SA:Disqualified SA drivers stay on the road

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2011
SA:Disqualified SA drivers stay on the road

ADELAIDE, Aug 5 AAP - A computer glitch has allowed more than 4000 South Australian
motorists to keep driving after being disqualified.

The glitch, in the Courts Administration Authority's computer system, meant official
disqualification notices were not sent out.

Road Safety Minister Tom Kenyon said the error affected motorists who had applied between
July 2009 and June 2010 to have more time to pay fines for driving offences.

He said a similar pattern was expected with disqualifications over the past year, meaning
another 4000 drivers might be affected.

The glitch also meant more than 10,000 drivers had not been sent notices warning them
they had few demerit points left.

Mr Kenyon said the full extent of the computer error only became known this week following
a detailed audit and investigation.

He said letters would be sent to the drivers involved and they would still be required
to serve their disqualification period.

"There's clearly a significant backlog due to the computer error and notifications
are being processed as quickly as possible," the minister said on Friday.

"But it will take some days to clear."

Mr Kenyon said transport officials were working with the Courts Administration Authority
to fix the computer malfunction and ensure it did not happen again.

He said a permanent working group would be established within the transport department
to review any issues detected in the future.

AAP tjd/jnb

KEYWORD: DRIVERS

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

subletting

subletting n. The granting of a sublease.

VIC:Duthies say they received death threats

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2011
VIC:Duthies say they received death threats

MELBOURNE, April 10 AAP - The mother of Melbourne school girl Kim Duthie who posted
nude pictures of two St Kilda footballers on the internet says her family have received
death threats.

Susan Duthie says people have threatened to cut the throat of her 17-year-old daughter
who became involved with Saints' star Sam Gilbert after he and another player visited
their school for a football clinic.

The teenager underwent a lie detector test on Seven's Sunday Night program and the
results agreed with her assertion that she and disgraced player manager Ricky Nixon have
had sex.

When asked if he would have done anything differently, her father Tony said he would
not have taken Kim to school the day the footballers were there.

He said that after that meeting his daughter, who had been focussed on school and athletics,
went off the rails.

Kim said her greatest regret in the sordid story was lying to her parents and friends
that she had fallen pregnant to the footballer.

Her father said when she told him about the pregnancy he said it was like hearing about
a death in the family - "probably worse".

"She was half way through Year 12 and for this to happen we were just rocked, we couldn't
believe it," said Mr Duthie.

He said he was shocked when his daughter released nude photos of Saints captain Nick
Riewoldt and midfielder Nick Dal Santo - two innocent players who had nothing to do with
her.

"I couldn't condone that - what she did was wrong," said Mr Duthie.

Kim has since made a full apology to those players on her Twitter page.

But the hatred some fans feel against her has not subsided.

Mrs Duthie said she is worried about the death threats levelled against Kim and the
rest of the family.

"They are threatening ...Kimberly, that they would cut her throat and that we would
be killed," she said.

She said she was repulsed by the relationship her daughter has had with 47-year-old Nixon.

"I am pretty angry about it," she said.

The girl detailed the way she lured Nixon into a trap setting up a hidden camera in
her city hotel room which was being paid for by the St Kilda Football Club.

But on the night of the alleged rendezvous he arrived early before she could set up
a camera and she claims they slept together that night.

"My original plan was to set up a video camera to show him walking into my hotel room,
maybe a kiss on the cheek," she said.

"But he came on to the bed straight away and started coming on to me... I ended up
sleeping with him."

She said he got him on camera when he returned the next day.

Nixon has denied having sex with her, admitting only to "inappropriate dealings" with her.

Sunday Night's story ending had a twist.

Nixon told the program that the girl is stalking him at his Lonsdale Point home.

When a camera crew arrived Kim and a friend were sitting on a pavement outside a shop
in the coastal town.

Nixon showed Sunday Night his mobile phone with repeated calls from Kim.

In a statement released on the program's website, Nixon says he has continued to receive
"a barrage of emails, phone calls and text messages over the past several weeks" with
Kim trying to arrange a meeting with him.

"The contact intensified last night and today," he said.

He said the matter has been turned over to police.

"The harassment is continual and has caused stress and anxiety to me and my family."

AAP jxt/nb

KEYWORD: NIXON

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Eight dead dyring holiday toll period

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2010
FED:Eight dead dyring holiday toll period

Following is a breakdown of road fatalities this holiday season 2010/2011:



Western Australia 1

Queensland 1

New South Wales 2

Victoria 3

South Australia 0

Tasmania 1

Australian Capital Territory 0

Northern Territory 0

NATIONAL TOTAL: 8



(EDS: National road toll figures are for the period 0001 December 17 to 2359 Monday
January 3. Some states and territories have different periods.)



AAP RTV tm

KEYWORD: TOLL NATIONAL FACTBOX

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:RSL voters cheated by leaders: Brown

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2010
NSW:RSL voters cheated by leaders: Brown

SYDNEY, Aug 12 AAP - Greens Leader Bob Brown says western Sydney voters were short-changed
at Wednesday's night's community forum, with little focus on big issues such as climate
change.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott were questioned by 200
undecided voters at the Rooty Hill RSL, in a forum organised by News Ltd and broadcast
on Sky News.

But while Mr Abbott has been widely declared the winner of the exchange, Senator Brown
says the audience was "short-changed" by the two leaders.

"Tony and Julia weren't able to commit to a national dental health care system," Senator
Brown told reporters.

"There was really no plan for tackling climate change - a lot I'd have been talking about.

"Being a Blacktown boy, I wished I'd been there."

AAP ab/tr/jl

KEYWORD: POLL10 ROOTY BROWN

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Man on bike approached girl: police

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2010
SA: Man on bike approached girl: police

ADELAIDE, April 3 AAP - Police are still searching for a suspicious man in Adelaide
who made an indecent suggestion to an eight-year-old girl.

The girl had been playing in the front yard of her house when a man in his late 40s
or early 50s approached on a push bike.

Police say the man called the girl towards him and "made an indecent suggestion".

The girl ran inside her home on Burlington Street in Walkerville as the man rode off on his bike.

The incident occurred around 4pm on Thursday.

Police describe the man as around 1.83 metres tall with a scruffy appearance, dirty
red or blonde hair and yellow and stained teeth.

The man had been wearing a white T-shirt and red tracksuit pants while his bicycle
had a black wire basket on the front.

AAP sbl/ht

KEYWORD: PUSHBIKE

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 21

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 21
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


UK Lockerbie (WASHINGTON)

US President BARACK OBAMA says he objects to the release of Lockerbie bomber .. ABDEL
BASET AL-MEGRAHI.

The terminally-ill MEGRAHI has arrived home to Libya overnight to a hero's welcome
after being released on compassionate grounds from a Scottish jail.

He's expected to die within months from prostate cancer.

MEGRAHI was found guilty in 2001 of blowing up a US Boeing 747 airliner over Lockerbie
in 1988 .. killing 270 people .. including 189 Americans.

OBAMA says he's contacted the Scottish government to voice his disapproval over MEGRAHI'S
release.



Hendra (BRISBANE)

Rockhampton vet ALISTER RODGERS remains on life support in a Brisbane hospital with Hendra virus.

A spokesman for Princess Alexandra Hospital says Mr ROGERS is in a critical .. but
stable condition.

He fell ill after treating two infected horses at the J4S Equine Nursery in Cawarral
.. northeast of Rockhampton .. two weeks ago.

Biosecurity Queensland says three horses exposed to the virus at the stud have high
temperatures .. and it will be known today if they have the virus.

Meantime .. a Queensland conservationist says governments must resist the calls to
cull flying foxes despite the latest outbreak of the Hendra virus because the animal is
vital to native flora.

Many want the animal .. which is known to carry the potentially deadly virus .. culled
where they are in large numbers such as Rockhampton.



World Oceans (WASHINGTON)

New figures show the ocean's temperature is warming .. with July recording the hottest
month in almost 130 years of record-keeping.

The National Climatic Data Centre says the average water temperature worldwide was
17 degrees celsius .. with the El Nino weather pattern and global warming pushing up the
mercury.

WALEED ABDALATI from the Earth Science and Observation Centre says temperatures rose
about 5.5 degrees celsius above average in the Arctic .. and the warm water could help
melt sea ice from below and even cause thawing of ice sheets in Greenland.



Housing (BRISBANE)

The Prime Minister's wife .. THERESE REIN .. will launch a new housing and homelessness
organisation in Brisbane today.

The Australian Common Ground Alliance seeks to end long-term homelessness.

Organisers from the Alliance say on any night in inner Brisbane .. 2070 people are homeless.

Ms REIN will be joined by federal Housing Minster TANYA PLIBERSEK and Queensland's
Minister for Communities KAREN STRUTHERS at the launch.



Abortion (BRISBANE)

Doctors at Queensland public hospitals have stopped performing medical abortions and
are directing women interstate for the service because of legal concerns.

Health Minister PAUL LUCAS says they're now speaking with a number of obstetricians
and gynaecologists to clarify their concerns after public hospitals suspended medical
abortions on Wednesday.

However .. Mr LUCAS says he isn't aware of any investigation or prosecution against
Queensland Health doctors in relation to a case against a 19 year-old woman charged with
procuring her own miscarriage after using a smuggled pill to abort her foetus.

She's due to face a Cairns court in September.



Briefly in other news ..



Afghan Vote (WASHINGTON)

US President BARACK OBAMA has hailed landmark elections in Afghanistan as a victory
for democracy.



Wages QLD (BRISBANE)

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has delivered a 16-dollar a week wage
rise to the state's lowest paid workers.



Blaze (SYDNEY)

A man has died after a house fire in Goulburn in southern New South Wales overnight.



Indigenous Dodson (CANBERRA)

A research unit has been launched at the University of New South Wales today in an
effort to improve communication between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.



in Finance ..




At 11.09am (AEST) .. the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was DOWN 25 points at 4353 while
the broader All Ordinaries FELL 24 points to 4368.

The Australian dollar was at 82.86 US cents.. DOWN from Thursday's local close.

It was at 58.16 euro cents.



in Sport ..



Cricket Aust (LONDON)

Persistent paceman PETER SIDDLE has willed his way through the English batting lineup
to keep the Ashes decider on level terms at The Oval.

SIDDLE produced 4-63 as the home side slipped to 8-307 at stumps on day one of the final Test.



Aths World 200M (BERLIN)

USAIN BOLT has repeated his Olympic sprint double at the World Athletics Championships
.. setting a new world record of 19.19 seconds in the 200m.

The new mark bettered his own previous record of 19.30sec set in the 200m final of
the Beijing Games last summer.

Also at the championships .. Australian long jumpers MITCHELL WATT and FABRICE LAPIERRE
put themselves right in the medal hunt .. cruising through the qualifying round with a
minimum of fuss.



League Tigers (SYDNEY)

More than 30 thousand fans are expected for tonight's NRL blockbuster between the Wests
Tigers' and Parramatta at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight.

The fifth-placed Tigers carry a six-game winning streak into the clash .. while the
Eels have won their last five games to sit just outside the top eight.



Soccer AL Victory (MELBOURNE)

A-League premiers Melbourne Victory have re-signed their former defender ADRIAN LEIJER
from English club Fulham, and he may be rushed into action this weekend.

The Victory has confirmed the 23 year-old has agreed to a three-year deal with the club.

The Socceroo was part of Melbourne's 2006-07 grand final win before joining English
Premier League side Fulham .. where he has barely had a look-in.



Netball NZ (WELLINGTON)

Wiley defender CASEY WILLIAMS has been named as the new captain of the Silver Ferns
squad unveiled today for a netball Test series against a World Seven side.

Her appointment follows the retirement of veteran midcourter JULIE SEYMOUR.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV sw/ka

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA: Easter drink driving blitz catches 72 offenders

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2009
SA: Easter drink driving blitz catches 72 offenders

ADELAIDE, April 12 AAP - An Easter drink driving blitz by police across South Australia
has caught 72 drink drivers and five drug offenders in a 12 hour period.

As part of the Easter road safety campaign, more than 200 police state-wide conducted
9075 drink driving tests and 335 drug tests between 6pm (CST) Saturday and 6.30am Sunday.

Of the 72 drink drivers found, 43 lost their driver's licence on the spot.

Police said among those breaking the law were a 45-year-old unlicensed driver at Port
Augusta with a blood alcohol level of 0.213 and a 19-year-old P-plater from Mile End with
a reading of 0.107.

"Drivers with impaired judgement continue to place themselves, their passengers and
other road users at risk," traffic support branch inspector Tony Crameri said in a statement.

"Police are asking the public to drive safely when returning home after the Easter break."

So far, South Australian roads have been fatality-free this Easter.

AAP njl/ss

KEYWORD: BLITZ

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED: Climate agreement tougher than trade pacts - Garnaut

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2008
FED: Climate agreement tougher than trade pacts - Garnaut

SYDNEY, Dec 8 AAP - Reaching agreement on climate change will be much tougher than
reaching consensus on trade liberalisation, the Rudd government's climate change adviser
says.

Professor Ross Garnaut has warned that time is running out for an international agreement
on climate change, saying clear principles for a post-Kyoto agreement must be worked out
in the first half of next year, The Australian reports.

"Unless there is a coalescing of international support around clear principles through
the first half of 2009, there is no prospect that a good agreement will be reached in
December at (the UN climate change conference in) Copenhagen," he said.

"It is more difficult than trade liberalisation, in which, despite the charades of
trade negotiators, each country would be better off liberalising its trade whether or
not other countries were doing so.

"With climate change mitigation, one country acting alone accepts costs without substantial
benefits."

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong will fly out this week for talks on a post-Kyoto
agreement in the Polish city of Poznan.

AAP ab/rs

KEYWORD: CLIMATE GARNAUT

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Qantas "probably" safest airline in world: Dixon

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2008
Fed: Qantas "probably" safest airline in world: Dixon

Qantas chief executive GEOFF DIXON says his airline remains probably the safest in
the world .. despite three forced landings from mid-air emergencies in just over a week.

Mr DIXON denies a systemic problem caused the three incidents .. but acknowledges the
widespread coverage being generated by the run of safety issues.

He's told ABC radio three incidents in just over a week isn't necessarily an extraordinary
situation.

Mr DIXON says around the world on any day airlines are forced to turn back flights.

AAP RTV kn/gfr/sw/ibw

KEYWORD: QANTAS DIXON (MELBOURNE)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Man found in bushland after mother found dead

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2008
Qld: Man found in bushland after mother found dead

Searchers have found the 68-year-old son of an elderly woman discovered dead near his
car in north Queensland yesterday.

COLIN WILSON took his 92-year-old mother IDA WILSON for a drive last Thursday afternoon
.. and failed to return her to her Mareeba nursing home.

Ms WILSON'S body was found yesterday .. close to her son's four-wheel drive about 20
kilometres east of Mareeba .. at Davies Creek off the Kennedy Highway.

Police are treating her death as suspicious.

They say Mr WILSON wandered into a search party at Davies Creek about eight o'clock
this morning .. and has been taken to Mareeba Hospital.

AAP RTV gd/jmt

KEYWORD: WILSON FOUND (BRISBANE)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

2UE 0800 Headlines

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2007
2UE 0800 Headlines

State Transit considering its options after another wave of sickies at Ryde bus depot
.. 67 bus drivers off today.

Druit St buses being diverted after a series of pedestrian accidents.

Terrorist breakout attempt .. Hatzistergos says it was a long way off succeeding.

Racing industry refusing to accept compromise on closure of Randwick Race Course for
World Youth day.

Syd police hunting a man who used a Tazer gun on a woman in a holdup.

Kevin Rudd to hold his first formal meeting with George W Bush ahead of APEC.

SPORT: First test of the grapple tackle sees judiciary clear two of three players charged.

Wallby great David Campese accused rugby bosses of damaging the sport by leaving its
minnows open to humiliation at next month's World Cup in France. AFL.

Finance.

AAP RTV/bart

KEYWORD: 2UE 0800

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Labor and Seven Network deny plan to move Anzac Day service

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2007
Fed: Labor and Seven Network deny plan to move Anzac Day service

CANBERRA, April 8 AAP - Labor leader Kevin Rudd and the Seven Network say reports they
asked Vietnamese authorities to hold an Anzac Day dawn service early so it could be broadcast
live on television are fabricated.

News Limited papers today said Mr Rudd's office and the television network hatched
a plan for a dawn service at Long Tan, Vietnam, to be shifted an hour earlier to take
advantage of peak morning TV ratings in Australia.

Under the supposed plan, which attracted anger from Vietnam veterans, the dawn service
would be broadcast on the Seven Network's Sunrise program at 4.15am local time (7.15am
AEST).

News Ltd used an editorial today to condemn Mr Rudd, saying the proposal was "a national
disgrace" and evidence of "miserably flawed leadership".

But Mr Rudd today said the reports were "absolutely false and without foundation".

