• briefing asia infrastructure aug 15, 2006 • briefing asia energy aug 15, 2006

China and Russia and India, Nigeria for the first time. You even had 400,000 separate items in the merchandise tent, by the way, $10 million. I was there for the last couple of days.
LUI: I'll bet.
HORROW: I bought a lion's share of those 400,000, by the way.
LUI: Nice.
HORROW: I can guarantee you that.
LUI: Send us some of that, would you?
HORROW: Yes, maybe.
Absolutely.
LUI: Hey, let's get -- and you've also got the South Koreans, as well as we in the United States.
Let's move on to the foul ball. A little bit of motorcycle action, is that right?
HORROW: Well, the foul ball is Ben Roethlisberger, of course. LUI: Yes.
HORROW: He will recover. Nobody knows his long-term prognosis. He may lose some of his $9 million signing bonus. His Chunky soup commercial was being filmed without he and his mom. Kellen Winslow of the Cleveland Browns just came back this last week after a motorcycle accident and now not only is there a problem with future contracts, as far as motorcycles are concerned, but it may throw the future of the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers in jeopardy, by the way. So it's a major foul ball.
LUI: Yes, it could be one.
Let's get to the fair ball.
We've got a couple of seconds left here.
HORROW: Well, quick, the fair ball is the NBA. The ratings up, up to 20 percent. A million dollars a game for "Heat" or Mavericks home games. The bottom line is the average NBA franchise value is $326 million and the "Heat" game this weekend, in this series, a blockbuster. It's going to do nothing but increase the value of the NBA. It's a really big deal.
LUI: And some good games, no doubt, coming out with the tide now.
Rick Horrow, thanks again.
HORROW: Happy Father's Day to everybody.
LUI: Yes, you, too.
Well, we'll go live to the U.S. Open, speaking of which Rick was talking about, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern for more on Tiger's tough day. And we'll look at the leader board as the top golfers tee off, all with CNN's Larry Smith, 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
NGUYEN: You know, it's amazing how nice and cooperative Rick is when Tony's not around.
Richard, we're going to have to have you come back more often to keep him in line.
In the meantime, how can a woman in Virginia find personal information about celebrities like Kelly Ripa and officials including Florida Governor Jeb Bush? If she found them, surely she can find you. The story, plus identity tips to protect yourself online in about eight minutes.
LUI: And, Betty, stuck under cement for two days. These poor guys. Fortunately, these cat's tale ends on a happy note.
We'll have the details on these furry little critters in about 25 minutes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Wrong but not illegal concludes a Pentagon report on alleged detainee abuse. At least one prisoner in Iraq fed bread and water for 17 days, others locked in cramped cells for up to a week. That's according to the Associated Press and the "New York Times."
Officials investigated several incidents involving Special Operations forces in 2003 and 2004. No military personnel are being punished as a result of the investigation so far.
It is now mid-afternoon in Baghdad. Already, nearly two dozen people are dead after five separate incidents of bomb attacks or mortar shelling today. This is despite an Iraqi government security crack down. Dozens more civilians and Iraqi police are wounded.
States and cities across America are not prepared for a catastrophe. No matter that, it's nearly five years after 9/11 and nearly one year after Katrina. Homeland Security has concluded the majority of emergency plans are not adequate, feasible or acceptable.
It's a spectacle in London -- horse soldiers, a Royal Air Force flyover, the royal couple riding in an antique carriage. Not bad. The historic trooping the colors ceremony pays tribute to Elizabeth's 80th birthday. The week of events marks her second celebration this year. She actually turned 80 on April 21st.
NGUYEN: All right, what if with just a few clicks of your computer mouse, you could find the Social Security number, signature and home address of a politician, or, say, a talk show host?
This woman we're about to show you -- right there -- she says she can probably find the same things about u.
CNN's Drew Griffin went on assignment for CNN's "PAULA ZAHN NOW."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
B.J. OSTERGREN, "THE VIRGINIA WATCHDOG": Let's see if anyone else's is there.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What this woman knows about you, or, more accurately, could know about you, is frightening.
OSTERGREN: Yes, it is so easy, so quick. And let me show you.
GRIFFIN: B.J. Ostergren, also known as The Virginia Watchdog, is infuriated about how easy it is for her to find your name, Social Security number, date of birth and even your signature.
OSTERGREN: Look. Here is a Bank of America loan number.
GRIFFIN: Anything anyone would need to steal your identity right online -- and put there by the government. OSTERGREN: This is another divorce I printed out this morning. The father was in the Air Force and there is his Social Security number.
LAWRENCE (on camera): He would die if he knew this.
