■ Computers
IBM shifts buying center
IBM Corp said on Thursday it was transferring its chief purchasing operations to China, a move that highlights Asia's growing importance in the global supply chain. The decision to transfer its chief procurement office from New York to Shenzhen marks the first time the headquarters of a global IBM division has been located outside the US, the company said in a statement. IBM began shifting its Asia-Pacific headquarters from Tokyo to Shanghai in 2004. The addition of its global procurement office to Shenzhen is aimed at reshaping the company's supply base in the region, IBM said.
■ Software
Microsoft buying Colloquis
Microsoft Corp announced a deal on Thursday to buy Colloquis Inc, a privately held firm specializing in virtual service agents programmed to answer questions online. Microsoft said it would use the technology to host a Windows Live Service Agent business for clients and put the Colloquis software to work in its own divisions, beginning with the Xbox video game group. The software recognizes questions or statements sent via instant messaging and then responds as though one were "chatting with a customer service agent," according to Microsoft.
■ Retail
Daiei, Aeon in talks
The top shareholder in Japan's troubled retailer Daiei Inc agreed yesterday to start talks with leading supermarket operator Aeon Co on a capital tie-up to rehabilitate the ailing rival. Trading house Marubeni Corp, which owns 44.6 percent of Daiei, said in a statement that it would consider selling a 15 percent stake to Aeon as part of a wider tie-up to turn around Daiei. US retail giant Wal-Mart has also reportedly been in talks with Marubeni about a possible tie-up with Daiei, but the trading house apparently concluded that Aeon was the best partner to help get the retailer back on its feet.
■ Internet Games
Sportingbet dumps US biz
Sportingbet PLC, the British online gambling company, said yesterday it had dumped its US operations following legislation to ban Internet gambling in that country. Sportingbet sold its US sports-betting and casino business and its US poker operations to Antigua-based Jazette Enterprises Ltd for US$1, offloading US$13.2 million of debt. The firm said the sale saved it US$14 million in cost of closing down the operations. The companies have 500 employees. If US President George W. Bush decides to veto the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, Sportingbet said it would reclaim its US operations from Jazette for a payment of US$500,000.
■ Electronics
Sharp, Fujitsu plan recall
Japan's Sharp and Fujitsu yesterday announced plans to recall laptop batteries made by Sony, adding to an already massive global recall. Sharp said that it was recalling 28,000 Sony-made battery packs for seven laptop models and separately sold batteries, all for domestic use, according to company spokesman Hiroshi Takenami. Fujitsu said that it was recalling more laptop batteries by Sony following an initial recall earlier this month. Kyodo News agency said that Fujitsu's recall concerned 51,000 Sony-made batteries. Fujitsu said a total 11 models were to be recalled because they may contain defective batteries.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique