Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from January 2005

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from January 2005

Two unique stories for 2004.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ramon Tulfo AS A JOURNALIST, I had been taught that unusual happenings make news. For example, a man who bites a dog makes news. But if a dog bites a man, it's not news. In my many...

Study says animals may detect earthquakes before they happen.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Frank Cimatu BAGUIO CITY-Anxious about when the next earthquake and the resulting tsunami may hit you? Maybe it's time to get out of your couch and off your TV set and observe closely your dogs,...

Aglipay heeds junior officers, sacks anti-kidnap unit chief.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christian V. Esguerra YIELDING to griping junior officers, Philippine National Police Director General Edgar Aglipay has sacked a top police official as head of the PNP's anti-kidnapping unit....

A Message of Hope (II).
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Bambi L. Harper (THIS is the continuation of the interview with Carmen Valdes, an ex-nun, who was featured in this space in the Inquirer's Dec. 28 issue) Q: Athough the next question has...

A great teacher passes away.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Belinda Olivares-Cunanan HAPPY New Year! Despite all the catastrophes and calamities that beset us in the old year, we look forward to this new one with hope and faith in God's provident mercy...

Change in '05 must begin with GMA, businessmen say.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. IF 2005 is a "year of urgent change," the transformation should begin with President Macapagal-Arroyo herself to ensure that key fiscal reforms are implemented and that...

First day.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Al S. Mendoza AHA, we made it to 2005. Question: What do you usually do on this, the first day of the year? From PBA Commissioner Noli Eala: "First, I attend Holy Mass to thank the Lord for...

2 class shifts set in public schools.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BEGINNING next school year, public schools would be required to hold two class shifts a day to cope with the worsening classroom shortage. This means morning and afternoon classes in all public...

DOLE: Jobs given to over 672,000.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) A TOTAL of 672,351 people have been given jobs in the first 10 months of last year by the public employment service offices (Peso) of the Department of Labor and Employment. Labor Secretary Patricia...

GMA declares war on eco-saboteurs.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vincent Cabreza BAGUIO CITY-The government may be going all-out in its support of a revitalized mining industry in order to contain a P200-billion deficit, but President Macapagal-Arroyo is...

Enjoyable ear candy in Simple Plan's latest album.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Noelani Torre IT'S been two years since Simple Plan's ultra-successful multiplatinum debut, but as the title of their sophomore release puts it, they feel that they're "Still Not Getting Any."...

Don't lose hope for a better year, say bishops.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Blanche S. Rivera CATHOLIC Church leaders yesterday urged Filipinos not to let their hope for a better year be swept away by the calamities that struck the Philippines and South Asia the past...

Hope.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE LATEST Social Weather Stations survey bears glad tidings-if we look hard enough. At first glance, the main storyline would seem to be essentially negative: The number of Filipinos optimistic about the...

Fruit prices go up as New Year gets near.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO-The Filipino tradition of assembling 12 round fruits for good luck and prosperity during the New Year's Eve media noche seemed harder to follow now. At the public market in this...

Happy New Year!
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Isagani A. Cruz TODAY is the first day of the New Year so I shall begin on a happy note. These are the things I expect in 2005. There will be more harmony among our people, a national...

Choosing happiness.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: R. Valencia and S. Bismark EACH of us represents a tiny spark of the Supreme-the same spiritual essence-but possesses minute aspects of His qualities. We desire to be happy, and we crave for...

Ivy Catherine wanted to be home for Christmas.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: TJ Burgonio SHE HADN'T wanted to spend her Christmas in Phuket but, in the end, she yielded to the wishes of her Japanese husband. That was what Esmine Tomenio-Azul said yesterday after...

New life awaits Mandaluyong's fire victims.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Luige A. del Puerto and Ruth L. Navarra IT WAS probably the bleakest day of their lives. But victims of a recent fire in Mandaluyong City would like to forget, at least momentarily, that...

Missing seaman's last trip, lasting gift.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Chito A. Fuentes CARLOS Santiago had declared it would be his last contract on a foreign vessel. As events turned out, it would be his last trip anywhere. Like many Filipinos entertaining...

Missing.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Here is a list of 20 Filipinos believed missing in last Sunday's tsunami disaster (released by the Department of Foreign Affairs): Alexander Latoza, Alma Gillado, Marcial Ferre, Marian Pasag, Sherlyn...

More Cordillera militiamen seeking Army posts.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Vincent Cabreza BAGUIO CITY-Why go through all the trouble of placating a spent force? Some military officials raised this point on Tuesday when President Macapagal-Arroyo met again with...