OSTERGREN: They have no clue.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): How did it happen? Ostergren says there was a big push in the last decade to push the access of government records into the 21st century. A paperless society -- everything accessible at your finger tips via the Internet, including government records -- historically kept inside courthouses, inside clerks' offices, behind government counters. Now many of those government records across the country can all be accessed by B.J. Ostergren, right here in the crowded office of her rural Virginia home.
OSTERGREN: But are they public records? Yes, they're public. But there is a huge difference from driving to the courthouse and looking at it right here. Would I drive there to look at this and go through the records? No. Would I have driven to Miami-Dade to get Jeb Bush's? No.
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: This meeting was a very productive one.
GRIFFIN: Did she say Jeb Bush? Yes, the president's brother. To prove her point, she has gone on celebrity style identity hunts. The governor of Florida's Social Security number posted along with other Floridians.
OSTERGREN: I sat right at this very computer and got that record off the Florida Web site.
GRIFFIN: Jeb Bush has since had his Social blacked out, but plenty of records in Florida are still there for the taking.
OSTERGREN: Well, let's see. Here is Brevard County.
GRIFFIN: With information like your Social Security number, your signature, even your date of birth, a thief can pretend he's you. And it could cost you dearly.
OSTERGREN: Oh, you can get bank loans. You could get fake papers. You could come into this country using this man's information. You could have -- look, document fraud is a big thing. Mortgage fraud is a huge thing.
GRIFFIN (on camera): She can access almost any record on anyone anywhere, even perfect strangers here in New York City, many who would be shocked to learn that a retired woman in rural Virginia can learn so much about them from Web sites provided by the government that she could easily steal their identity.
(voice-over): Upon searching further, we also found talk show host Kelly Ripa and her husband. OSTERGREN: Yes, and with their home addresses. They own, apparently, two places.
GRIFFIN: Ostergren made exposing this electronic privacy gap her mission four years ago, when a concerned stranger warned her that her personal information was about to go online. Now she wants everyone to be warned.
She has set up a Web site to lobby governments and financial institutions to stop posting this information and she now takes the time to call strangers herself and let them know the risks.
OSTERGREN: It infuriates me no end, but what can I do? I just think that people should see what I'm showing you. And people should see, you know, what -- you want to see Colin Powell's? Here you go.
GRIFFIN: On a Virginia Web site, she found the former secretary of state's social security number; his wife's; their Virginia address; even signatures.
OSTERGREN: Yes. And you can get that record. And on the first page of that document -- here it is right here, you can see page one with his home address here.
GRIFFIN: We decided to check for ourselves. Ostergren suggested we look at Phoenix, Arizona. Maricopa County -- per capita, it has the highest rate of identity theft fraud in the country. Sitting at a computer in Atlanta, we were a bit taken back when we went to the Maricopa County Recorder's Office Web site and found just about every document you could imagine, and personal information that you would never want others to get.
(on camera): And his Social Security number right there.
(voice-over): So we physically went to the Maricopa County Recorder's Office and ran into a local resident, Phyllis Montgomery, who was shocked when we showed her all of her personal information.
(voice-over): A little surprising?
PHYLLIS MONTGOMERY, MARICOPA COUNTY RESIDENT: Very surprising. Very scary. Very scary, because this is private information. Everybody should not have information dealing with exactly where to come and murder me or pick me up or...
LAWRENCE (voice-over): The Recorder's Office here posts a sign warning people their information will be made available on the Internet. But available where? And who is the warning for?
Using the Internet, we randomly looked up Michael Russo, who lives in Phoenix. He has never used a computer and doesn't remember ever being in the Recorder's Office.
MICHAEL RUSSO, MARICOPA COUNTY RESIDENT: Your privacy was your privacy up until they come out with these computers. GRIFFIN: Michael Russo ripped up our copies of his personal documents right in front of us. But we can easily print out another copy right on the county Web site.
Recorder Helen Purcell says she is working with the State of Arizona to figure out how to cleanse the records, like blackening out Social Security numbers. But she admits that in their rush to post the information online, they did not realize how easy they were making it for criminals intent on committing fraud.
HELEN PURCELL, MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER: Maybe at the outset of that, all of these things weren't thought about.
GRIFFIN: B.J. Ostergren, the Virginia watchdog...
OSTERGREN: There it is.
