11/4-
A professional
accounting body has cautioned that Hong Kong
is at risk of losing its competitive edge to
neighbouring countries if it doesn't provide
more tax incentives to attract foreign investors.
In a survey conducted by the Hong Kong division
of CPA Australia, 62 percent of respondents
would like the government to introduce more
tax incentives.
11/5-
The Bush administration
has told the mainland that its policy on China
has not changed. The assurance came after the
American secretary of state Colin Powell shook
hands and spoke with Taiwan's president Chen
Shui-bian during independence celebrations in
Panama this week. That brought an immediate
complaint from Beijing. A state department spokesman
said the United States remains committed to
a one-China policy.
11/6-
Nine Pro-democracy
groups will stage a pre-election rally next
Friday outside the Cultural Centre, to raise
public support for some 260 candidates running
in the District Council elections on the 23rd
of this month. Organizers say the pro-democracy
candidates have united to form a common front
to push for a more democratic government. Legislator
Emily Lau of the Frontier, one of the groups
organizing the event, also accused the administration
and the pro-Beijing camp of downplaying the
elections as part of a strategy to keep the
public away from the polls.
11/7-
The chairman of
the central military commission, Jiang Zemin,
has bestowed the title of space hero on the
country's first astronaut, Yang Liwei. Mr Yang
was also awarded a badge of honour outside the
Great Hall of the People in an event organised
by the Communist Party and the Central Military
Commission. The premier Wen Jiabao announced
the decision to honour Mr Yang, and Mr Jiang
made the presentations. Mr Yang has just returned
from trips to Hong Kong and Macau.
11/8-
Japanese researchers
have found traditional Chinese medicines containing
a ginger root extract can prevent the spread
of the SARS virus. According to a report in
the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, the researchers
found that three types of Chinese herbal medicine
prevented the increase of the SARS virus when
applied to SARS-infected monkey cells. It added
that the common ingredient in the three drugs
was a ginger root extract.
11/10- The
police are investigating a case in which a man
said he had more than one million dollars worth
of jewellery stolen. The victim told police
that he was sitting in a stationary minibus
in Yau Ma Tei when another passenger behind
him said he'd dropped some money under a seat.
The victim said he bent down to investigate.
But he then noticed that the man and his briefcase,
which contained the jewellery, had disappeared.
11/11-
Australian crocodile expert John Lever is on
his way to Hong Kong to help catch the Yuen
Long crocodile. The reptile has eluded the best
efforts of local hunters for the past eight
days. So the government's accepted an offer
from the South China Morning Post to bring Mr
Lever in. He says as it's only small, he'll
probably adopt an unusual approach to catch
it, feeling around with his feet in the estuary
to locate it. ?
11/12-
A mainland newspaper
has reported that between a third and a half
of all medical workers in Beijing who were treated
for SARS earlier this year, are now suffering
from bone degeneration. The Beijing News said
that 40 out of 93 Peking University Hospital
nurses and doctors who suffered from SARS had
been affected by bone problems. It also said
that only a small proportion of cured patients
were still being monitored, due to a lack of
information and the high cost of examinations.
11/17-
The unemployment
rate has dropped by 0.3 percent to eight percent
from August to October. This means the number
of unemployed persons now stands at 282-thousand.
Under-employment also fell by 0.1 percent to
3.5 percent in the same period. Some of the
sectors which showed net gains in employment
included retail, catering, hotels and real estate.
11/21-
Police have stepped
up security at the Central headquarters of HSBC
after the banking giant was targetted in yesterday's
suicide bombings in Turkey. At least 27 people
were killed in the attacks on the bank's offices
and the British consulate. However, the Chief
Secretary Donald Tsang has sought to downplay
fears of an attack here. He said that while
security was generally being tightened, Hong
Kong was not under any immediate threat.
11/22-
The executive director of Hong Kong's tourism
board, Clara Chong, says she expects the suicide
bombings in the Turkish city of Istanbul won't
affect the tourism industry here. She stressed
that she's confident about security issues in
Hong Kong. Miss Chong added that she believed
the WinterFest carnival which is to begin next
week would bring in more than two million visitors.
End
of November news continue to next month
| click here |
Thursday, April 1, 2004 16:26
©All
Right Reserve of Chany's Time
and part of RTHK On Internet
