THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2003
WORLD
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 11A
New flu-like disease sweeps China
The Associated Press
BEIJING - For the first time, Chinese government officials revealed Yesterday that nearly three dozen people have died and almost 800 became ill in a mysterious outbreak that Western medical investigators confirm was the beginning spread of a new flu-like disease.
The new numbers raised the worldwide death total from severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, to 51, with 1,325 cases since mid-November.
Until now, Chinese authorities said only five people had died from a pneumonia-like illness that struck southern Guangdong province. The new count of 34 includes three deaths in Beijing.
"Everything we've seen so far indicates it's the same disease," said Dr. Meirion Evans, member of a World Health Organization team that has studied the cases in southern China.
"We're getting a more complete
picture. It's certainly been one of the objectives of the mission to clarify whether the outbreak in China was the same disease as what's been seen outside of China."
For weeks, Chinese officials said only 305 people were sickened in an outbreak that started in November.
But a spokeswoman for the Guangzhou city government, who identified herself only by the surname Ye, said yesterday that 792 cases of atypical pneumonia were reported in the province by the end of February, putting the worldwide case number at more than 1,300.
Health authorities in Hong Kong have said the disease spread when a sick Beijing professor stayed at the Metropole Hotel in late February, infecting six other guests, who then carried it to Singapore, Vietnam and Canada.
WHO scientists say the disease spreads when victims cough or sneeze in close contact with oth-
ers.Most SARS victims have been family members of those who have the disease or health workers treating them.
But the spread among strangers in the Hong Kong hotel and among nine tourists on a March 15 China Air flight from Hong Kong to Beijing has heightened fears.
Numerous schools in Hong Kong and Singapore have closed and hospitals are straining to treat their own doctors and nurses. Hong Kong media reports say about 60 schools are closed although government officials have not confirmed that. Singapore's school closings, from daycare centers to junior colleges, will keep a half-million students temporarily out of class.
"On purely medical grounds, there are currently no strong reasons for closing all schools," said Teo Chee Hean, Singapore's education minister.
But he said parents are fearful. Singapore also has imposed a
10-week quarantine on 740 people exposed to the disease. The U.S.State Department is discouraging travel to Vietnam. Officials in the Philippines urged travelers from countries hit by the disease to stay home for a week. Tens of thousands of Filipinos work in Hong Kong and Singapore, many as domestic helpers.
WHO officials say signs continue pointing to a virus causing the common cold as the most likely bug behind the illness. Labs for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Hong Kong University said they had found the corona virus in specimens from SARS patients. The corona virus can be blamed for about 10 percent to 20 percent of common colds.
Yesterday, virus experts at the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg, Germany, backed up that evidence with their own research.
Wal-Mart stores thrive internationally
The Associated Press
MEXICO CITY — A Wal-Mart store bustles as customers roam the aisles in search of bargains and snap up free samples of tequila before bundling their purchases into waiting taxis.
The activity is proof that WalMart Stores Inc. has learned how to achieve the same kind of success in its international ventures as it has in thousands of stores across the United States.
Wal-Mart, which grew up in small-town America, is increasingly dependent on foreign expansion as it faces slowing growth at home.
"The U.S. market is pretty saturated," said Ken Perkins, retail analyst for Thomson First Call. "Clearly, they need to expand into foreign markets to generate the ongoing growth they've had."
Wal-Mart, which opened its first store in Rogers, Ark., in 1962, grew into the world's largest retailer by concentrating first on small, rural towns where it had little competition. Its trademark yellow smiley face, low prices and focus on customer service were
later introduced to larger U.S. cities and then abroad, to Mexico Canada, Puerto Rico, Argentina Brazil, Britain, Germany, South Korea, Japan and China.
"The majority of what I look for is here. They have specials, and the prices in general are more accessible. This is where I save money," said Enrique Flores, a government worker shopping at the Mexico City store.
Although Wal-Mart built its business from scratch in the United States, in overseas markets it starts out by purchasing already successful local chains. It also differentiates its foreign stores from its U.S. outlets, buying at least 80 percent of its merchandise from nearby vendors to keep costs down and cater to customers.
In Mexico, where 90 percent of merchandise is bought locally, bakery staples include freshly made tortillas and, around the Day of the Dead holiday in November, "bread of the dead." In Argentina, the clothing department stocks school uniforms.
"By going global, we have an opportunity to understand who the local manufacturers are," said
Ray Bracy, vice president of international corporate affairs for the Bentonville, Ark.-based WalMart. "And we can explore whether they can support us globally."
Forty percent of Wal-Mart's 1,270 foreign stores are in Mexico. Inside the United States. Wal-Mart has more than 3,400 stores.
Overseas growth has not been trouble-free. In Germany, Walmart lost a long court battle with regulators over selling staple foods below wholesale prices. In Puerto Rico, the government tried to block its purchase of a local supermarket chain, arguing that it violated antitrust laws.