GRIFFIN: ... couldn't agree more. The question now, she says, what, if anything, is anyone going to do about it?
OSTERGREN: We are very stupid in this country. Very stupid. This is spoon feeding criminals.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That was Drew Griffin reporting.
So, really frightening, isn't it?
What can people do to remove their own Social Security number and other personal information from these Web sites?
Joining us now from New York is James Fishman, a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Thanks for being with us today.
JAMES FISHMAN, CONSUMER ADVOCATE: Thank you.
Good morning.
NGUYEN: Good morning.
All right, first of all, looking at that, like I said, it's frightening. I mean this is a virtual gold mine for identity thieves.
FISHMAN: You're right. This is a huge, huge problem and it should be a big wake up call for people all over the country to realize that their documents are out there for anybody to look at and to obtain and to use illegally. This is something that Betty Ostergren in Virginia has really hit a nerve and a lot of people need to be aware that this is out there and that we need to do something about it.
NGUYEN: Yes.
And we're going to talk about what people can do.
In the meantime, I think your microphone may have fallen down.
If you could check that real quick so if we can hear you a little bit better.
FISHMAN: OK.
NGUYEN: The you go.
I can hear a lot better now.
FISHMAN: Good.
NGUYEN: Here's the deal, though. In order for people to know how to help themselves, a lot of them want to know, well, first off, I've got to find out what information is out there. What organizations, what government entities have my information and is posting it on the Internet.
So how do people know?
FISHMAN: Well, the first thing people should do is search for records about themselves. What's the first thing anybody does when a new phone book arrives at your front door? You look up your own number to make sure it's there correctly and it's accurate.
You do the same thing, treat the Internet like it's a big phone book and look yourself up. Go to the various government Web sites where you think there might be documents pertaining to you and search for your own records, print them out and then demand that they redact the personal identifier information that's in those documents, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, medical information.
All of that is private and should remain private. It doesn't belong on the Internet.
NGUYEN: Well, it's private and it's important, especially with this in mind, because, for example, is it true that all you need is a birth date and where someone is born to basically get an illegal birth certificate?
FISHMAN: Yes. You can get a duplicate birth certificate if you know where the person was born. So place of birth is -- it's something very significant in this process. Nobody ever thought that telling -- putting out there where you were born would cause you a problem, but it does, because you can go back to the government agency that issues birth certificates in that town and get a duplicate birth certificate. And that's -- that's a gold mine for identity thieves.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, but that being the case, I mean it almost seems like this is an uphill battle.
Is it too late to do anything about it? I mean what can you really do? FISHMAN: Well, to a large extent, the horse is out of the barn on this because government has been putting these records on the Internet now for a number of years. They've been collecting these records for many, many years, well before the Internet even existed. And then the push has been, in the last five years or so, to get as many of those records on the Internet as possible.
But nobody ever thought that there's information in those records that can hurt people. And it seems to me that the only government agency that knows how to redact information is the FBI. When you do a request for a freedom of information request on yourself to see what they have on you, you get back all kinds of things that are blacked out that they don't want you to see.
Why is it that that's the only agency that knows how to use a Magic Marker?
NGUYEN: Well, OK.
Well, why is it? Because Governor Jeb Bush was able to get his Social Security number blacked out.
Can other people do that?
FISHMAN: Well, I think that's what people should be demanding. And if government won't do it, then sue the government and demand that they black out the information on the documents that are put on the Internet. This is outrageous that government is doing this without any concern. Government is harming people by doing this. Government should not be harming people, it should be helping people.
NGUYEN: All right, you say demand it.
Where do you go? Where is the first place people need to go in order to try to get this information off the Internet, information that they must provide to the government?
FISHMAN: Well, you -- your piece a minute ago showed the Maricopa County government agency in Arizona. You go to the head of that agency. After you've gotten your record, you print it out off the Internet and you say why are you posting this document with my Social Security number on the Internet? I demand that you redact it. And if you don't, then sue that agency and demand that they redact the information.
