Area, Manila, have received an unexpected windfall. The thousands of families who lost their homes in...

DLS students dig wells amid shortage.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Volt Contreras WATER taps in the metropolis may be drying up but the volunteer spirit overflows among some city residents. A group of college students has found in the water crisis...

Buses to get discount on diesel, too.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) PUBLIC utility bus operators can now enjoy discounts on diesel, which is being enjoyed by jeepney drivers and operators. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chair Maria Elena...

Bilibid's chief executioner has 7 'kills' and counting.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Margaux Ortiz THE MAN who commands the fear and respect of thousands of prisoners had never dreamed of taking up a career in penology. Supt. Venancio Tesoro, head of the New Bilibid Prisons,...

Blessings.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Raul J. Palabrica AS the May 10 elections near, the air is slowly being filled with black propaganda and political mudslinging. When the official campaign period for national positions starts on...

I'm no fund raiser, asserts DPWH chief.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Armand N. Nocum ACTING Public Works Secretary Florante Soriquez yesterday denied reports he has been soliciting millions of pesos from contractors to fill up the campaign kitty of President...

The race.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) AS soon as the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey came out, the spin doctors immediately went to work. To be sure, there is plenty for supporters of both President Macapagal-Arroyo and...

DENR to probe officials in cahoots with illegal loggers in Kudarat town.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) COTABATO CITY-The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is investigating the alleged involvement of some of its officials in illegal logging in Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat. In a press statement,...

'Bouncing' horses.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Edwin Villanueva FROM Al Velasco of Urdaneta, Pangasinan comes this very interesting piece on horses "bouncing'' back after coming off a "monstrous'' race. Read on: Dear Mr. Villanueva, ...

Experts: Faulty, illegal lines mar water-saving measures.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tina Santos PRIVATE water concessionaires are zeroing in on leaking pipes and illegal water lines which, they said, have been contributing greatly to the decline of Metro Manila's water...

Ermita positioning to help GMA?
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alcuin Papa IS DEFENSE Secretary Eduardo Ermita on the way out? Sources at Camp Aguinaldo, the military headquarters, told the Inquirer Ermita would soon be leaving the Department of...

Fash levels PBL series.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marc Anthony Reyes TUESDAY SCHEDULE (Pasig Sports Center) 3 p.m.-Platinum Cup Achievement Awards 4 p.m.-Welcoat vs Fash Liquid (Game 3) SLOTMAN Francis Mercado, drafted by Red Bull...

7 cities, 26 towns in Visayas tagged 'hot spots'.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ILOILO CITY-At least seven cities and 26 towns in Western and Eastern Visayas have been identified by the Philippine National Police as areas of concern (AOCs), or hotspots, in the May elections. In...

Fires hit San Juan, Muntinlupa.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) AROUND 60 houses yesterday were destroyed in a fire that broke out on Lovely Street in Cupang, Muntinlupa City. Around 100 families were rendered homeless in the blaze that started at around 2:30 p.m.,...

Finally, FPJ hits back at Palace.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael L. Ubac AFTER TAKING the initial punches, opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. finally fought back against his detractors in Malacanang, by citing particularly the failure...

A flower to bind Metro Manila residents.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE CADENA de Amor goes by countless other names in various places-Queen's Wreath, Coral Vine, Mexican Creeper and Love Vine, among others. On Thursday, the Metro Manila Council added a new distinction...

GMA open to Roco tie-up.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Labog-Javellana and TJ Burgonio SHE'S open to the idea of negotiations, but he's not. President Macapagal-Arroyo is confident that her platform and achievements in the past three...

2 buses collide in Zambales; 11 die, 20 wounded.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BOTOLAN, Zambales-At least 11 people were killed while 20 others suffered injuries after two Victory Liner buses collided along the highway in Barangay Santiago here on Saturday morning. Senior Insp....

It's Gloria who should give way, says Lito O.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jhunnex Napallacan CEBU CITY-Rather than Raul Roco, it is President Macapagal-Arroyo who should withdraw from the presidential race to ensure the defeat of popular movie star and opposition...

'Crying little girl' pursues dream for kids.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jeffrey M. Tupas, Kidapawan City THE MOMENT the security guard closed the door and refused her entry to the governor's office, Nina Di Nuesca felt the world collapse on her. Her eyes were...

Lawyers drop cadets' case against PMA.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO CITY-Lawyers of eight graduating cadets of the Philippine Military Academy, who won a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the academy for "violating their civil rights," dropped their clients...

My friend Doy.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Isagani A. Cruz I WRITE this with a heavy heart because it concerns Doy Laurel. We were friends for more than half a century, and now my friend is gone. I am diminished by his loss. Doy...

Manila youth pick Roco, Poe.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Norman Bordadora THE YOUTH of Manila-both in school and out-prefer either former Education Secretary Raul Roco or movie actor Fernando Poe Jr. for president, if the elections were held today....

$30-M US navy boat soon to be RP's.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Juliet Labog-Javellana A "GIANT" naval cyclone boat worth $30 million is arriving in the country on Feb. 23 as part of United States military assistance to the Philippines. President...

NBI probes rice smuggling via Customs.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Leila B. Salaverria THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation has begun checking out alleged incidents of rice smuggling at the Bureau of Customs upon the request of the Department of Justice. ...

'Mysterious' fire hits Loren's Senate office.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michael L. Ubac and Cynthia D. Balana A MYSTERIOUS fire gutted yesterday the 6th floor office of Sen. Loren Legarda at the Senate building on Roxas Boulevard, destroying vital documents and...

Officers to testify vs Saycon.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alcuin Papa, Leila B. Salaverria, Juliet Labog-Javellana and Frank Cimatu, PDI Northern Luzon Bureau AT LEAST 10 Army captains-all classmates of the Kawal Pilipino soldiers-have volunteered to...

Pagdanganan order surprises DAR exec.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DAVAO CITY-Although not admitting that there was a mistake, the Department of Agrarian Reform director for Southern Mindanao was apparently caught by surprise by Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan's decision to...

Passengers get help from DSWD project in Samar.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) TACLOBAN CITY-Passengers at the port in Barangay Looc, Allen, Northern Samar, would no longer have to worry about their safety or where to find immediate help in case of emergency or whenever they are...

Truth and consequence.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Fr. Jerry M. Orbos, SVD THE STORY is told about a newly wed couple who lived a blissful life together. The husband would go to work each morning, and when he came home from work, their dog would...

Pilapil is Manila's best bet in Guimaras triathlon meet.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Trina Ibarle, Contributor GUIMARAS Province-Asian aquathlon champion Josephine Pilapil is Manila's best bet in the junior division of the Guimaras National Triathlon Championships today at the...

Killing time.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Randy David MY daughter, Kara, who covers prisoners on death row for the TV network, GMA-7, anxiously sat in the van that was taking her to the New Bilibid Prisons. In a few minutes, prison...

Pols in a bind because of rebs, gov't soldiers, says Ecija gov.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tonette Orejas, PDI Central Luzon Desk CLARK SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE-Communist rebels ask politicians to pay permit-to-campaign fees (PTCs) while military and police officials are discouraging...

On travel advisories and the avian flu.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ramon J. Farolan WEEKS after Francis Ricciardone's abrupt departure from the Philippines, there remains lingering speculation on the reasons for his sudden recall. In the diplomatic world, one...

3 US military officials in Zambo for 'information'.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) ZAMBOANGA CITY-Three US military officials arrived here yesterday morning to review their mission in Mindanao and enhance the country's existing bilateral security assistance agreement with the United...

Blurring the lines.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez-David "WALLFLOWERS at an orgy" is how Nora Ephron once famously described members of the media, back in the time when she was writing a column and not yet writing and directing...

Secret report bares plot to oust FPJ if he wins.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jerry Esplanada MOVIE idol Fernando Poe Jr. will assume office after his "expected victory" in the presidential elections but will be asked to step down shortly afterwards, according to a...

Senators' 'pork' behind delay in 2004 budget-JDV.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Cynthia D. Balana THE HOUSE of Representatives yesterday tossed the blame back to the Senate for the delay in the passage of the 2004 national budget, saying the impasse was due to the senators'...

FPJ presents 40-year experience in showbiz.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) NAGA CITY-Fernando Poe Jr. on Friday bared his 40-year experience in show business in response to critics questioning his credentials to run the country. Poe told a crowd of 5,000 cheering fans and...

The good news.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza I HEARD the news today, oh boy. That's a line from The Beatles' song, "A Day In the Life." I quote that today because the week past, news came out that the Philippine...

Water lack endangers farmers' planting season.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CITY OF MALOLOS-Officials of the Department of Agriculture in Bulacan have asked farmers not to plant palay in the next planting season to avoid losses due to the looming irrigation water shortage...

