Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from June 2004, page 3

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from June 2004

Hume jail site clears first planning hurdle.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The ACT's long-awaited prison has cleared the first hurdle in the planning process, with a draft assessment of the Hume site giving the project a tick of approval. A draft preliminary assessment of the project...

We must study Asia: Jeffery.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Governor-General Major- General Michael Jeffery issued a plea to Australians last night to find out much more about the populous Asian nations on their northern doorstep. ''Australia's destiny is profoundly...

150,000 Aussie kids to be fitter kids.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The Federal Government hopes to soon have thousands more children playing sport after school under the $116million campaign against childhood obesity unveiled yesterday. The scheme will expand junior cricket,...

Lukewarm reception for school-sport plan.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The Howard Government's $116million nation-wide plan to encourage students to play sport after school would do little to combat childhood obesity, Canberra education spokesmen said on its launch yesterday. ...

Fitness Nazis not answer: expert.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The principle underpinning the Government's $116million obesity plan is fundamentally flawed, according to Charles Sturt University's Dr Michael Gard. There was ''shaky evidence'' to suggest active children...

$7m to help protect ACT environment.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) An extra $3.2million to help protect the ACT environment was announced by the Federal Government yesterday, with the David Street wetlands in O'Connor used as an example of what can be achieved with the right...

RSPCA calls for care at GDE site.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The RSPCA has called for strict new wildlife protection guidelines to cover all future construction work in the ACT amid reports of traumatised wildlife at the Gungahlin Drive Extension site on Black Mountain. ...

Opposition warns more road delays inevitable.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The ACT Opposition has offered its grudging support to the Government's attempts to defuse the latest legal challenge to the Gungahlin Drive Extension, but said more delays appeared inevitable.The $71 million road...

It's up to us to stop the drop: Lib.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Canberrans, and in particular the ACT Government, needed to do more before asking farmers to make important sacrifices over water use, Opposition environment spokeswoman Vicki Dunne said yesterday.. Mrs Dunne...

US ruling sparks hope for Hicks.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Australian terror suspect David Hicks could have to wait three years before being able to benefit from the landmark US Supreme Court decision that Guantanamo Bay detainees are within jurisdiction of the US court...

Budget backed, despite 'failings'.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The ACT Government was preparing to have its annual Budget passed through the Legislative Assembly late last night, but not before a litany of complaints about its perceived failings were put on the record by the...

Bright early mornings mark Euro2004.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) In the otherworld of pre- dawn mornings this week, there will be whole communities wide awake in Canberra, willing their teams to soccer glory. Euro2004 has shed the big guns of Germany, France and England as...

Flags to fly high.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags will fly together proudly - and securely - for the rest of this week at Lyneham High School. Principal Hugh Davies contacted the Education Department...

How forensic science helped bring the Bali bombers to justice.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) Street signs and toothbrushes played a crucial role for investigators piecing together the details of the Bali bombings and identifying its victims. Australian Federal Police forensic scientist Chris Lennard,...

Better to spend baby 'bribe' on support.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The $3000 baby bonus was a bribe which would entice the ''elective Caesarean brigade'' to delay delivery and entice desperate teens to fall pregnant, a mother-of-four said yesterday. Justine Caines - who heads...

Scrapper out to spoil Swiss silk.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) So, it's The Street Fighter against The Magician again. Today's Wimbledon quarter- final between Lleyton Hewitt, the champion in 2002, and Roger Federer, the defending champion and world No1, should virtually...

Building our new frontier - National call for suburb makers.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) The private sector is being called on to partner the ACT Government in building Canberra's newest suburb, Forde in Gungahlin - one of the most significant joint- venture developments ever offered in the...

C'wealth Games hopeful on drug charges.
June 30, 2004... (From Canberra Times) A former Albanian national wrestler and Australian Commonwealth Games hopeful posted $20,000 bail after facing charges in the ACT Magistrates Court yesterday of cultivating cannabis. Albanian-born Fatos Rama,...

Revolving doors must slow for safety.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Asahi Shimbun New safety guidelines require revolving doors to have a speed limit to prevent the type of accident that killed a 6-year-old boy in Tokyo's plush Roppongi Hills shopping...

Gifu ordered to reveal environment documents.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Supreme Court backs bid to release withheld data on a huge highway project. The Asahi Shimbun The Supreme Court on Tuesday nullified a 1998 decision by the governor of Gifu Prefecture...

Local officials hit the streets for `road tribe' in the LDP.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Although public works spending is down, abundant funds are available to build expressways. The Asahi Shimbun At a packed conference in a Tokyo hotel, Diet members urged local governments...

Jobless rate improves again, to 4.6% in May.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Asahi Shimbun The job scenario continued its convalescence in May, with the unemployment rate declining 0.1 percentage point from April to a seasonally adjusted 4.6 percent, the...

Troubled firms to investors: `Sorry'.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Asahi Shimbun Apologies were the order of the day at shareholders meetings on Tuesday, as executives from firms tainted by scandal or under pressure to rehabilitate spent the day...

SOGA FAMILY.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) N. Korea: Reunion site up to Jenkins The Asahi Shimbun JAKARTA-North Korea's foreign minister on Tuesday said Pyongyang intends to reunite the family of repatriated abductee Hitomi Soga...

Despite gains, life insurers stay true to reform.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Asahi Shimbun Although the economic recovery appears to have delivered life insurers from their financial straits, it hasn't put a halt to their restructuring efforts To cut...

Phishing scams lure victims here, too.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Be sure you know who's asking to `verify' your personal data, experts warn Web users. The Asahi Shimbun An Internet scam that tricks users into divulging personal data is ensnaring...

Checks to target Mitsubishi vehicles.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Asahi Shimbun A recent spate of incidents in which vehicles burst into flames has spurred the transport ministry to target Mitsubishi large vehicles for spot checks, starting next...

TAKING STOCK.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Newcomers flood into securities sector The Asahi Shimbun The hottest commodities in the securities industry these days appear to be securities houses themselves A growing number of...

/ Sachiko Kurosawa.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) School tragedy teaches an urgent lesson We must train children to express themselves properly with respect for the human rights of others as well as their own, and introduce an `anger...

Extinct wolf a symbol of what Japan has lost.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) The Japanese wolf officially became extinct 99 years ago. More accurately, there has not been a confirmed sighting since the last of the species was captured in the village of...

Inventing a more prosperous world.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Shoichiro Toyoda, honorary chairman and director of Toyota Motor Corp ``If one struggles to attain something,'' Toyota Motor Corp. founder Kiichiro Toyoda used to say, ``that person...

Iraqis must be in charge of rebuilding their nation.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Handover of sovereignty The occupation of Iraq by the United States and Britain has ended, but will today be any different from yesterday for the people of Iraq? Although the Coalition...

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Spreading the word about the value of intellectual property Wider awareness of IP issues is vital to shared prosperity, say experts. The Asahi Shimbun Concerted efforts to develop a...

Put ethics before profits on patents.
June 30, 2004... (From International Herald Tribune (Herald Asahi)) Excerpts of keynote speech delivered by former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad Intellectual property is a new concept for many Asians. For example, in the past it was common for...

Wallflower StanChart seems desperate for dancing partner.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Swashbuckling deals have rarely been Standard Chartered Bank's style. Its latest acquisition is no different - a HK$980 million purchase of PrimeCredit, a Hong Kong lender to individuals with poor credit...

Teachers cracking under the strain of red tape and reforms After survey finds a quarter suffer anxiety or depression, the lead researcher says without urgent action pupils will suffer.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Polly Hui Teachers in Hong Kong are facing a mental health crisis, with one in four suffering from at least one of two serious psychological disorders and many feeling suicidal, researchers...

INDIA SIGNS INTENT LETTER ON AGRICULTURE AND BIO-TECH WITH US.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - In an effort to boost the country's food production through adopting "environment friendly" technologies, India has inked a letter of Intent on Agricultural Bio-technology Research and...

INDIAN MINISTER IN TALKS AIMED AT BOOSTING EXPORTS.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Federal Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath has asked trading houses to clearly identify the areas that require policy intervention, including tariff-related matters, to give a...

INDIA, CHINA TO FUEL GROWTH IN GLOBAL E&M SECTOR: REPORT.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) NEW DELHI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Riding on the back of the Asia Pacific region, especially India and China, the worldwide entertainment and media industry is likely to grow at 6.3 per cent to US$1.7 trillion in 2008,...

TAIWAN EXPORTS, IMPORTS COULD REACH NEW HIGHS THIS YR: BOFT.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Exports and imports are expected to register new records this year, despite several negative factors, a Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) official said Tuesday. Based on a forecast by the...

TAIWAN 4TH LARGEST RECIPIENT OF U.S. PATENTS.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Taiwan obtained the fourth largest number of patents in the United States last year, behind only the United States, Japan and Germany, officials from the Industrial Development and...

CHINA AIRLINES KICKS OFF TAIPEI-MILAN AIR CARGO SERVICE.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - China Airlines (CAL) (TAIEX:2610) kicked off cargo charter flight service between Taipei and Milan June 27, with flights to be offered twice per week. This is CAL's second air route...

TAIWAN FOREIGN MINISTER KEEPING LOW PROFILE DURING EUROPE VISIT.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Foreign Affairs Minister Tan Sun Chen has kept a low profile during his visit to Europe because of the relentless stifling of Taiwan in the international community by mainland China, a...