We're not saying that the document itself shouldn't be publicly available if it's a public document. However, government has to strike the right balance between what's public and what's private. And this...
NGUYEN: Right.
But very quickly, though, I mean that is -- that's one government organization. That's one area that's putting your information out there. There's a ton of people that have your information, from billing agencies, credit card agencies, all of that stuff. So it seems like there are a ton of places for people to have to pick up the phone and call or walk down to the office and ask them to black out that information.
FISHMAN: Right.
NGUYEN: Are there services that do that for you?
How do you find out to get in touch with all of the people who have your information out there?
FISHMAN: Well, I don't think you'll ever get in touch with everything and everybody that has your information, because it's endless.
But as far as the government and how many government agencies have documents with your information on it, there are search engines and Web sites where, for a small fee or a relatively small fee, you can do a search on yourself and find out what's out there, all licenses you've ever applied for, real estate that you've purchased, drivers licenses.
You name it, there's records about it. And there are companies out there that make money selling that data.
NGUYEN: Right.
FISHMAN: So what I'm suggesting is people buy their own records and see what's out there, print it out and then go to those agencies and demand that that personal information be redacted from those records.
NGUYEN: Right.
James Fishman, it's going to take a lot of work, but it's important work that needs to be done so that people can protect themselves.
FISHMAN: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: thank you for your time today.
Appreciate it.
FISHMAN: You're very welcome.
NGUYEN: Richard.
LUI: Betty, a daunting situation there.
We're talking about I.D. disasters, we're going to move on now to natural disasters.
If disaster strikes, will your town be ready to respond?
A new report has a not so encouraging answer. Next hour we'll speak with Homeland Security's Undersecretary for Preparedness.
But first, we have Veronica de la Cruz at the Dot-Com Desk -- a very good morning to you, Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you.
Fancy meeting you here.
LUI: Yes, that's right.
So what have you got for us?
DE LA CRUZ: Oh, well, you know what, Richard?
On a more serious note, we're going to be taking you around the world this morning to watch the fury of Mount Merapi. The volcano has claimed its first victims. The details online.
That's coming up next from the Dot-Com Desk.
CNN -- the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LUI: Well, welcome back.
The island of java in Indonesia was still reeling from a deadly earthquake last month when another natural disaster loomed over them.
Veronica de la Cruz has more for us from the Dot-Com Desk.
DE LA CRUZ: I sure do, Richard.
That's right.
Mount Merapi, one of Indonesia's most dangerous and active volcanoes, was destabilized by this earthquake. At least that's what many scientists are saying. The volcano erupted Wednesday and rescuers dug through volcanic debris trying to find two missing men who were helping people evacuate a nearby village.
Unfortunately, the two were later found dead in an underground emergency shelter, overcome by the extremely hot temperature and gas from the volcano.
Earlier this month, more than 11,000 people were evacuated as Mount Merapi spewed hot ash and gas.
At CNN.com, you will find incredible images of fiery lava pouring down the slopes of the volcano and clouds of smoke and gas billowing from its dome. And on top of CNN.com, you can also check out CNN Pipeline. Just search for the word "volcano" and that will give you the latest video and images from Mount Merapi. Now, experts say that Mount Merapi was overdue for a major eruption. The last one in 1994 killed 60 people. But the worst was in 1930. It left 1,300 people dead.
You can read more online at CNN.com/world and you can also watch video there. And you can also watch video on CNN Pipeline, isn't that right, Richard Lui?
LUI: That's right, Pipeline at CNN.com. You can't miss that. Lots of fun.
NGUYEN: I'm a little outnumbered here with the Pipeline folks.
I tell you, this is a ultimate merge of television with the Internet capability.
LUI: Ah, we're just...
DE LA CRUZ: We've taken over.
NGUYEN: Yes, that's a good thing, though.
LUI: We're just having fun-this Saturday, that's all.
Why not?
NGUYEN: Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: Absolutely. It's good to be here and good to see you.
LUI: It's good to be here...
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: I just, you know, I can't shake this guy. He sits next to me downstairs, he follows me around the building and he ends up right here, next to me.
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: ... security then, OK?
LUI: Can I ask for a better place to be stuck between? I've got to say it's a great place to be.
NGUYEN: You should be paying us.
LUI: I should.
NGUYEN: Really, I think.
LUI: I should.
NGUYEN: All right.
LUI: I'll pay you guys later.
NGUYEN: We'll look for that check in the mail.
