Political

Zimbabwe Opposition Leader To Protest Runoff

10 May 2008

REUTERS (PRETORIA) - Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is returning to the country to contest the planned run-off against President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai said would only participate in the election if international observers and media get full access to ensure it is fair. He said the country's electoral commission is not creditable and called on the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to send peacekeepers.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/05/07/stories/2008050752840100.htm

(Reliability: 7)

Travel

Air Travel E-Tickets To Replace All Paper Tickets June 1 2008

6 May 2008

THE HINDU BUSINESS LINE (NEW DELHI) - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) based in Geneva has mandated that from 1 June 2008 airlines will have to stop using paper tickets and switch to using e-tickets exclusively. IATA Director General Giovanni Bisignani said it takes USD 1 to process an e-ticket and USD 10 to process a paper ticket. IATA estimates that the global implementation of e-ticketing will save the industry up to USD 3 billion annually. IATA says e-ticket penetration in Africa, West Asia and North Africa, Russia and the CIS is low, but that these regions represent only 8 per cent of total volume.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/05/07/stories/2008050752840100.htm

(Reliability: 8)

Travel

China To Lose Millions On Flight Cuts

29 April 2008

BLOOMBERG (NEW YORK) - China Eastern Airlines Corp., the nation's third-largest carrier, said it may lose USD 58 million in sales this year after scrapping flights that a labor dispute disrupted.

Two routes in the southern Chinese province of Yunnan will stop May 4, 2008. The number of its flights on six Yunnan routes have dwindled to between two and six daily.

China's government took away routes from the carrier after its pilots aborted flights to protest working conditions. The country's airlines are facing a shortage of pilots after adding about 100 aircraft in the past year to meet surging travel demand in the world's second-largest aviation market.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=ay.FygpPnwRU&refer=asia

(Reliability: 9)

Military/WMD

South Africa: SANDF To Cease Border Operations In 2009

DOI 23 April 2008

ALLAFRICA (TSHWANE) - The South African Defense Force (SANDF) announced on 22 April that it will cease its oprations at the country's border posts in March 2009. According to the SANDF Head of Communications Siphiwe Dlamini, the SANDF would continue to provide support service on request. "As the SANDF, we do not have arresting powers, but we will continue to support the police in patrolling the borders", he said.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200804230828.html

(Reliability: 7)

Military/WMD

Planning Conference "Georgian Express 2008"

DOI 21 April 2008

GEORGIA MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (TBILISI) - British and Georgian officials held planning conferences on 21-24 April 2008 for the British-Georgian joint military exercise "Georgian Express 2008". The joint military exercise will launch in September 2008 and 160 Georgian and British military service members will undergo the two weeks of training.

Source: http://www.mod.gov.ge/?l=E&id=911

(Reliability: 8)

Comment: This will be the third "Georgian Express" joint British-Georgian exercise. The first two Georgian Express exercises took place in 2004 and 2007.

Health

US Centers For Disease Control Points Finger At Switzerland For Measles Outbreak

DOI 24 April 2008

THE TELEGRAPH (UNITED KINGDOM) - The United States Center for Disease Prevention and Control identified Switzerland as one of the main sources of a recent outbreak of measles, which spread across the Atlantic with returning holidaymakers. The outbreak began when a seven-year-old returned from a family vacation in Switzerland on January 15 infected with measles, leading to a further 11 reported cases in San Diego. A European Union-backed surveillance network, EUVAC released, during the week of 14 April 2008, a report that put Switzerland at the top the list of European countries, which possessed significantly more measles cases in the past year. The expected arrival of over five million visitors from around the world for the Euro 2008 football championships in Switzerland heightens growing concerns about the measles threat. The Swiss Federal Health Office issued recommendations that all visitors to Switzerland check their vaccination status and immunize if they have not had the full course of vaccine.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2008/04/24/euro-2008-football.xml

(Reliability: 7)

Comment: Euro 2008 football championships will take place 7-29 June 2008.

Tourism And Travel

Taiwan KMT Party To See First Chinese Tourists Via July 4 Weekend Flights

DOI 23 April 2008

XFN-ASIA (TAIPEI, CHINA) - The Kuomintang (KMT), which will become the ruling party after Ma Ying-Jeou swears in as president on May 20, 2008, is planning for the first arrivals of Chinese tourists flying direct to Taiwan on July 4 when weekend charter flights across the Taiwan Straits launch. Chang Jung-Kung, director of the KMT's mainland affairs department, will head a mission to mainland China in early May for preparatory consultations on exact routes and airports.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/04/23/afx4926549.html

(Reliability: 7)

Comment: Taiwan plans to spend USD 991 million on preparations for millions of tourists from political rival China under a plan to boost the economy. President Ma aims to admit 3000 Chinese tourists every day in the hopes that they will bring in cash and create job opportunities.