"Neither I, nor anyone from my office, has spoken to or had conversation with anyone
whatsoever about requesting the changing of the dawn service time at Long Tan in Vietnam
or anywhere else," he said in a statement.

Mr Rudd said he had yet to confirm whether he would be attending the Anzac Day service
at Long Tan.

The Seven Network several months ago invited him to participate along with Employment
Minister Joe Hockey, who was unable to attend and had since been replaced by Liberal MP
Bronwyn Bishop.

But the Seven Network today said Sunrise had no plan to broadcast the dawn service
from Vietnam, because the time difference would make it impossible.

The network had been considering a live broadcast from Long Tan later on Anzac Day,
but high costs meant it was unlikely to go ahead.

"It seems some of the facts may have been overshadowed for the sake of a good headline,"

Seven presenter Lisa Wilkinson said in a live on-air statement today.

"Sunrise has never asked for the dawn service to be moved, nor do we believe Kevin
Rudd or Bronwyn Bishop did."

Mr Rudd said Anzac Day was sacred to all Australians.

"Vietnam veterans and their families would be justifiably outraged if the traditions
of Anzac Day were (in) any way being undermined at Long Tan - or anywhere else - on a
day which is sacred to all Australians," he said.

AAP jb/jm/cdh

KEYWORD: ANZAC NIGHTLEAD

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Parliament gives green light to uranium sales to China

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2006
Fed: Parliament gives green light to uranium sales to China

A parliamentary committee has given the green light for Australian uranium sales to
China .. opening the door to an annual export windfall of 250-million dollars.

But opponents warn it'll see Australian uranium being used in nuclear weapons.

Australian Conservation Foundation campaigner DAVID NOONAN says once uranium is out
of our hands .. it's out of our control.

Meanwhile .. industry experts say uranium mining is positive for the Australian economy
.. but adverse government policy and a lack of skilled workers could slow its growth.

NEIL ARTHUR .. chairman of Uranium Exploration Australia .. says the industry's in
the midst of a revival after a 30-year absence.

AAP RTV so/sb/ibw/bart/wz/cp

KEYWORD: URANIUM (CANBERRA)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

EDITORIAL: They're teachers, not saints

Staff Editorial
University Wire
06-19-2006
(Daily Texan) (U-WIRE) AUSTIN, Texas -- Posting semi-nude photos of herself on the Internet probably wasn't the best move for Austin High School art teacher Tamara Hooper. But she shouldn't lose her job for it.

Last week, the Austin school board voted to begin termination proceedings against Hooper, who posted photos of herself with her breasts exposed on a Web site that a student discovered. Hooper claims the photos are artistic in nature.

Based on the way AISD is handling the incident - and the imminent threat of dismissal - Hooper might as well have distributed copies of hard-core pornography, with herself as the star, to each of her students.

Educators should rightly hold themselves to a higher standard than other members of the community. This example should primarily reside in the classroom in teaching students how to treat one another, respectfully disagree with others and become a lifelong learner.

Teachers should be able to live both their personal and professional lives without fear. Although major indiscretions must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, as long as teachers are following the law, they should be able to do as they please on weekends and evenings.

Outside of school, teachers should be able to date whom they choose, surf the Internet, purchase alcohol and enjoy a night on the town without worrying about whether they'll have a job on Monday.

It is unreasonable to expect educators - who are notoriously underpaid and undervalued - to live as saints, dedicated entirely to serving their communities. We fear how far these moral standards might extend in the future, if this incident becomes a precedent.

If AISD wants to start a tirade against "semi-nude" images, it should take its case to art galleries, primetime television, magazines readily available to its students (think Seventeen and Cosmo) and its own libraries (think National Geographic).

When a teacher offends the tastes of administrators and parents, suddenly people pay attention to the role of a teacher. We wonder where this sense of value is in the typical paycheck that teachers receive, or in the numerous extra duties that many either take on, such as supervising the cafeteria during lunch, sponsoring extracurricular clubs and organizing field trips for the benefit of students, often without thanks or compensation. Teaching is still an underpaid profession nationwide, especially in Texas. In 2005, Texas teachers on the average were paid lower than their counterparts in 32 states, and the average salary of a Texas teacher was ranked $6,000 below that of the national average, according to the National Education Association.

As more of the circumstances come to light, it appears that Gayle Andrews, a fellow art teacher who wasn't getting along with Hooper, allowed one of her students to access the site on a school district computer during class time in front of other students, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

In light of the discovery, Hooper would be wise to remove the photos from the Internet. Indeed, she took a risk in allowing them to be displayed, and it was only a matter of time before someone voiced their dissatisfaction.

Some may argue Hooper has lost credibility in the classroom. We don't envy the task of standing before 25 teenagers who know every detail of the scandal, but she is a professional and should be responsible for her actions. The hysteria that the AISD board and some community members are expressing also harms Hooper's ability to effectively teach.

Students don't check their First Amendment rights at the door. Teachers shouldn't have to do so, either.



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(C) 2006 Daily Texan via U-WIRE

Qld: Just who can lead Qld?

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2006
Qld: Just who can lead Qld?

By Nikki Todd, State Political Correspondent

BRISBANE, Feb 9 AAP - For the first time in almost eight years, the prospect of Queensland
without Premier Peter Beattie at the helm is dominating state politics.

As MPs prepare for next week's first sitting of parliament for 2006, the question of
who is up to the state's top job will be uppermost in their minds.

The issue was thrust into neon lights in recent days after Mr Beattie threatened to
quit if he could not turn the corner on the health crisis which has engulfed his government
over the past 12 months.

He has given himself a deadline of seven or eight months - by September or October
- to perform what some say would be a miracle.

The premier has not set any specific benchmarks upon which to base his decision, other
than judging community perception about how he and the health system are travelling.

But if his record-low ratings in the polls fail to improve - a recent poll showed him
holding a mere 33 per cent approval rating - the man who once held the mantle as Australia's
most popular leader could find himself without a job.

With an election due by May next year, Labor backbenchers are nervous.

Despite boasting a huge 17-seat majority in the parliament, Labor has many vulnerable
electorates.

Eleven seats could be lost with a mere five per cent swing.

If last August's byelection result in the eastern Brisbane seat of Chatsworth is anything
to go by - when Liberal Michael Caltabiano achieved a swing of more than 11 per cent to
win - then the ALP stands to lose at least 29 seats at the next state poll.

According to one Labor backbencher, caucus is not as supportive of Mr Beattie as the
premier would have us believe.

Some feel Mr Beattie should stand aside now rather than leave the uncertainties and
controversies about his leadership hanging over them for eight months.

But big questions remain over who could succeed him.

The premier's personal pick, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh, heads the smaller Left faction
in caucus and is not believed to have sufficient support, neither within caucus or outside
in the greater electorate where few know her.

However, there are no stand-out challengers to her ascendancy, with the dominant Right
faction yet to endorse a candidate - although Transport Minister Paul Lucas and Energy
and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Minister John Mickel are clear frontrunners.

But if Labor has problems, the Opposition is fairing little better.

The whiff of victory might remain in the air following the byelection wins in Chatsworth
and Redcliffe last August but the two conservative parties remain at loggerheads.

Despite a two-day retreat on the Sunshine Coast for all 22 National and Liberal MPs
this week, the parties continue to run their own agendas.

On any given day Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg will battle Liberal leader Bob
Quinn for media attention.

Instead of presenting one united front with one clearly identified leader, voters are
confronted with images of both men sometimes singing different tunes.

While Mr Springborg is the coalition's agreed alternative premier, the message remains
fuzzy in the electorate where the Nationals leader struggles to outpoll Mr Beattie despite
the latter's fall from grace.

Mr Springborg, who commands a whopping 75 per cent support in his Southern Downs electorate,
continues to be criticised for his perceived lack of worldly experience having first been
elected to the parliament in 1989 aged just 21.

Neither has the coalition managed to iron out their pre-selection differences, announcing
this week both parties would run candidates in Mudgeeraba, Broadwater, Hervey Bay and
Redlands.

The three-cornered contests could see the coalition forfeit winnable seats, particularly
the first three which all hold majorities of less than five per cent.

The fiasco will certainly give Labor some breathing space, with Mr Beattie seizing
on the development.

"They need another term in opposition to get their act together," the premier said.

"If they can't govern themselves, then they can't govern Queensland."

As the election draws nearer and punters are forced to consider who they want to lead
Queensland at this vital time in the state's rapid development, they are left with little
choice.

AAP nt/sc/jt/de

KEYWORD: POLITICS QLD (AAP NEWS ANALYSIS) (REPEATING)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Ispat International Enters Into Strategic Marketing Alliance With e-STEEL.