No shortage of elaboration in science show.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Noelani Torre WE see them on TV and in the gym-these huge men and women with bulging muscles 10 times the size of ours. But, though they may look like the Incredible Hulk, this doesn't mean that...

No let-up in destab efforts vs Arroyo, says DOJ.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Philip C. Tubeza OPPOSITION groups out to destabilize the government are still "courting" members of the military to help them, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said the other day. Gonzalez...

Pacquiao vs Marquez gets Fight of the Year citation.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THERE was the grudge match to end all grudge matches, Marco Antonio clipping Erik Morales in the third installment of their heated rivalry. There was the fall of Mike Tyson to the relatively unknown Danny...

Paragua tops RP chess rankings.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) DESPITE failing to formalize his Grandmaster title, Mark Paragua is still the highest-ranked among Filipino players in the World Chess Federation (Fide) based on the latest January 2005 rating list. The...

Parole asked for 257 inmates.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nancy C. Carvajal A SECOND chance in life awaits 257 inmates of the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP), many of them old and ailing, who were recommended for parole yesterday by Bureau of Corrections...

PBA sets Grand Reunion.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: June Navarro WHEN the Philippine Basketball Association celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, expect a galaxy of its past and present stars in a grand reunion. This has never been done...

Planned privatization of 2 housing programs hit.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carlito Pablo EMPLOYEES of the National Home Mortgage and Finance Corp. have sought the help of Congress to stop the supposed ongoing efforts of Malaca[currency]ang to privatize the two flagship...

Poor Samare[currency]os build road, no thanks to gov't.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Joey A. Gabieta TIRED of unfulfilled promises of top government leaders, people in the impoverished town of Villareal in Samar initiated what could be a first in the country: construct an 8-km...

Prayers for 2005.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Jocelyn Valle WHAT'S the best way to start the New Year? Well, you can wear polka-dotted clothes, eat round fruits to attract good vibes for prosperity, light firecrackers to drive away bad...

Professional film archive needed to preserve cinematic legacy.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre THANKS to all the readers who have written in or called to support our move to convince government and film industry leaders to put up the country's first state-of-the-art film...

PSC guessing game continues.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marc Anthony Reyes PRESIDENT Macapagal-Arroyo's meeting with top sports officials has been reset to Jan. 4, still in Malaca[currency]ang, with the Chief Executive expected to give blessings to...

Mining execs say bauxite deposit big in E. Visayas.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Joey A. Gabieta TACLOBAN CITY-The revitalization of the mining industry in the country was embraced wholly by officials of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Eastern Visayas saying this would...

Julia and Cameron's New Year's resolutions.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rito P. Asilo FROM Lynette Mallari: "I enjoyed your articles on Christmas. How about a feature on New Year's resolutions?" Surprisingly, New Year's resolutions aren't very popular among...

I am You.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rina Jimenez-David AS the number of fatalities keeps rising, the initial horror of the earthquake-tsunami disaster that has befallen South and Southeast Asian countries has turned to a numb...

7 killed as fire hits firecracker stalls in Bocaue.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Carmela Reyes BOCAUE, Bulacan-The year 2004 for this town, considered the country's firecracker capital, literally ended with a bang after a fire and a series of explosions hit a strip of...

Sanchez settles for second behind Russian GM in Nice.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) INTERNATIONAL Master Joseph Sanchez yesterday finished tied for first in the 20th International Nice Open Chess Tournament at the Le Grand Hotel Aston in Nice, France. But the 34-year-old Filipino...

Shoppers find power charms in fabled street of good luck.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tarra V. Quismundo RUSHING off to take home a good luck charm before the world turned a year older, shoppers yesterday flocked to Ongpin Street in Manila, a commercial strip known not only for...

Do you believe Manny Pacquiao?
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Recah Trinidad WHO WOULD believe that Manny Pacquiao has not been training in earnest for his monumental rematch with WBA/IBF featherweight king Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico? Not...

Significant TV developments in 2004.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre 2004 was one of the most eventful years Philippine television has ever experienced. Some highlights, for good and bad: It was the year when the Battle of the TV Networks came...

Be aware of wonder.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Solita Collas-Monsod (The following is based on a keynote speech, titled "A World of Change, a Constant World," which I delivered last month in Berlin at the first international conference of...

Tapping underutilized thespians for new films.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre PRODUCERS keep complaining that we don't have enough good actors for them to cast in their projects, which is why they keep using the same performers, over and over again. Fact...

Vilma, Cesar in memorable starrers.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rito P. Asilo "Panaghoy sa Suba" (The Call of the River) D: Cesar Montano S: Cesar Montano, Juliana Palermo SET in the 1940s during the dark days of the Japanese occupation of the...

