■ China
Bund to become traffic-free
City officials are studying plans to make Shanghai's famous waterfront Bund a traffic-free plaza by moving a riverside thoroughfare underground. Shanghai has begun drafting plans to route the heavy traffic on 10-lane Zhongshan Road, which runs alongside the Huangpu River. "The project aims to divert the huge volume of ground traffic and turn the Bund into a more friendly scenic attraction for visitors," a senior engineer said. However, none of the officials involved were willing to offer a time schedule or cost estimate for the plan.
■ Vietnam
Cops to bust `social evils'
The government has decided to stop granting licences for new bars, karaoke parlors and dancing halls in order to fight "social evils." "We have stopped allowing the establishment of new bars, karaoke and dancing halls as from Wednesday until discipline is restored in these places," an official said. Police will raid bars and businesses seen as promoting "social evils," a term used by the communist government to describe a range of activities, including gambling, drug use and prostitution. Recently, most of those arrested came from affluent families, many the children of high-ranking communist party officials.
■ Hong Kong
Tsang urged to forfeit title
The head of the main pro-China political party, Ma Lik (馬力), made an appeal yesterday for the territory's leader-in-waiting to give up his British knighthood. Doing so would, he said, dispel doubts among people with "strong nationalistic sentiments" towards China. Donald Tsang (曾蔭權), who is expected to be appointed the new Chief Executive in July, was knighted by the Queen in 1997. The knighthood is thought to be one reason that China, while endorsing him as leader, insisted he serve out the term of his predecessor Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) rather than start a new five-year term.
■ Malaysia
Runaway kidney patient dies
A kidney patient who allegedly slashed a fellow patient to death died after he missed his regular dialysis treatments while on the run from the police. Kim Tin Sun, 39, was found unconscious at a resort outside Kuala Lumpur and died shortly afterwards from organ failure. Police had been searching for Kim after he attacked Goh Kim Kee, 50, with a machete in a dispute over the temperature of the air-conditioning at a dialysis center. Kim fled the scene which took place in front of horrified dialysis patients, leaving Goh to bleed to death. The two men had in the past argued about the air-conditioning at the dialysis center, with Goh complaining that it was too cold.
■ United States
Court warns Wiccans
An activist for the Wiccan faith and his ex-wife are challenging a court order that they must protect their nine-year-old son from what it calls "non-mainstream religious beliefs and rituals." The Indiana Civil Liberties Union has appealed the stipulation written into the couple's divorce order, saying it is unconstitutionally vague because it does not define mainstream religion. Thomas Jones, a Wiccan activist who has coordinated Pagan Pride Day in Indianapolis for six years, said he and his ex-wife, Tammy Bristol, were stunned by the order. Neither parent has taken their son to any Wiccan rituals since it was issued, he said.
■ United States
Bill pushes Mandarin
Two prominent US senators proposed legislation on Thursday that would encourage Chinese and US citizens to learn each others' languages in an effort to improve bilateral ties. "The rise of China comes with a whole set of challenges. But the ability to talk to and understand each other should not be among them," bill co-sponsor Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman said at a press event for the US-China Cultural Engagement Act. It would authorize US$1.3 billion in federal funds over five years to provide for Chinese-language instruction in US schools. The bill would also increase consular activity to support US businesses in China and Internet cultural exchanges.
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