Even in Mexico — where real estate billboards brag: "Houses in front of Wal-Mart!" — the federal antitrust agency ordered the retailer to subscribe to a code of conduct for its dealings with suppliers.
But the company's international operations grew 11.4 percent during the fiscal year that ended in January, and generated $41 billion in sales, or 17 percent of the company's total income. In South Korea alone, the chain
reported $340 million in sales in 2001,up 40 percent from the year before.
Asia is a big focus for the company. In December, Wal-Mart announced it was raising its stake in the Japanese supermarket chain Seiyu to 34 percent to become the top shareholder.
Two months earlier, it said it planned to open an unspecified number of stores in Shanghai, adding to the 22 stores already in China that draw huge crowds of customers.
The plan is part of Wal-Mart's desire to not only export from China, but set up shop there. It says it imports $12 billion a year in goods from China, and now wants to sell those products in the country's developing consumer market.
In Mexico, there is little resentment that a U.S.-owned company is the largest retailer, competing with stores like Costco and French supermarket giant Carrefour.
On weekends, the complexes fill with shoppers attracted by low prices and promotions that include everything from clowns to small amusement-park rides.
The Associated Press
Ijaw militant group calls for cease-fire in electoral conflict
LAGOS, Nigeria — Ijaw militants battling soldiers and tribal enemies in Nigeria's oil-rich delta region called for a cease-fire yesterday after they said state officials agreed to support their political demands.
Bello Oboko, president of the militant Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities, whose fighters have spent two weeks battling government troops and rival Itsekiris, said Delta State governor James Ibori agreed Tuesday to help renegotiate electoral boundaries the Ijaws say favor their enemies.
At least 100 people, including 10 soldiers, have been killed in the fighting. Many witnesses say the actual death toll is far higher. Twenty-five villages — 15 Itsekiri and 10 Ijaw
have either been partially or completely destroyed since fighting began March 12.
Ibori "promised to meet our political demands and prevail on the military not to launch reprisal attacks against Ijaw communities;" Oboko told The Associated Press.
The Ijaws were prepared to stop fighting "in order to help Ibori intervene" on their behalf, Oboko said.
"Our people are in the area talking to the people involved," Rilwanu Lukman, President Olusegun Obasanjo's energy adviser, told reporters in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
A top Nigerian official confirmed the government is speaking with the militants but did not comment on the talks' specifics.
"We're doing everything possible to normalize the situation as soon as possible."
Itsekiri activist leader Austin Ogboroegbeyi accused the governor of taking sides with the liaws.
"We don't think anything good will come out of this," Ogboroogebyi said without elaborating.
The Ijaws, whose 8 million people are the largest ethnic group in the Niger Delta, long have accused Obasanjo of colluding with minority Itsekiris to draw up unfavorable electoral boundaries ahead of April elections.
Two weeks of violence in the region, where nearly all of Nigeria's oil is drilled, has forced oil multinationals to evacuate their staff and cut oil exports by more than 800,000 barrels a day — or 40 percent of the country's normal daily output of 2 million barrels.
Oil giant ChevronTexaco closed nearly all of its operations while Shell and TotalFinaElf severely curtailed production. Nigeria, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, is the world's sixth-largest exporter and fifth-largest source of U.S. oil imports.
Thousands of army, navy and police reinforcements have rushed into the delta's maze of creeks. Three navy frigates full of troops arrived Monday in the port city of Warri.
Witnesses accuse the military of carrying out near-daily raids, with boatloads of soldiers firing light and heavy weapons on their villages in the marshes of the delta.
Ijaw activists have threatened to blow up 11 oil facilities they claim to have seized from ChevronTexaco, Royal/Dutch Shell and TotalFinaElf if the raids continue.
Villagers fleeing by the thousands fear a repeat of army massacres as in 2001 and 1999 that killed hundreds. In both cases, Nigerian soldiers were retaliating for killings of security force members.
Army spokesman Col. Chukwuemeka Onwuamaegbu denied Tuesday that the military was targeting civilians and blamed the fighting between Ijaws and Itssekiris. Troop reinforcements had been deployed to protect oil facilities, he added.
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WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER NIGHT/OPEN HOUSE
LAWRENCE, KANSAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
WHEN: Thursday, March 27, 2003 WHERE: Investigations and Training Center 4830 W 15th Street
WHO: Anyone looking for a challenging and rewarding career serving their community.
4820 W 15th Street
Female officers from the Lawrence Police Department will be present to share their experiences and answer questions concerning the opportunities and rewards available from a career in law enforcement. Learn how to become a part of the professional team that protects and serves Lawrence. The Lawrence Police Department offers competitive pay, excellent benefits, varied assignments and flexible schedules.
If not able to attend, testing date will be Saturday, April 5th, 2003.
Hope to see you there.
Any questions contact the Training Unit at (785) 830-7410 For more information go to www.lawrencepolice.org