Business & High Tech Editors

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 10, 2000

World's Most Global Steel Producer to Use Leading B2B Web Site

to Transact Millions of Tons of Steel;

e-STEEL Value Focus and Integration Efficiency Cited

Ispat International N.V. (NYSE: IST US; AEX: IST NA), a member of The LNM Group, one of the world's largest and fastest growing global steel producers, today announced that it has entered into a strategic marketing alliance with e-STEEL Corporation, the leading negotiation-based exchange for the global steel industry. Under the agreement, Ispat International will set important annual tonnage targets, and use e-STEEL, (www.e-steel.com) for marketing prime and non-prime products, and has made a small minority investment in e-STEEL, joining a prominent group of blue-chip investors backing the B2B online exchange.

"Our alliance with e-STEEL will allow us to transact on a one-to-one basis with our customers. This fits well with our overall e-Business strategy and approach to aligning Ispat International with its growing customer base. Our sales and marketing strategy is to expand our growing customer base and market reach, and e-STEEL allows us that opportunity," said Lakshmi N. Mittal, Chairman and CEO of Ispat International. "We look forward to working with e-STEEL to maximize the opportunities offered by the growing, online global steel marketplace." Mittal added.

"Ispat International's proven track record as a leading global steel industry innovator makes this an important alliance with e-STEEL," said Michael S. Levin, e-STEEL Chairman, Founder and CEO. "As a leading force in the largest segments of the steel industry, this endorsement by Ispat is an important validation of our value-driven, global business model, and unique capabilities."

The two companies also agreed to develop several extensive integration initiatives aimed at stronger electronic links between Ispat International systems and the e-STEEL Exchange. These initiatives will provide significantly more cost efficient end-to-end e-Commerce for Ispat throughout its inventory management and order fulfillment systems.

"This partnership between e-STEEL, the global leader in steel e-Commerce and Ispat International, the world's most global steel producer, marks an especially significant event in the rapidly growing B2B steel e-Commerce segment." said Levin.

The Ispat/e-STEEL alliance encompasses the steelmaker's sales and marketing e-Commerce goals and is separate from Metique MarketSite, a global online procurement exchange founded by Ispat International and Commerce One last month.

One of the world's largest steel producers, Ispat International had combined revenues in excess of US$4.7 billion based on shipments of 15.4 million tons of steel products in 1999. This represents an increase of shipments of 43% since 1998, making Ispat International on of the world's fastest growing steel makers. The company has major integrated steel operations in seven countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Trinidad, Germany, France and Ireland.

e-STEEL is the global leader in steel e-Commerce. Currently, more than 2000 companies, from 70 countries, representing all segments of the $700 billion steel industry are members of the e-STEEL Exchange. The web site's proprietary STEELDIRECT(TM) technology provides a secure, customized transaction environment which enables both buyers and sellers of steel products to initiate a completely negotiated-based transaction with either specific existing commercial partners, or easily find new business pairings.

About e-STEEL

New York City-based e-STEEL Corporation (www.e-steel.com) is a leading Internet-based, neutral marketplace for prime and secondary products serving the $700 billion global steel industry. Its electronic commerce solution web site unites buyers and sellers, and provides an array of resources for sales and purchasing professionals throughout the steel value chain. e-STEEL provides an easy-to-use, secure web site where both steel buyers and sellers can initiate, describe, specifically target, negotiate, and conclude transactions online.

In the past two months, e-STEEL has formed strategic alliances with several top steel industry participants, including Dofasco, Inc., Dueferco Group, Worthington Steel, U.S. Steel, and National Steel. Additionally, the company formed an e-Commerce joint venture for the Japanese domestic market with top-tier Japanese trading companies, Mitsui & Co., Mitsubishi Corporation, and Nissho Iwai Corp.

Founded in September 1998, e-STEEL has 130 employees, and offices in New York, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Brussels, Tokyo and Singapore. Strategic investors include Goldman, Sachs & Co.; Amerindo Investment Advisors, Bessemer Venture Partners, Dofasco Inc., DuPont, GE Capital, Greylock, Ispat International, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, MC Capital Inc., MSD Capital, Mitsui & Company U.S.A. Inc., a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corp., U.S. Steel Corporation, and Vulcan Ventures.

About Ispat International N.V. (www.ispat.com)

Ispat International N.V., a member of The LNM Group, is the world's fifth largest steel producer, with operations in countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Trinidad, Germany, France and Ireland.

A leader in steel making technologies, Ispat International is also the world's largest producer and consumer of Direct Reduced Iron. The company has over 18,000 employees and manufactures a broad range of coated, cold rolled and hot rolled products, high quality wire rods and semi-finished flat and long products. The LNM Group also has steel making operations at Ispat Karmet in Kazakhstan and Ispat Indo in Indonesia.

About Metique MarketSite (www.metique.com)

Metique MarketSite, based upon the Commerce One(R) MarketSite(TM) Portal Solution, is the first global B2B procurement portal for the metals and mining industry. Founded by Ispat International N.V. and Commerce One, the MarketSite is open to all metals and mining companies, including the steel, aluminium, zinc, copper and mining sectors, their suppliers and their customers. It represents the first objective and collaborative effort by companies in the metals and mining world to realize significant cost and other benefits, enabled by new tools and services including state-of-the-art software, automation, comprehensive catalog services and a network of fully connected buyers and suppliers. The new company operates as an independent business, with its own management team.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on current expectations whereas actual results may differ.

Weekly Internet Ratings From Nielsen//NetRatings Data for Monday, July 26 through Sunday, August 1, 1999.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 5, 1999--

The Blair Witch Project Web Site Swells with 67% More Visitors

The following Internet audience and advertising information is from Nielsen//NetRatings, the Internet measurement service from Nielsen Media Research (NYSE: NMR) and NetRatings, Inc. The information includes: Top 25 Web Properties, Top 10 Internet Advertisers, Top 10 Ad Banners and Average Internet Usage statistics for the week ending August 1, 1999. -0-