Three films, one director.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Nestor U. Torre THE ONGOING Metro Manila Film Festival is unique because, for the first time in the filmfest's long history, it's showcasing three movies directed by one director, Joel Lamangan....

It's year of the rooster, but it could well be gay.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Blanche S. Rivera EVEN roosters in Chinese astrology appear confused about their sexual identity. Astrology buffs might not know it but the incoming Year of the Rooster could exhibit traits...

Ship ahoy!
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE OIL tanker, Jahre Viking, is the world's largest ship of any kind. The vessel, formerly known as the Happy Giant and Seawise Giant, has a length of 458.45 meters (or 1,504 feet) and a width of 68.9...

Where is the RP film industry headed?
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Amad s Ma. Guerrero EVERYONE agrees that the Philippine movie industry, once the third biggest in the world (after Hollywood and India), is now in dire straits. From 85 titles in 2000, the...

Wonderful mom.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Sarah Celino IN THE movie house with my mom and brother-brought there by the talks about Alexander the Great being gay, we watched the previews of the Filmfest entries. One of them was set...

RP needs tighter monetary policy, says ADB.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao THE ASIAN Development Bank sees the need for tighter monetary policy in the Philippines and in many other countries in East Asia this year as inflation continued to rise across...

Of quotes and resolutions.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Pinky B. Cruz OH well, I am succumbing to everyone's fetish every year, that is, to lay down one's resolutions for the year 2005. Way before the days turn to mindless strings of concerns, enjoin...

Happiness matters.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Massie Santos Ballon IN THE DEC. 3 issue of Science, researchers from Princeton, the University of California at San Diego, the University of Michigan and Stonybrook University discuss a new...

The science behind Brazilian music.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Queena N. Lee-Chua (First of Four Parts) TO START the year right, let's look at how science has made our world more colorful. Dennis Gonzalez, chair of the National Book Development...

Expansion of co-op agency functions pushed.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Michelle V. Remo THE DEPARTMENT of Finance (DOF) is pushing a bill that will grant regulatory powers to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) over credit cooperatives to address problems...

Child-friendly architecture.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Marcos R. de Guzman, Jr. LAST week, Catholics celebrated the feast of the Holy Family and Holy Innocents' Day. These events come right smack in the middle of the season children love the most....

BCDA, John Hay developer open to new lease deal.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) BAGUIO CITY-The developer of Camp John Hay has offered to return a portion of its leased property in the former American base to the government to address a debt problem that has been plaguing its...

RP faces credit card crisis, expert says.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Doris C. Dumlao THE PHILIPPINES is vulnerable to a credit card crisis in view of the consumers' skyrocketing household bills and the over-aggressive expansion campaign of credit card issuers,...

Federal Land project seen to spur dev't in Marikina.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Charles E. Buban LAST month's ceremonial activation of Christmas lanterns and tivoli lights (festive lighting) at a landscaped garden in Marikina comes as a symbolic moment for the city that...

Ushering the new year with a bang.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Dianne M. Villafuerte EACH of us has our own traditions that we believe would ensure us of a prosperous and peaceful new year. In our house, we go through several "routines": each member of the...

When Mother Nature unleashes its wrath.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Rafael R. Castillo, MD CHICAGO-Gloom dampened the holiday revelry as graphic scenes of tragedy in the countries devastated by tsunamis were repeatedly flashed on television. The festive...

MIAA raising P700M for Naia 3 cargo terminal, access road.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Clarissa S. Batino THE MANILA International Airport Authority is raising at least P700 million to put up an access road to and a cargo terminal within the Ninoy Aquino International Airport...

PCA urges upgrade of coco products.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Christine A. Gaylican THE PHILIPPINE Coconut Authority (PCA) will push next year for the development of new coconut-based export winners, such as virgin coconut oil and coco fiber, to cash in on...

PNCC seeks bids for P7-B road project.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Ronnel W. Domingo THE PHILIPPINE National Construction Corp. called last Dec. 28 for tenders for the P7-billion connection of the South Luzon Expressway to the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road,...

How to get rid of postholiday bulge.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Charles E. Buban THE YULETIDE season is almost over. Christmas decorations are starting to be taken down and the leftovers are almost gone. But what about that extra weight you gained while...

Transco sees sale of assets to Aboitiz, Meralco.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Abigail L. Ho THE NATIONAL Transmission Corp. (Transco) expects to sell some P750 million worth of sub-transmission assets this year to the Aboitiz group and to the Lopezes' Manila Electric Co....

Latest nutrition survey yields disturbing results.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tessa R. Salazar BEFORE YOU have your third helping of holiday ham, stop and take note. Partial data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute's national nutrition survey for 2003 revealed...