COA CHIEF TO REPRESENT TAIWAN AT G10 AGRICULTURAL MEETING.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - Council of Agriculture (COA) Chairman Lee Chin-lung will represent Taiwan at a Group of Ten (G10) agriculture ministers meeting scheduled to open in Geneva July 5. It will be the...

TAIWAN'S COA TO CRACK DOWN ON SELLING OF TAINTED PORK.
June 30, 2004... (From Asia Pulse) TAIPEI, June 30 Asia Pulse - The Council of Agriculture (COA) announced Tuesday that it will create a task force to crack down on the illegal practice of selling products from pigs that died of illness. The COA's...

Going underground, Tokyo-style A Japan-inspired plan could be a blessing for Causeway Bay and a boon to shoppers and retail business.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Sandy Li and Peggy Sito Hong Kong's glitziest shopping district - Causeway Bay - is earmarked to become a buyers' paradise should a 24-hour pedestrian zone and a Tokyo-type underground shopping...

Beijing residential figures aim to stymie speculation.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Ernest Kong In a move to dispel speculation that home prices will surge as a result of tightening land supply in Beijing, the city government has reported contrary figures that show a drop in...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) A ABB6 Amazon6 B BEA3 Bossini3 C China Cons Bank4 China Life Ins4 China Unicom8Citibank2, 3 Citic Pacific2 CK Life Sciences1 CKI2 CNOOC8 ...

Surplus quarters up for tender.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Peggy Sito The government has started disposing of its surplus quarters, resuming a strategy it suspended five years ago as the property slump took hold. The Government Property Agency...

Long-haul flight may have killed policeman Doctor says sergeant who collapsed and died on patrol could be first to die in Hong Kong from 'economy-class syndrome'.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Martin Wong and Clifford Lo A policeman with a weak heart who collapsed and died while patrolling in the heat of the day yesterday may have been struck by deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), or...

Exco calls off approval meeting in Ofta connection saga.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Hui Yuk-min and Ben Kwok The telecommunications regulator suffered another setback yesterday after the Executive Council at the last minute called off a meeting to approve changes to the...

Girl leaves exam room and jumps to her death.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Clifford Lo A Form Six student ran out of a classroom during an exam yesterday and leapt to her death from the third-floor corridor of an elite school in Stanley. Lo King-yee, 17, ran out...

Hong Kong works up quite a thirst as it swelters through the hottest day of the year.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Elaine Wu Temperatures touched 37 degrees Celsius in parts of Hong Kong yesterday, the hottest day of the year and hottest on record in Tuen Mun. Two people suffered heatstroke. The...

Hutch beats 3G blues with sales boom Canning Fok points to a shortage of handsets because of subscriber rush.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Ben Kwok Hutchison Whampoa managing director Canning Fok Kin-ning yesterday suggested that the company could again face a shortage of mobile phones - but this time for the right reasons, as...

The big march could be on the move earlier than planned.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Benjamin Wong, Klaudia Lee and Ambrose Leung The mass rally tomorrow could begin earlier than advertised as police want to get the marchers moving as soon as 50,000 people arrive, to prevent a...

Textile makers at forefront of new revolution Manufacturer says technology will change the nature of almost every man-made object.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Kenneth Ko Textile manufacturers are standing at the forefront of an industrial revolution that may change lifestyles by applying nanotechnology to create new products. The new concepts of...

Research efforts in Hong Kong have wide focus.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Nanotechnology research and development in Hong Kong has a broad focus, from the commercial development of functional materials to energy storage, telecommunications, optoelectronics to the textile,...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Water profits drying up B2With China deregulating the water market, a flood of foreign investors sparks a profits rethink Liner enters stormy waters B3Dry bulk niche shipping specialist...

International award for HK wireless whiz.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Chandra Wong Wireless communications technology researcher Kenji Yum Tsz-yin makes no apology for having an unfashionable mobile phone in a city where a 3G handset is seen as a necessary...

Cross-harbour bus plan reconsidered.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Joseph Lo Faced with opposition from Ma On Shan residents, the government has told legislators it is reconsidering its plan to cancel cross-harbour bus routes serving the new town which will...

Xinhua catches KMB to Athens Olympics.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Sidney Luk One of the central government's main mouthpieces is making new inroads into Hong Kong, after winning a contract to provide sports-related video content for captive passengers on...

Four men arrested for trying to sell silver bars stolen in hijacking The haul, worth $1 million, is seized in Sha Tin.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Martin Wong Police yesterday arrested four men allegedly involved in an audacious daylight robbery two weeks ago in which silver bars worth about $1 million were stolen. The men, aged 26...

All signs point to a stronger recovery Ratings agency upgrades outlook for the HK dollar as growth forecasts are raised.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Gary Cheung and Zhuang Pinghui Hong Kong is showing signs of further economic growth, with a host of positive indicators released yesterday. International credit rating agency Standard &...