Well, we have all heard the "Cat In the Hat," right? but what about the cat under concrete?
Coming up in about three minutes, how this little one found himself in a bit of a sticky situation.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: OK, so you've heard about this thing, curiosity and cats, right? well, Tom the cat -- right there -- probably used up a couple of his nine lives in his latest adventure.
Erica Vaughn (ph) of CNN affiliate KSTU in Salt Lake City has this cat's tale.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MEGAN ROYLANCE, CAT OWNER: Every now and then we'll find him playing with Tigger (ph) or a dog.
VAUGHN (voice-over): When he's not sleeping or eating, Tom is exploring.
M. ROYLANCE: When we had our house built and they poured our driveway, they didn't compact the ground. So we had big sinkage holes like this one.
VAUGHN: Megan Roylance thinks Tom crawled under the driveway, then construction crews filled in the hole, sealing the curious cat in cement. He went missing for two days.
M. ROYLANCE: We were all pretty sad and kept our eye out for him, though.
VAUGHN (on camera): What kind of noises was he making?
C. ROYLANCE: He was like meow, meow!
VAUGHN (voice-over): Carissa (ph) heard the cat's crying from under the garage floor.
M. ROYLANCE: And it made me feel pretty sad knowing that he was stuck under cement so...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very, very rarely do we get something like that, maybe once in a lifetime, at this job.
VAUGHN: David County Animal Control couldn't believe this rescue call and had several concerns.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If he had enough air to stay under there, when we would get him out, if we had enough space to remove him out without hitting the cat with the saw. VAUGHN: Firefighters used a saw to cut open a hole in the cement, exposing a foot deep tunnel.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He decided to come out and poked his little head up and everything was good to go. It was a happy reunion.
M. ROYLANCE: He's still kind of freaked out from being under there and -- oh, shoot. He's in the -- ew. Come here, Tom! Come here.
VAUGHN: Tom is obviously not too traumatized and didn't learn his lesson. After two days of no food and water, he dusted himself off and is ready to explore.
M. ROYLANCE: We're used to having him going places where you wouldn't think he'd go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Yes, like under concrete. The cat's like no big deal.
Did you see that cat?
LUI: Yes, talk about concrete ...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Yes. He didn't even care.
That was Erica Vaughn of CNN affiliate KSTU.
Hey, that was a bit of a disaster for the cat, although the cat really didn't seem to mind.
But speaking of disasters, we're hearing that only 10 cities throughout the U.S. are sufficiently prepared for them. So, this leads to our e-mail question today -- do you think your city is prepared for a disaster?
Well, Steffen Schmidt, which is a professor of public policy, says: "We are as prepared as financially possible for disasters here in Central Iowa. Most cities could spend every cent of their operating budget on disaster and still not be adequately prepared to anticipate the endless variation of potential threats."
LUI: And adding perspective to this whole question, we've got Michael Bonnes. He's from Huron, South Dakota, saying: "My city is not even prepared for the illegal Mexicans living here."
NGUYEN: Really?
LUI: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right.
Well, Zach in New York, which is another city that is arguing about funding, says: "Common sense dictates that the only effective preparation is prevention. Reaction to disaster logically involves readiness to deal with piles of dead bodies, masses of debris, etc. I prefer the government spend money on prevention rather than reaction."
So, here's the question one more time. Send us your thoughts. We've gotten some good replies so far, but there are people throughout the nation.
So what do you think? If your city prepared? Where you live, is your city prepared for a disaster?
E-mail us. Here's the address, [e-mail].
we'll read some of those responses on the air.
LUI: And we've gotten some good responses so far.
So, let's add to them.
The next hour, though, for you of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins in a moment.
But first, Gerri Willis has your "Tip of the Day."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's Father's Day weekend and this is the year to make your gift stand out. Instead of the typical necktie, how about something he wouldn't buy for himself -- some new music or sports memorabilia autographed by his childhood hero?
Ever heard him say he wish he had done something as a kid, like learn how to play the guitar or how to cook? Get him lessons.
Even if your father is no longer alive, you can still do something to honor him. Make a donation to his favorite cause or charity.
And you're not limited to your biological dad, either. Take the opportunity to show some appreciation for his older brother, a great friend or even your first boss.
I'm Gerri Willis and that's your Tip of the Day.
For more, watch "OPEN HOUSE" today at 9:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Document STMG000020060617e26h0005l