  Noteworthy this week:       -- The Blair Witch Project entered into the Top 50 Web Sites at      No. 45, as compared to the previous week at No. 133. As the hype      of the "mockumentary" grew, the number of unique visitors to its      web site increased by 67% from three weeks ago to nearly 648,000      visitors this week. The average time spent per person on the site      was 16.1 minutes. Please contact Nielsen//NetRatings for its      special report on the movie for an in-depth analysis.       -- No. 1 clicked-on ad banner was Webshots' ad, which had a 9.5%      click rate. Webshots offers free electronic photos for desktop      "wallpaper."       -- ImproveNet continued its ascent from No. 14 to No. 8 on the      list of top advertisers for the week. It captured two spots on      the Top Ten Ad Banners list. ImproveNet is a home improvement      network.            Nielsen//NetRatings: Top 25 Web Sites by Property                         July 26-August 1, 1999               Ranking of the Most Visited Web Properties  Property             Unique Audience (000)     Time Per Person (min) 1.  AOL Websites            17,670                     14.6 2.  Yahoo!                  16,489                     31.5 3.  MSN                     11,804                     26.8 4.  Lycos Network            8,019                      8.7 5.  GO Network               5,623                     15.7 6.  Excite Network           5,283                     21.6 7.  Microsoft                4,009                     11.9 8.  AltaVista                3,122                      7.1 9.  Time Warner              3,122                     10.8 10. eBay                     2,668                     82.8 11. Amazon                   2,571                     11.4 12. Blue Mt. Arts            2,180                      9.8 13. Snap                     2,169                     10.0 14. LookSmart                2,063                      6.8 15. AT&T                     1,740                     12.6 16. ZDNet                    1,635                      7.4 17. CNET                     1,597                      7.6 18. Xoom                     1,479                      9.7 19. CNN                      1,340                     12.8 20. Broadcast.com            1,338                      7.2 21. Viacom Int'l             1,289                     16.2 22. GoTo.com                 1,269                      3.4 23. EarthLink                1,234                     13.5 24. InfoSpace                1,222                      7.9 25. Porncity                 1,151                     10.8       Example: The data indicate that approximately 1.2 million home Internet users visited at least one of the InfoSpace-owned sites during the week, and each person spent, on average, a total of 7.9 minutes at one or more of their sites.      Notes: Rankings are based on audience measurement of people who have access to the Internet from home. A property is defined as a consolidation of multiple domains and URLs owned by a single entity. Reach is a measure of the unduplicated audience that visits a property. The data are expressed as the percent of the total universe of Internet users who logged onto the Internet at least once during the reporting period.                 Nielsen//NetRatings: Top Ten Advertisers                         July 26-August 1, 1999       Top advertisers, ranked by banner impressions, are based on data from BannerTrack(SM), Nielsen//NetRatings' syndicated advertising research report. An impression is counted each time an ad banner is fully loaded onto a user's screen.  Advertiser(a)        Impressions in millions         Reach % 1. TRUSTe                      216.2                  12.2 2. Microsoft                    98.3                  21.3 3. Amazon                       81.1                  25.2 4. Next Card                    40.4                  17.2 5. CDNOW                        39.3                  15.0 6. Ad Council                   30.0                   7.3 7. LinkExchange                 28.7                   6.7 8. ImproveNet                   24.0                  11.7 9. E*TRADE                      23.2                   3.4 10.America Online               22.3                  11.9       Note (a): Impressions reported include house ads, which are ads that run on an advertiser's own web property.      Example: An estimated 98.3 million Microsoft ad banners were completely loaded on users' computers during the surfing week. These banners were delivered to 21.3% or 4.0 million home Internet users.               Nielsen//NetRatings: Top Ten Ad Banners Viewed                         July 26-August 1, 1999       Top Banners, ranked according to reach percent, are cited from BannerTrack(SM), Nielsen//NetRatings' syndicated ad research service.  Advertiser(b)       Reach %             Creative 1. Uproar            4.6    Where does Homer Simpson Work? Bar, Bank,                              Nuclear Plant, Sewer 2. Bonzi Software    4.6    Speed Up Internet Connection 3. ImproveNet        4.4    Use our free matching service to find a                              contractor. 4. eBay              3.9    (Picture of a tuba, wrench and football) 5. Launch            3.7    Watch today's hottest MUSIC VIDEOS!                              LAUNCH.COM 6. Kingston/Gateway  3.5    Kingston and Gateway have teamed to                              bring you a workhorse for your workgroup. 7. Lowestfare        3.4    35% off major airlines fares. 7 world                              cities. Thru Aug. 4, 1999 8. ImproveNet        3.2    Air Conditioning on the fritz? We can help.                              ImproveNet. Click here. 9. GetSmart          3.2    Find: A Loan for Me. Refinancing, Second                              Mortgage, Debt Consolidation 10. Lowestfare       3.1    35% off major airline's fares to 7 cities.                              Deal ends 8/4/99!       Note (b): Ad banners that run predominantly on an advertiser's own property or house ads are not included in the above.                          Average Internet Usage                         July 26-August 1, 1999       Data below represent activity for the average Internet user during the designated weekly period.                                  Current Week  Last Week    % Change Number of Sessions per Week          6            6           0.0 Number of Unique Sites Visited       6            6           0.0 Page Views per Week                121          119          +1.7 Page Views per Surfing Session      21           20          +5.0 Time Spent per Week            2:43:24      2:42:18          +0.7 Time Spent per Surfing Session 0:27:14      0:27:03          +0.7 Duration of a Page viewed      0:01:18      0:01:21         - 4.1 Average Click Rate  for Top Banners                  0.38         0.44        - 13.6 Active Internet Universe  (actually surfed)          44.1 million   43.4 million      +1.7 Current Internet Universe  Estimate (had access, but did not necessarily go online)  106.4 million 106.1 million      +0.2 

The Nielsen//NetRatings audience information service collects data from approximately 15,000 panelists as they surf the web at home. The Nielsen//NetRatings panel is the largest media research sample of at-home Internet users currently being measured in real time. Nielsen//NetRatings uses unique technology capable of measuring both Internet use and advertising to provide the most timely, accurate and comprehensive Internet usage data and advertising information in the industry.

Gartner evaluates maturity of 1900 technologies in special report.

Gartner's 2011 Hype Cycle Special Report provides strategists and planners with an assessment of the maturity, business benefit and future direction of over 1,900 technologies, grouped into 76 distinct Hype Cycles, the research firm said.

According to Gartner, the Hype Cycle graphic has been used by Gartner since 1995 to highlight the common pattern of overenthusiasm, disillusionment and eventual realism that accompanies each new technology and innovation.

The Hype Cycle Special Report is updated annually to track technologies along this cycle and provide guidance on when and where organisations should adopt them for maximum impact and value and according to Gartner, the "Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies" report is the longest-running annual Hype Cycle, providing a cross-industry perspective on the technologies and trends that IT managers should consider in developing emerging-technology portfolios.

"Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies" targets strategic planning, innovation and emerging technology professionals by highlighting a set of technologies that will have broad-ranging impact across the business," said Jackie Fenn, VP and Gartner fellow. "It is the broadest aggregate Gartner Hype Cycle, featuring technologies that are the focus of attention because of particularly high levels of hype, or those that may not be broadly acknowledged but that Gartner believes have the potential for significant impact,"she added.

"Themes from this year's Emerging Technologies Hype Cycle include ongoing interest and activity in social media, cloud computing and mobile," Fenn said. "On the social media side, social analytics, activity streams and a new entry for group buying are close to the peak, showing that the era of sky-high valuations for Web 2.0 startups is not yet over. Private cloud computing has taken over from more-general cloud computing at the top of the peak, while cloud/Web platforms have fallen toward the Trough of Disillusionment since 2010. Mobile technologies continue to be part of most of our clients' short- and long-range plans and are present on this Hype Cycle in the form of media tablets, NFC payments, quick response (QR)/color codes, mobile application stores and location-aware applications,"explained Fenn.

According to the report, transformational technologies that will hit the mainstream in less than five years include highly visible areas, such as media tablets and cloud computing, as well as some that are more IT-specific, such as in-memory database management systems, big data, and extreme information processing and management. In the long term, beyond the five-year horizon, 3D printing, context-enriched services, the Internet of Things, Internet TV and natural language question answering will be major technology forces. Looking more than 10 years out, 3D bioprinting, human augmentation, mobile robots and quantum computing will also drive transformational change in the potential of IT.

Many of the technologies featured on this Hype Cycle contribute to the four themes featured in Gartner's recent report on top technology trends "Technology Trends That Matter" beginning with the connected world or advances in embedded sensors, processing and wireless connectivity that are bringing the power of the digital world to objects and places in the physical world. This is a slow-moving area, but one that is now accelerating with the growing pervasiveness of low-cost, embedded sensors and cameras. Relevant entries on this year's Hype Cycle include the broad trend referred to as the "Internet of Things" (called the "real-world Web" in earlier Gartner research); identification technologies, such as NFC payments (which will lead to broader use of NFC for other applications); QR/color code and image recognition; application layers, such as augmented reality, context-enriched services and location-aware applications; and communication technologies, such as machine-to-machine communication services and sensor mesh networks. Although this area will take at least another decade to unfold fully, many interesting and profitable opportunities will arise along the way, the report pointed out.

The next featured technologies are interface trends, another slow-moving area with significant recent activity. Speech recognition was on the original 1995 Hype Cycle and has still not reached maturity, and computer-brain interfaces will evolve for at least another 10 years before moving out of research and niche status. However, a new entry for natural language question answering recognises the impressive and highly visible achievement of IBM's Watson computer in winning TV's Jeopardy! general knowledge quiz against champion human opponents. Gesture recognition has also been launched into the mainstream through Microsoft's Kinect gaming systems, which is now being hacked by third parties to create a range of application interfaces. Other areas continue to progress more slowly, including speech-to-speech translation, augmented reality and virtual assistants, while virtual worlds remain entrenched in the trough after peaking in 2007.

Analytical advances is the next featured technology trend, supporting the storage and manipulation of raw data to derive greater value and insight, these technologies continue to grow in capability and applicability. Predictive analytics is approaching maturity, but researchers and developers continue to apply and improve the core techniques for new data sources. According to the report, image recognition is driving new capabilities in search, retail and social media, and also contributes to advances in other areas, such as augmented reality and video analytics, for customer service and social analytics continues to take advantage of new sources and types of social information. Computational advances, such as in-memory database management systems and big data, take the scope and scale to new levels, the report said.

Finally, crossing the traditional boundaries of IT or digital frontiers are also a featured technology trend. Gartner said that new capabilities are reaching levels of performance and pricing that will fundamentally reshape processes and even industries. Examples on this year's Hype Cycle include 3D printing and bioprinting (of human tissue), and mobile robots.

"Many Gartner clients use Hype Cycles as part of their technology-planning process, often drawing from multiple Hype Cycles, augmented with industry- or company-specific topics to create their own Hype Cycles and Priority Matrices," said Fenn. "Technology providers use Hype Cycles as a way to understand the likely market reaction to their products and services based on the adopter community's expectations and attitudes. Investors watch for technologies that are on the rise in a Hype Cycle to try to catch them before the Peak of Inflated Expectations or at the beginning of the Slope of Enlightenment before they move into mainstream adoption," she concluded.