Tom wins waivers to quit GEM Multimedia investor hopes the switch to the main board will boost the stock.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Sidney Luk Tom Group will be the first company to transfer its listing to the main board from the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM), after being granted a number of waivers by the Hong Kong...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) hotel operator's profit soars 11.9pc to $250m Miramar Hotel and Investment reported an 11.92 per cent jump in net profit to $250.32 million for the year to March 31. Turnover was $1.4 billion from...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Tuesday, July 6, HK: Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce presents a roundtable discussion on telecommunications: "Competition, Innovation and Consumer Welfare". With guest speaker Janusz Ordover,...

Hong Kong upbeat over the economy But a survey finding is tempered by job insecurities and health worries.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Joseph Lo Hong Kong has been named the second most upbeat consumer market in Asia, with 70 per cent of residents believing the city's economy has improved in the past six months. But the...

Cepa will get even better, says Henry Tang.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Jimmy Cheung Benefits arising from the free-trade pact between Hong Kong and the mainland would become more significant in future, the financial secretary said yesterday. On the first...

Gallery makes an art of kissing.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Whoever said kissing is an art was absolutely correct. Art Statements gallery will be living proof of this tomorrow with a show called Ombres Chinoises (Chinese Shadows), which is selling kisses for $10...

Competition dilutes returns Water market deregulation puts pressure on profits in key infrastructure sector, writes Denise Tsang.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) With China opening the taps on water market deregulation, a flood of foreign investors is prompting a rethink on the nascent industry's profitability. Recent anecdotal evidence suggests internal rates...

Corrections clarifications &.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Although the largest shareholder in Transmile Group, Robert Kuok does not control the company, as stated on Monday in an article on B1. Mr Kuok also purchased his stake in the Kuala Lumpur-based air cargo...

Safety pledge on foodstuff imports Mainland targets bad producers in drive for quality.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Carrie Chan Mainland authorities will try to ensure that food exported to Hong Kong and Macau meets safety standards but there can be no cast-iron guarantees, an official said yesterday. ...

Road test for container terrorism security nearly ready.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Russell Barling Hong Kong's container terminal operators from September will begin a six-month trial of new security technology which would inspect all boxes moving across its docks for...

Breakthroughs spell new dangers Researchers believe the potential benefits are immense, but so are the social and environmental risks.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) ENVIRONMENTALISTS, research institutes and other cause-oriented organisations worldwide are calling for the development of international safety measures and legal standards to prevent molecular...

Challenge in policing a world of molecular madness.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) The biggest and most daunting challenge the nanotechnology industry worldwide faces is how to win public trust to prevent the same bumpy ride experienced by genetically modified food. Unfortunately,...

One step closer to profiting from the atom Control over matter is moving from the laboratory to practical applications in the commercial arena.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Reports by Romy Arambulo NANOTECHNOLOGY has been around since the 1970s but it is only now that a technology formerly called wafer engineering is getting worldwide attention - from scientists,...

Samsung's Silver Nano products ensure a germ-free environment Household appliances are coated to kill bacteria and fungus, and prevent them from breeding.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Kenneth Ko Advances in the use of nanotechnology in consumer products mean that you can breathe germ-free air, eat fresher food and have clothes devoid of bacteria. Samsung Electronics of...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) clean and fresh Air purifiers and air conditioners The Silver Nano coating kills bacteria in the filtering process and deodorises any malodorous inhaled air, creating clean, fresh, germ-free air....

kevin sinclair's hong kong.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: kevin.sinclair@scmp.com The British sailors who couldn't steer straight in the Shatt al-Arab waterway caused an incident last week which could have sparked a major diplomatic row or even armed...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Q Should the Sai Kung waterfront be turned into a pedestrian area? With regard to Julie Beekman's sceptical and somewhat sarcastic question as to whether Sai Kung is "a den of iniquity" (published on...

Choose wisely from array of sweeteners Developers and banks are offering flat buyers payment choices, but it is worth studying them first.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Home seekers must be pleased that property developers and banks have teamed up to offer an array of mortgage plans and benefits to prospective buyers of primary-market flats. However, making the right...

Yili director accuses board of illegal trading cover-up.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Mark O'Neill in Shanghai An independent director at one of China's largest dairy companies has accused its board of illegally concealing treasury bond trading activities, in a rare instance of...

Business Briefs.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) modems sales help suga increase profits 11.9pc Suga International Holdings has posted higher full-year earnings, helped by increased sales of routers and modems to its primary client, Beijing Harbour...

Amoy index patient was infected in Shenzhen.
June 30, 2004... (From South China Morning Post) Byline: Mary Ann Benitez The index patient who spread Sars in the Amoy Gardens private housing estate became infected in Shenzhen, a Legislative Council inquiry report due out on Monday is expected to...