Guardian International Pages

China_gives_Zimbabwe_economic_lifeline:_Energy_and_mining_deals_are_worth_pounds_700m:_Asian_summit_underlines_Beijings_global_role'>China gives Zimbabwe economic lifeline: Energy and mining deals are worth pounds 700m: Asian summit underlines Beijing's global role

Andrew Meldrum and Jonathan Watts

483 words

16 June 2006

The Guardian

GRDN

19

English

© Copyright 2006. The Guardian. All rights reserved.
China yesterday threw Zimbabwe's disintegrating economy a lifeline with energy and mining deals worth pounds 700m, including the construction of three coal-fired thermal power stations to aid the state power company which has been cutting customers' power for seven hours a day.
Neither China nor Zimbabwe indicated how the investment would be repaid, but the deal will give Beijing access to the African country's precious minerals, including the world's second largest deposits of platinum as well as gold, chrome, coal, nickel and diamonds.
As the deal was announced in Harare, China continued to ramp up its role as a global player by hosting a summit of states representing almost half the world's population and some of Washington's most prominent opponents.
The Chinese president, Hu Jintao, said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - which brought together the leaders of 10 nations in and around central Asia - was designed to promote peace and stability in a region that had become an increasingly important source of oil and gas.
The group's potential role as a counterweight to the US was underlined by the presence of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, who received a warm welcome in Shanghai despite his country's standoff with nuclear inspectors over Tehran's uranium enrichment.
The countries represented in Shanghai control almost a quarter of the world's oil supplies and are building pipelines across the region. One pipeline is being planned to run from Iran to China crossing Pakistan. Yesterday Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, requested admittance as a full member of the SCO.
Amid Zimbabwe's rapidly devaluing currency the Chinese deals are worth Z$143 trillion (pounds 700m) at the official rate of exchange, or Z$310 trillion at the more realistic black market exchange rate.
The Chinese firm China Machine Building International has built thermal power plants in Nigeria and Sudan and has been involved in mining ventures in Gabon.
"It is a welcome investment for the Mugabe government but it will only begin to produce much needed electrical power in several years' time," said a Harare economist, John Robertson. "Until then we will remain in the dark."
Another agreement will see a joint venture between Zimbabwe's state mining development corporation and China's Star Communications to mine chrome, with funding from the China Development Bank. Zimbabwe also plans to import Chinese equipment for telecommunications, roads, irrigation and farming. Robert Mugabe's government already relies on China for aircraft and weapons barred by the west because of embargoes.
China's trade with Africa jumped by 39% to pounds 17bn in the first 10 months of last year, according to Chinese trade statistics - a surge fuelled by increased imports of African oil, said analysts.
Document GRDN000020060616e26g00033

Daily Market Movers Digest Stock Alerts, Friday, June 16th, SQUM, CWPC, XKEM, TREN, GNOLF
1,995 words