Corporate Publishing International. All rights reserved.

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Dhoni's men make a date with destiny.(Reprint)

This news was brought to you by www.7days.ae

All&#8200;that lies between India and greatness is Sri Lanka, after Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side made sure of their place in Saturday's final with a 29-run win over Pakistan in Mohali.

The hosts were the slight favourites heading into the match that, even before a ball was bowled, was dubbed 'the game of the century'.

However, such was the pressure on Dhoni's side, and the ability of their arch-rivals, that no one was taking anything for granted.

But, keen to hit 28 years of World Cup woe for six, India didn't fluff their lines and will take their place in the crucial clash in Mumbai and seek to emulate Kapil Dev's heroes of 1983.

Having won the toss and elected to bat India made 260 for nine off their 50 overs.

While some thought that below par, Pakistan's run-chase was always going to be tough under the lights and with night time dew increasing. Shahid Afridi's side lost wickets at regular intervals and although never out of it never looked like reaching the victory target.

Mohammad Hafeez (43), Asad Shafiq (30) and Umar Akmal (30) all got in without going on to score an innings-defining knock.

The India attack shared the wickets with Yuvraj Singh (two for 57) once again popping up to get the vital scalp of Younus Khan (13). Once big-hitters Afridi (19) and Abdul Razzaq (three)&#8200;departed there was no way back for Pakistan.

Not even a gallant knock by Misbah-ul-Haq (56) was enough to save his side as they were bowled out for 231.

However, it could have been a different story for the tournament's surprise package. Skipper Afridi would have been ruing a sloppy fielding effort from his team as they squandered several opportunities to pin the home side down.

India's innings was built on the back of Sachin Tendulkar's chancy 85, however, it could have been far less if the Pakistani fielders hadn't dropped the 'Little Master' four times.

Misbah, Younus, Umar and Kamran Akmal were all guilty of letting India's main man off the hook, with the skipper the unlucky bowler on three occasions. Tendulkar also used a review to successfully overturn an LBW decision earlier in his knock. But just when it seemed nothing could stop the 37-year-old from bringing up his 100th international century, Afridi caught him off Saeed Ajmal (two for 44), to deny India's talisman the magical milestone.

Earlier, the hosts looked set to blast their way into the final when opener Virender Sehwag (38) tore into the Pakistani attack.

The right-hander smashed five fours to milk 21 runs off Umar Gul's (none for 69) second over, but couldn't make the most of the flying start as Wahab Riaz (five for 46) trapped the opener LBW on the way to his first five-wicket haul.

Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (27) managed to add 68 for the third wicket but Hafeez (one for 34) ended the blossoming partnership by removing Gambhir, and Riaz returned to claim Virat Kohli (nine) and the in-form Yuvraj (zero) with successive deliveries to leave the hosts reeling at 141 for four.

However, Dhoni (25) and Suresh Raina (36 not out) steadied the ship before the latter cashed in on the batting powerplay to carry the home side past the 250-mark.

This article was originally published by www.7days.ae.

2011 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

The Express Manicure and Pedicure at the Lime Spa at Desert Palm.

Provided by 7DAYS.ae

Tester: Jane Plunkett

Is Lime Spa new to Dubai?

While the entire area of Jumeirah has spas and hotels coming out of its ears, at last the Mirdif side of town has something to brag about too, with the recent opening of the Desert Palm Resort. The Lime Spa is the in-house spa at Desert Palm and it's part of the renowned Per Aquum spa group, found in places like the Maldives, Sri Lanka and the Seychelles.

So where is Desert Palm exactly?

It's located just past Dragon Mart on the Hatta Oman road. The drive there might not be the most scenic, especially with all the sewage trucks in that area lined up along the roadside, but once you enter Desert Palm, this stinky sight is soon forgotten. Desert Palm is a new boutique hotel, with lush green polo grounds and meadows with horses surrounding it.

What type of spa is Lime?

The whole philosophy behind Lime is very holistic and most of the treatments work in conjunction with the teachings of colour therapy. On arrival you are given a glass of water and asked to fill out a form asking you, 'what colour do you feel today?'. While many may think that green stands for jealousy or red stands for danger, at Lime the meanings of colours are very different. Simply put - the colour orange has sexy connotations to it, while yellow is all about energy and confidence. You can also choose music from a music menu to suit your colour mood.

What was unique about the treatment?

The manicure and pedicure I booked in for was described as a natural experience. The products used to wash, exfoliate and moisturise the skin are completely natural, with no synthetic additives, and the nail polish collection is organic and eco-friendly. As opposed to booking in for a nail treatment at a regular salon, there is a lot more emphasis on comfort and relaxation at Lime. It's not a treatment for those that want a quick polish, but a treatment for those who want to indulge a little.

How so?

Well you are provided with your own gigantic treatment room, kitted out with a couch, a bed, showers, mirrors and a great view onto the hotel lawns. For the manicure/pedicure treatment you are asked to lie on the bed and your eyes are covered with a lilac scented eye cushion. From that moment on you don't have to move a muscle, as your feet and hands are washed in unique bowls, without you even having to move from the bed. An iPod of music is set up and your requested music is played, as you drift off or simply relax for an hour or so.

Was it a good manicure/pedicure?

As far as manicure/pedicures go, it was as good as any. I found the real bonus here to be the comfort factor. But being able to relax to the music of Beethoven's fifth symphony as my talons were being polished, now that's what I call unique.

The cost of the Express Manicure and Pedicure at Lime is dhs180. As a summer special, Lime are offering their Total Pedicure and Vital Manicure treatment (over two-hours worth of treatment) for the reduced price of dhs540. Contact the Lime spa on 04 323 8888 or visit www.limespas.com.

[c] 2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company

Research and Markets: Russia Information Technology Report Q2 2011 - Available Now!(Report)

DUBLIN -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/927cc5/russia_information) has announced the addition of the "Russia Information Technology Report Q2 2011" report to their offering.

The Russia Information Technology Report features Business Monitor International (BMI)'s market assessment and independent 5-year forecasts to end-2015 covering personal computers and software; semi-conductors, memory chips, integrated circuits and general components; the internet and IT solutions. The report also analyses regulatory changes (licensing, customs and intellectual property protection) and competitive landscapes comparing multinational and national IT companies by products, sales, market share, investments, projects and expansion strategies.

BMI's Russia Information Technology Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, IT associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on the IT industry in Russia.

Key Benefits

* Benchmark BMI's independent 5-year IT industry forecasts to test other views - a key input for successful budgetary and strategic business planning in the Russian IT market.

* Target business opportunities and risks in Russia's IT sector through the reviews of latest industry trends, regulatory changes, and major deals, projects and investments in Russia.

* Assess the activities, strategy and market position of your competitors, partners and clients via BMI's Company Profiles (inc. KPIs and latest activity).

Coverage:

Executive Summary Summary of BMI's key industry forecasts, views and trend analysis covering IT, regulatory changes, major investments and projects, and significant multinational and national company developments.

Regional Overview Cross-border analysis of regional markets, commenting on IT penetration (PC and internet) and market growth drivers (IT market size and IT market compound growth).

Market Overview Structure, size and value of industry sector; overview of industry landscape and key players; assessment of business operating environment and latest regulatory developments.

BMI 5-Year Industry Forecast Historic data series and 5-year forecasts to end-2015 for all key industry indicators (see list below), supported by explicit assumptions, plus analysis of key downside risks to the main forecast, including:

IT Sector: IT industry value (US$bn); IT sector contribution to GDP (%); value of hardware, software and services industry (US$mn); PC, peripherals and software imports and exports (US$mn); PC, peripherals and software sales (US$mn); number of PCs (000); PCs/100 inhabitants; internet users (000); internet users per 100 inhabitants; broadband subscribers (000); broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants.

Economy: Economic growth (%); nominal GDP (US$bn); unemployment (%); interest rates (%); exchange rate (against US$).

Competitive Landscape Full analysis of the competitive landscape within the hardware, software and services sectors.

Company Profiles Examining the competitive positioning and short- to medium-term business strategies of key industry players. Strategy is examined within the context of BMI's industry forecasts, our macroeconomic views and our understanding of the wider competitive landscape. Latest financial and operating statistics and key company developments are also incorporated within our company profiles, enabling a full evaluation of recent company performance and future growth prospects.

