Estrada allowed to leave detention

Estrada allowed to leave detention

PHILIPPINES: An anti-graft court on Thursday allowed deposed
Philippine president Joseph Estrada to leave detention for post-
operative eye check-ups later this month.

Estrada, who is detained in a military hospital in suburban
Quezon city, north of Manila, underwent surgery to remove a
cataract from his left eye in December.

The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court on Thursday granted Estrada
permission to leave detention on Jan. 7 and Jan. 14 for post
operative check-ups and evaluation, but said police should escort
him back to confinement immediately at the end of both sessions.

It said "subsequent visits shall depend on the progress" of
Estrada's recovery. A military-backed popular uprising ousted
Estrada almost a year ago this month amid a mounting corruption
scandal.

Estrada was jailed in April to stand trial on charges of
plundering a personal fortune of $80 million in his 30 months in
office. He has consistently denied the accusations. --AFP

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Aglance-Thailand-transport
Thailand moves to halt British "tuk tuk" trademark
JP/T9/ASEAN

Thailand to halt British 'tuk tuk' trademark

THAILAND: The government will try to stop a British company from
registering the trademark for the country's three-wheeled "tuk-
tuk" scooter, a report said on Thursday.

Deputy Industry Minister Pichate Satirachaval was quoted by
The Nation daily as saying the government was taking action to
revoke the trademark by a British company producing similar
vehicles.

"The industry, foreign and commerce ministries are
coordinating efforts to have the registration revoked because
everyone knows tuk-tuk is a Thai symbol," he reportedly said.

"We are looking at all possible channels to revoke the
registration," Pichate added without giving further details,
according to the newspaper.

A British firm, MMW Imports, reportedly imports tuk-tuks from
Thailand and modifies them for sale in Europe under the MMW Tuk
Tuk brand. -- AFP

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Aglance-Vietnam-AIDS
AIDS cases rise sharply in Vietnam in 2001
JP/9/ASEAN

Vietnam's AIDS cases rise sharply in 2001

VIETNAM: The number of Vietnamese with AIDS rose by 24.1 percent
in 2001 and those who died from the disease increased by 22
percent, according to Vietnam's official news agency.

The number of people testing positive for HIV, the virus which
causes AIDS, rose most rapidly among high-risk groups, the
Vietnam News Agency said. More than 60 percent of the HIV
carriers were drug addicts, said an official from the Ministry of
Health's Anti-AIDS Bureau.

The HIV positive rate among female prostitutes increased to
3.53 percent in 2000 from 1.5 percent in 1997, the official said.
As of Nov. 30, 42,365 people in Vietnam have tested positive for
HIV, including 6,343 who developed full-blown AIDS and 3,474 who
died from the disease, he said on Thursday.

About 84 percent of the HIV carriers are men, he said.
Experts estimate that the actual HIV infection figure in Vietnam
could be 130,000 to 135,000. -- AP

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Aglance-Cambodia-crime
Three charged with murder after Cambodian mob killing
JP/9/ASEAN

Three charged with murder after mob killing

CAMBODIA: A Cambodian court has charged three people with murder
after the lynch mob killings of two teenagers, officials said on
Thursday.

"Three people have now been charged with murder," said Rosey
Keo district police chief Captain Ly Lay. Van Samdy, 16, and
Huong Kimheang, 17, were brutally beaten to death on Monday by an
angry mob after they were wrongfully accused of stealing a
motorbike.

Police said the two male youths and five other friends were
running home after being involved in a fight with a 14-year-old
boy when they were attacked.

Their rival's parents were chasing them, yelling "stop
thieves," prompting other villagers to join the pursuit.
When they caught up with the duo, they beat them with sticks,
sickles and spade handles while the victims' five friends managed
to escape, police said.

Soon after the incident police arrested five people in
connection with the killings. Two young boys were later been
released without charge. Two of the people charged were the
parents of the victims' rival and another was a friend of the 14-
year-old.

Cambodia has seen a surge in lynchings amid frustration at the
country's notoriously corrupt legal system. --AFP