What you should know about tsunamis.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) THE FOLLOWING information is excerpted from "Tsunami: The Great Waves" by the US National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Unesco/Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, International Tsunami...

Memo to Secretary Abad.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Honesto C. General WITH so much time on my hands during the holidays, I browsed over a textbook of my granddaughter Timmy who is in Grade 2. The textbook was titled "2 Binhi" and subtitled...

Cut! Cut! Cut!
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Pepe Diokno and James Gabrillo RECENTLY, we had the Joel Lamangan-Mother Lily Film Festival, aptly called the MMFF. It was supposed to be the biggest film festival in the country, the venue for...

25 to watch out for in 2005.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tim Yap EVERY year, people come and people go. These 25 names are Super's bets to Super! stardom this coming year of the rooster. From DJs to models to directors and club owners-watch this new...

Super!'s own MMFF Awards.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Pepe Diokno and James Gabrillo VISUAL EFFECTS MUSICAL SCORE SOUND RECORDING PRODUCTION DESIGN EDITING GENDER SENSITIVITY CINEMATOGRAPHY THEME SONG STORY ...

Christmas with the Carringtons, christening in Boracay.
January 1, 2005... (From Philippine Daily Inquirer) Byline: Tim Yap FROM fancy dinners to island-hopping treats, the holiday season presented a basket full of surprises. One, nobody gave me a fruitcake. Two, I set up two Christmas trees to double the...

TO THE POINT.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) TEASED AND TANGLED Enjoying the summer evening sitting on a cast-iron seat in Curtin's delightful village square, I watched as a young boy, consuming a packet of crisps, walked past two young boxers (of the canine...

by the month.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) A GLOBAL search is on for a director to head Singapore's inaugural visual arts biennale, the Singapore Biennale 2006. The idea is to enhance Singapore's presence in the regional and international arts scene as a...

WEEKEND DIARY.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) TODAY ATHLETICS: TUESDAY: ACT Athletics Twilight Interclub No 2 Program commencing at 6pm. Events include: 200m, 800m, long hurdles, 1500m walk (under 14), 3000/5000m walk, pole vault, hammer, discus, seated throws,...

Liverpool on high as it gets set to kick start 2005.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Rafael Benitez is confident his injury-plagued Liverpool squad can kick off 2005 in style by blowing a hole in league leader Chelsea's current aura of invincibility. The former monarchs of English football...

European jet-setters back in Australia for the short-term.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) For a while 2004 was set to be a breakthrough year for two young Canberra soccer players trying to make a name in Europe. But by December both Nathan Caldwell and Andrew Barisic where back in Australia after...

Young ACT side ready to play ball with nation's best players.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Fielding an inexperienced side for the open women's Australian Championships beginning in Adelaide tomorrow, ACT coach Tania McCreedy is realistic about her young side's chances. ''They're very inexperienced, but...

SCOREBOARD.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) here CANBERRA Yesterday - Mixed Pairs Winners: L Waters, G Dengate; R/up: L Morray, G Tilyard; 1st Game Winners: I Licis, R Jackson; 2nd Game Winners: B Winder, A Morgan. SOUTHERN CROSS WODEN Yesterday - Mixed...

Woodward won't relive 2003 glory.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Unlike many grand Olympians of recent vintage - from Tanni Grey-Thompson to Matthew Pinsent and all points between the two - Sir Clive Woodward does not shed tears of triumph. He is too acute an observer to allow his...

Mourinho's men march on knowing they have what it takes to win Premiership title.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Jose Mourinho has lost only two competitive matches in 2004 but the Chelsea manager's greatest achievement to date might well be building a side at Stamford Bridge which, he admits, no longer needs the tough talking...

Ferguson uses an age-old excuse not to rein in Rooney.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Sir Alex Ferguson admitted yesterday that Wayne Rooney had made a mistake in slapping Bolton's Tal Ben Haim but, although the Manchester United manager has warned his striker about his conduct, he said he had no...

IN BRIEF.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) Winners are Grinhams Australia's Grinham sisters have made world squash history after becoming the first siblings to share world top three rankings at the same time. Rachael Grinham will begin the New Year at the top...

Nicholas bowls over fans as he takes his place in the commentary team.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) He's that well-spoken Pom who's been co- hosting Channel Nine's cricket coverage. Alongside Richie Benaud. He also heads the cricket coverage on Channel 4 in England. With Richie Benaud. His...

The Open: Back to where Federer's fairytale fired up.
January 1, 2005... (From Canberra Times) It was a record-breaking odyssey which began in the steamy heat of Melbourne and ended deep in the heart of Texas, 10 months later. Along the way, Roger Federer won three of the four Grand Slams, clinched eight...