Companies Mentioned:

* IBS Group

* IBM Russia

* Kraftway

* NCC

* HP

* Oracle

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/927cc5/russia_information

Sprint Invests Close to $6 Million to Prepare its Mississippi Networks for the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

JACKSON, Miss. -- During Hurricane Preparedness Week and the days leading up to the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season, Sprint (NYSE:S) and the Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT) are ensuring customers of their dedicated preparedness for the 12 to 18 tropical storm systems the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently projected for the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane season.

In 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, Sprint invested close to $6 million to enhance and prepare its wireless networks in the state of Mississippi, including close to $4 million along the state's Gulf Coast region.

For any potentially impactful storm event, Sprint ERT, along with the company's network and business continuity teams will be pre-staged in hurricane-prone areas of the state with:

* Hundreds of portable generators to provide power to Sprint network assets when local power is unavailable.

* Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS) and Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) to provide immediate restoration of service and help facilitate wireless and IP communications among disaster relief and emergency response agencies.

* Experienced and well-trained technicians and engineers who can readily access and maintain the resiliency of Sprint network assets.

Sprint also has permanent generators - automatic cutover switches to immediately neutralize any loss of commercial power - installed at:

* All of its wireless and wireline switches - the network components where wireless data and calls are routed to their final destination.

* The company's network Points of Presence (POP) - the facilities where traffic enters and leaves the company's global IP network, which facilitates dedicated data services for Sprint's corporate and government customers, as well as other critical communications.

Sprint's commitment to consumers, first responders and emergency medical officials

Created in 2002, the Sprint Emergency Response Team is a group of seasoned personnel with expertise in providing immediate restoration of wireless voice, data and IP service, Sprint Mobile Broadband devices, and fully charged Sprint and Nextel Direct Connect[R] phones to facilitate coordination among disaster relief and emergency response agencies, public safety officials and medical personnel.

Sprint ERT maintains a 24-hour hotline, 365 days a year, to rapidly address client needs and, during times of state and federally-declared national disasters, provides 25 mobile devices and wireless service free of charge for 14 days to state and local agencies. Since its creation, Sprint ERT has conducted more than 4,800 deployments, and provided emergency wireless support for more than 1,250 events.

Since 2001, Sprint has worked with Wilmington-based weather data and hurricane awareness expert, Mark Sudduth of HurricaneTrack.com on his team's efforts to provide live, immediate and seamless reporting during every hurricane season. Over the last 10 years, Sprint has supplied Mark and his team with Sprint 3G and 4G mobile phones and broadband devices to give them fast and reliable mobile Internet connectivity during their field data collection efforts and online video reporting. Sudduth is based in Wilmington, N.C., and has reported on close to 40 named tropical storms and hurricanes along the Atlantic Coast since 1998.

"The wireless resources and support from Sprint has been truly invaluable to our efforts and HurricaneTrack.com's supporters and fans," said Sudduth. "No matter the storm condition - it can be a Category 1 or Category 5 hurricane - Sprint's 3G and 4G service has been reliable and always available when we need it."

Additionally wireless consumers are encouraged to utilize their phones and tablets to access hundreds of emergency and preparation mobile applications from the Android Market[TM], BlackBerry App World[TM] or GetJar.com and use the following tips to prepare for a hurricane, severe flood or other natural disasters:

* Keep your wireless phone and backup batteries charged, but be aware that an interruption of wireline and commercial power could affect wireless calls.

* If possible, get extra batteries and charge them.

* In times of commercial power outages, a car adapter for your wireless phone should enable you to recharge the battery.

* Keep phones and necessary accessories in a sealed plastic bag to avoid water damage.

* Load family and emergency numbers into your wireless phone.

* Use your Sprint camera phone to take digital pictures or video of your property and valuables before the storm hits. Upload the images to your personal pictures inbox on www.sprint.com so you have "before" pictures in the event of any storm damage.

* Wireless networks sometimes experience heavy traffic during emergency events, so remember to use Nextel Direct Connect([R])or send a text message.

For more information about Sprint's hurricane preparation efforts, or to learn what you can do to prepare for a major storm, visit www.sprint.com/hurricaneinformation. Public safety officials seeking information about services from the Sprint Emergency Response Team should call 1-888-639-0020 or email ERTRequests@sprint.com.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 51 million customers at the end of 1Q 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 6 in its 2010 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation's greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

BancorpSouth Announces First Quarter Earnings Webcast Schedule.

Officials of BancorpSouth, Inc. (NYSE: BXS) said that the company will release first quarter 2011 earnings on Monday, April 25 after the close of the financial markets. It will also hold its regularly scheduled webcast Tuesday, April 26, beginning at 10:00 a.m. CDT.

The webcast is live coverage of management's conference call with analysts and can be found by going to the company's internet site (www.bancorpsouth.com) and selecting "Investor Relations". This will be an interactive session between management and analysts; others may listen to the live broadcast as it happens. The conference will also be available in archived format at the same address.

BancorpSouth, Inc. is a financial holding company headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi, with approximately $13.6 billion in assets. BancorpSouth Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BancorpSouth, Inc., operates approximately 312 commercial banking, mortgage, insurance, trust and broker/dealer locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. BancorpSouth Bank also operates an insurance location in Illinois. BancorpSouth's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BXS.

Keywords: BancorpSouth, BancorpSouth Inc., Finance, Financial Companies, Financial Market, Industry, Investing, Investment, Mortgage Insurance, New York Stock Exchange, Real Estate, Regional - Southeast Banks, Stock Market.

This article was prepared by Real Estate Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Real Estate Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.

MORE bad news for organised [...].(Features)

Byline: Richard Kay

MORE bad news for organised religion. Arianna Huffington, former arm-candy of the late Bernard Levin, who sold her internet blog to AOL for [pounds sterling]200million, has pronounced the last rites for churches. 'Museums are the places many of us go to instead of churches and temples, for a sense of transcendence and meaning,' says Cambridge-educated Arianna. 'I am all the more cognisant of the need to sit idly in a museum and let your mind disconnect.' And to think about that multi-million pay day.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation Announces Strategic and Financial Plan to Increase Shareholder Value and Reduce Debt.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) today announced a strategic and financial plan designed to increase shareholder value, reduce debt and ultimately achieve an investment grade rating for the company's debt securities. Through a series of transactions over the next 24 months, including the preferred stock placement announced today, the company is planning to raise up to $5.0 billion in order to repay up to $3.5 billion of senior indebtedness and increase its investment in liquids-rich plays by up to $1.5 billion. Chesapeake is in various stages of implementing its strategic and financial plan, several steps of which are outlined below.

The company is planning to sell up to a 20% equity interest in its subsidiary, Chesapeake Appalachia, L.L.C., which includes its Marcellus Shale operations, to private and/or public investors within the next 3-12 months. Chesapeake is one of the largest producers, the largest leasehold owner with 1.5 million net acres and the most active driller with 24 operated rigs in the Marcellus Shale play.

Chesapeake will repay $600 million of certain outstanding senior notes with proceeds from the preferred stock placements to investors in Asia which was separately announced today. Over the next 24 months, Chesapeake anticipates repaying up to an additional $2.9 billion of senior notes with proceeds from the potential placement of up to $500 million of additional preferred stock to investors in Asia, the sale of an equity interest in Chesapeake Appalachia, L.L.C. referenced above, the potential joint ventures described below and/or other asset monetizations.

The company has built an industry-leading position in 12 liquids-rich plays. Chesapeake is currently using 21 operated rigs to further develop its 1.9 million net acres of leasehold in these plays. Chesapeake is exploring various joint venture opportunities to enable it to recover its leasehold expenditures to date and to fund accelerated drilling in these plays. Specifically, by the end of the third quarter of 2010, the company intends to enter into a joint venture on its Eagle Ford Shale play that currently includes approximately 400,000 net acres of leasehold. The company is also considering entering into joint ventures on certain of its other liquids-rich plays. Chesapeake's goal is to achieve a 50 operated rig program on its liquids-rich plays within the next 12 months, which would lead to much more rapid value creation for shareholders.

Finally, Chesapeake plans further midstream asset monetizations from its wholly owned midstream subsidiary, Chesapeake Midstream Development, L.P. that primarily owns gas gathering operations in the Haynesville, Fayetteville, Marcellus and Eagle Ford shales. Some of the monetizations may be completed with a subsidiary of the company's 50/50 midstream joint venture with Global Infrastructure Partners L.P., which acquired Chesapeake's gathering assets in the Barnett Shale and certain of its gas gathering assets in the Mid-Continent in 2009.