Speakers: Appeal to loftier goals beyond self-interest.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dante M. Velasco "Working the Room" By Nick Morgan Harvard Business School Press, 2004 THE POLITICAL season has begun. The May elections are only three months away. On television,...

Canned Bicol express and laing sell like hotcake in Europe.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil Francis G. Arevalo LEGAZPI CITY-From the time Moonbake Inc. owner Ana Manrique was tapped by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to join the Anuga Food Show in Cologne, Germany, last...

Lambanog now sold in Asia and Europe.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) TAYABAS, Quezon-For the natives of this old town 143 kilometers southeast of Metro Manila and situated at the base of the mystic mountain of Banahaw, festive occasions will not be complete without the...

65-yr-old personifies fitness, vigor.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao AT 65, ERNEST Leung is fitness and vigor personified-the priceless reward of his unwavering passion for sports and the outdoors all his life. This newly retired Philippine...

Cancer sours sweet success of starlet.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nini Valera SEXY starlet Hanni Miller, whose movie "Puri," is the year's first blockbuster, is facing the biggest battle of her life: cancer. Hanni, 22, who was paid only P20,000 for the...

Mimosa Golf Club racing against time.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jong Arcano THE SUDDEN shift in the venue from the Mountain View course to the two other adjacent layouts has pushed the Mimosa Golf and Country Club racing against time to host the 88th staging...

A 30-minute video and a five-hour film.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jo-Ann Q. Maglipon 1. LAST week, the video documentary "Sana wala nang guerra, Sana wala nang bakwet," was shown to a Manila audience. Produced by Carolyn O. Arguillas and Mindanews, the...

Watch out, Manila, Greyhound is coming to town.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Anton San Diego FLASH! Flash! Greyhound opens in Manila. One of the hippest and trendiest must-have brands for men and women is coming to our shores. Three weeks ago, I had lunch with the...

Hit sitcoms prepare to bow out of the tube.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre WHEN popular and long-running TV shows finally end their run, the leave-taking takes its toll not just on viewers, but on the people involved in those programs as well. This...

Iconic metamorphoses.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Alex Y. Vergara SINCE GMA-7 stars Iza Calzado and Segundo Cernadas play lovers whose love for each other transcends racial and cultural lines, we play with the idea of transforming them into...

A soapy pair to fall in love with.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) IN THE convoluted world of the telenovela, "Te Amo's" (Spanish for "I Love You") story is pretty much par for the course: wicked stepmother and stepsister make life a living hell for Rosela, the show's...

'I wuz robbed,' says retiring Comelec exec.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Martin P. Marfil TWO of the seven commissioners of the Commission on Elections are set to retire tomorrow. One of them, however, Luzviminda Tancangco, said yesterday her retirement had been...

Lanuza through the rain.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Text and photos by Ma. Congee S. Gomez THIS third-class municipality is being promoted as a surfing destination and is fast becoming a favorite of local and foreign tourists. And it helps that...

Canonical coronation of Our Lady of Mercy requested.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Josephine Darang DR. ALVIN Balatbat, pediatric hematologist oncologist of Candaba, Pampanga, said the Our Lady of Mercy Parish in barrio Bahay Pare was working for the canonical coronation of...

Lhuilliers extend party season.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jaime Picornell THE HOLIDAY season in Cebu extends well into January. As we all know, the feast of the Santo Nino brings visitors and devotees in droves. No family was busier than that of Michel...

Whirlwind January unites designers and chefs.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tessa Prieto-Valdes IS January a slow month? Not at all, at least as far as the party scene goes. January proved unexpectedly as busy as December in the social scheme of things. Aside from...

Hitting His High Note.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Joy Rojas These days, Erik Santos can't ride a tricycle, jeepney, FX or the LRT without strangers pinching him hard on the arms and cheeks and squealing "Ang cute mo pala sa personal!" Of the...

Reviving the Rondalla.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Eric S. Caruncho RONDALLA. I dare you to read further without falling asleep. Or turning the page. Or reflexively reaching for the remote, even if this is a newspaper. You still here?...

Her Oil Over Troubled Water.
February 1, 2004... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gina Abuyuan-Llanes SELINA Aurora Sayong may be one of the most energetic and optimistic people around. "Let's see-what am I into?" she muses as she launches into a litany of her current...