Conference Call Information

A conference call to discuss this release has been scheduled for Tuesday morning, May 11, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. EDT. The telephone number to access the conference call is 913-312-0822 or toll-free 888-811-5436. The passcode for the call is 4587425. We encourage those who would like to participate in the call to dial the access number between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. EDT. For those unable to participate in the conference call, a replay will be available for audio playback from 2:00 p.m. EDT on May 11, 2010 through midnight EDT on May 25, 2010. The number to access the conference call replay is 719-457-0820 or toll-free 888-203-1112. The passcode for the replay is 4587425. The conference call will also be webcast live on the Internet and can be accessed by going to Chesapeake's website at www.chk.com in the "Events" subsection of the "Investors" section of the website. The webcast of the conference call will be available on Chesapeake's website for one year.

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations or forecasts of future events. They include statements about the expected effects, timing and benefits of the strategic and financial plan announced, the amounts of capital to be raised and indebtedness to be repaid, the anticipated monetization of a portion of our Marcellus Shale operations and liquids-rich plays, our drilling plans to focus on liquids-rich plays, possible future midstream monetizations and other statements regarding our plans and objectives for future operations. We caution you not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release, and we undertake no obligation to update this information.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties and may be influenced by factors beyond our control that could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results, including the impact of general economic and industry conditions and our ability to execute securities offerings, arrange joint ventures and effect other asset monetizations as planned. Any of the risk factors that affect our business generally, as described under "Risk Factors" in our 2009 Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2010, could affect the outcome of our strategic and financial plan. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties that may affect our future results, please see our filings with the SEC available on www.sec.gov.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation is one of the largest producers of natural gas and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company's operations are focused on discovering and developing unconventional natural gas and oil fields onshore in the U.S. Chesapeake owns leading positions in the Barnett, Fayetteville, Haynesville, Marcellus, and Bossier natural gas shale plays and in the Eagle Ford, Granite Wash and various other unconventional liquids-rich plays. The company has also vertically integrated its operations and owns substantial midstream, compression, drilling and oilfield service assets. Further information is available at www.chk.com.

BRIEFING - ASIA HEALTH - MAY 25, 2009.

An executive briefing on Health for May 25, 2009, prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.

VIETNAM CLEAR OF A(H1N1) FLU BUT WARY OF CHOLERA

HANOI - The Vietnamese Ministry of Health on May 22 assured the prime minister that so far there have been no confirmed cases of a(h1n1) flu after taking all necessary measures.

In a written report, the ministry said that strict supervision at 17 border gates, covering airports, seaports and land borders, had discovered and put into quarantine 63 suspected cases of A(H1N1) flu. However all of them tested negative to the virus.

FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS TO THAILAND TO DROP UP TO 15%: TTAA

BANGKOK - The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) has forecast Thailand's tourist arrivals would drop a further 10-15 per cent as a result of the influenza A (H1N1) outbreak even though latest lab tests confirmed no new cases found in the Kingdom.

TTAA president Charoen Wongananont was quoted on May 21 by Thai News Agency (TNA) as revealing that 95 per cent of Chinese and Japanese tourists have cancelled their planned trips to Thailand since the outbreak of the new A (H1N1) virus strain, while half the scheduled travellers from Hong Kong have cancelled or postponed their visits to the kingdom.

PLENTY OF AVENUES FOR NEPAL TO BUILD, PROMOTE SPA INDUSTRY

KATHMANDU - Taking purifying baths in sacred springs, healing rituals and massages have long been a part of Nepali culture, long before luxurious five star spa getaways became fashionable.

Using medicinal herbs and ayurvedic treatments has been a traditional way of life in the Himalaya for centuries.

JAPAN TO HELP BUILD INTL BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTRE IN VIETNAM

HANOI - Japan will join hands with Vietnam to build the International Biomedical Research Centre for the Mekong region to help regional nations better respond to emerging and dangerous diseases.

The Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hirofumi Nakasone, announced this during his visit to the Hanoi-based National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE) to inquire into its capacity to cope with influenza A/H1N1.

S'TOMO LIFE, MITSUI LIFE TO TAP NEW SALES CHANNELS VIA VENTURE

TOKYO - Sumitomo Life Insurance Co. and Mitsui Life Insurance Co. said Friday that they will jointly establish a life insurer that targets new marketing channels.

The joint venture will be capitalized at about 25 billion yen (US$263.67 million), with Sumitomo Life holding an 80 per cent majority ownership. A preparatory company will be formed this October, with sales expected to begin in the first half of fiscal 2010. The new insurer will start out with some 70 employees, more than half of whom will be on loan from the two parent entities.

NEW FLU IN TOKYO FORCES MIZUHO TO TAKE INVESTOR BRIEFING ONLINE

TOKYO - Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (TSE:8411) on Friday held its earnings briefing for stock analysts via the Internet instead of in person following the outbreak of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the Tokyo metropolitan region.

After making a real-time presentation, President Takashi Tsukamoto took questions from analysts.

JAPANESE TOURISTS CANCEL CNMI TOURS DUE TO H1N1 VIRUS

SAIPAN - Large groups of Japanese tourists intending to visit the CNMI and other destinations have cancelled their trips because of the H1N1 virus despite the authorities assurance that the islands, including Guam, remain unaffected.

Marianas Visitors Authority (MVA) managing director Perry Tenorio, who just returned from a promotional tour to Japan, said he had seen a lot of cancelled trips to the destination due to the H1N1 virus.

S. KOREA BANS CHINESE HEAT-PROCESSED DUCK MEAT

SEOUL - Importation of Chinese heat-processed duck meat has been suspended after the discovery of a antimicrobial substance that can cause a fatal condition known as aplastic anemia in humans, the Soth Korean government said Monday.

The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) said it found 1.0 parts per billion of Chloramphenicol in a 3.8 ton shipment of meat from a Chinese meat exporter.

INDIA'S MATRIX LABS TO ACQUIRE ONE PCT STAKE IN ASTRIX JV

MUMBAI - Drug firm Matrix Laboratories (BSE:524794) on Friday said it will acquire a one per cent additional stake in Astrix Laboratories, a 50:50 joint venture between Matrix and South Africa-based Aspen Pharmacare holdings for an undisclosed amount.

Matrix had earlier announced that its US-based parent company Mylanc Inc would acquire 49 per cent stake in Astrix from Aspen, and the remaining one per cent stake would be acquired by Matrix itself, the company said in a filing to Bombay Stock Exchange.

TOURISM MALAYSIA EMBARKS ON HEALTH TOURISM RESEARCH

KUALA LUMPUR - Tourism Malaysia will embark on a three-year extensive plan to collect data and market profile on health tourism, as part of its strategy to make Malaysia a premier health and wellness destination.

Tourism Malaysia's Director of Research and Industry Development Division Zulkifly Md Said said the research was very important in order to identify potential markets in the health and wellness industry that could be tapped.

MALAYSIA REMAINS ON HIGH ALERT FOR INFLUENZA A (H1N1)

JOHOR BAHARU (Malaysia) - The Malaysian government will remain on high alert for Influenza A (H1N1) even though the country has been declared free of local transmission of the virus.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said that checks at entry points would continue, especially on those arriving from affected countries such as the United States.

TAISHO PHARMA TO ROLL OUT AMPED-UP HAIR GROWTH TONIC

TOKYO - Taisho Pharmaceutical Co. (TSE:4535) will begin sales June 1 of a hair loss treatment for men that contains five times as much of its active ingredient as existing products.

RiUP X5 is 5 per cent minoxidil. Clinical trials have confirmed that it is more effective than products with 1 per cent minoxidil, according to the company. A 60ml container carries a suggested retail price of 7,400 yen (US$78.54).

TOKYO RETAILERS CALM AMID REGION'S 1ST NEW-FLU INFECTIONS

TOKYO - In the wake of the first confirmed cases of A/H1N1 influenza in the Tokyo region, retailers and other companies are taking more relaxed measures to cope with the flu than their counterparts in the greater Osaka area.

Seven & i Holdings Co. (TSE:3382) has instructed employees at 110 of its 7-Eleven convenience stores to wear face masks. And group supermarket operator Ito-Yokado Co. now requires employees to wear masks in areas where food is sold. Personnel must also take their temperatures before leaving for work and stay home if they are running fevers.

JAPAN'S EISAI TO MARKET EPILEPSY DRUG IN EAST ASIA

TOKYO - Eisai Co. (TSE:4523) is working to develop and market the epilepsy drug Zonegran in East Asia. Within the year it expects to release the product in Indonesia.

Eisai already has a presence in the markets of Asia with its Alzheimer's drug Aricept, but by also releasing Zonegran it can broaden it line of drugs for the central nervous system and make better use of its marketing routes.

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ASIA PULSE 25-05 1721