16 June 2006

M2 Presswire

MTPW

English

(c) 2006 M2 Communications, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Today our stock watch alerts today include stock alerts for Sequiam Corporation (OTCBB: SQUM), CanWest Petroleum (OTCBB: CWPC), Xechem International, Inc. (OTCBB: XKEM), Torrent Energy Corporation (OTCBB: TREN), and Genoil Inc. (OTCBB: GNOLF)
OTC STOCK ALERTS
SEQUIAM CORPORATION (OTCBB: SQUM "Up 10.00% at close on Thursday"
Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/SQUM.php
Sequiam Corporation (OTCBB: SQUM), through its subsidiaries, offers biological identification security systems and Web-based application services. The company operates through two segments, Safety and Security, and Information Management. The Safety and Security segment engages in the development, marketing, and sale of biometric technology products. Its product portfolio includes BioVault, a personal access denial device; BioLock, a biometrically accessible door lock system; High Speed Biometric Algorithm, a biometric matching technology that enables in identifying people by comparing their fingerprints to ones in the database; BioTime, a computerized access control, attendance, and recording tool; BioTools, a biometric development kit; BioWeb, an Internet Security system; BioAccess, an access control and recording tool; BioSmartCard; BioRegister; BioRollCall; BioMail; and USB Fingerprint Sensor. This segment also develops BioCareTrack, OEM kits, and BritePrint technology for the detection of dusted latent fingerprints. The Information Management segment develops and markets document management software products. Its products include Sequiam IRP, which enables users to print or copy documents from their computer or scanner to printers at remote sites using the Internet; Sequiam IRPlicator, a software system used to scan documents from various scanning devices; and Book It, ROVER!, a Web-based application service. In addition, this segment provides Web-hosting; Web development; custom software and database development services; and Extended Classroom educational product, a series of 300 Internet-based educational supplement videos for grades 1-12 students and their parents. The company sells its products to suppliers in manufacturing and distribution of safety and security products. Sequiam Corporation was founded by Nicholas H. VandenBrekel. The company, formerly known as Wedge Net Experts, Inc., was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
SQUM News:
June 15 - Sequiam Corporation's CEO & Executive VP/CFO to Be Interviewed by Meet The CEO(TM)
Sequiam Corporation (OTC BB:SQUM.OB), a leading provider of biometric technology and services, announced today that its CEO Mr. Nicholas VandenBrekel and Executive VP & CFO Mr. Mark Mroczkowski will be interviewed by Meet The CEO(TM) ('MTC') Tuesday, June 20, at 11 a.m. EDT. They will discuss the importance of biometric identification --
such as fingerprinting or voice recognition, etc. -- in a post 9/11
world, where personal security and identity theft are priorities for every person and business. Till now, biometric security technologies were too expensive for retail marketing. Sequiam is first to market with low-cost, high-volume biometric security processes and OEM solutions that are uniquely designed for the consumer and small business markets. Their plug-and-play integration with consumer products has attracted large business partners and strong early sales.
Shareholders and Media wishing to submit questions for consideration by both Mr. VandenBrekel and Mr. Mroczkowski during this interview should send their emails, with reference to Sequiam Corp., to [e-mail] no later than 8 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, June 20, 2006.
The taped interview will be posted as an audio link on the Meet The CEO(TM) website, www.meettheceo.com , at 9 a.m. EDT Wednesday, June 21, 2006, and will also be available as a Podcast for download.
CANWEST PETROLEUM (OTCBB: CWPC) "Up 12.66% at close on Thursday"
Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/CWPC.php
CanWest Petroleum (OTCBB: CWPC) is a company incorporated in the State of Colorado and is engaged in the exploration for and mining of oil shale in Pasquia Hills, Saskatchewan, and the refining of certain petrochemical feedstocks derived from oil shale. CanWest Petroleum continues to evaluate certain technology involving the separation of hydrocarbons from sand and oil shale. CanWest Petroleum recently announced the relocation of its offices to Calgary.
XECHEM INTERNATIONAL, INC. (OTCBB: XKEM) "Up 6.01% at close on Thursday"
Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/XKEM.php
Xechem International, Inc. (OTCBB: XKEM), a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, and production of generic and proprietary drugs from natural sources. Its principal product under development is NICOSAN/HEMOXIN, which would be used for the treatment of sickle cell disease. The company also applies its proprietary extraction, isolation, and purification technology to the production and manufacture of Paclitaxel, which is an anti-cancer compound used for the treatment of ovarian, breast, small cell lung cancers, and AIDS-related kaposi sarcomas. In addition, Xechem International engages in the research and development of other compounds using traditional medicinal plants, microbial fermentation, or semisynthesis to produce anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and memory-enhancing compounds. It operates in the United States, India, the People's Republic of China, and Nigeria. The company was founded by Ramesh C. Pandey in 1994. Xechem International is headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
TORRENT ENERGY CORPORATION (OTCBB: TREN) "Up 11.68% at close on Thursday"
Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/TREN.php
Torrent Energy Corporation (OTCBB: TREN), through its wholly owned subsidiary, Methane Energy Corp., engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of coalbed methane properties. It holds leases to approximately 70,000 acres of coalbed methane lands in the Coos Bay region of Oregon. The company was formerly known as Scarab Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Torrent Energy Corporation in 2004. Torrent Energy is based in Vancouver, Canada.
GENOIL INC. (OTCBB: GNOLF) "Up 10.47% at close on Thursday"
Detailed Quote: http://www.otcpicks.com/quotes/GNOLF.php
Genoil Inc. (OTCBB: GNOLF) is a technology development company providing solutions to the oil and gas industry through the use of proprietary technologies. The Genoil Hydroconversion Upgrader is designed to economically convert heavy crude oil into more valuable light synthetic crude, high in yields of transport fuels, while significantly reducing the sulfur, nitrogen and other contaminants in the oil. Genoil's shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GNO, as well as on the OTC Bulletin Board under GNOLF.OB.
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Document MTPW000020060616e26g0030m

Guardian International Pages

China gives Zimbabwe economic lifeline: Energy and mining deals are worth pounds 700m Asian summit underlines Beijing's global role

Andrew Meldrum Pretoria and Jonathan Watts Shanghai

504 words

16 June 2006

The Guardian

GRDN

19

English

© Copyright 2006. The Guardian. All rights reserved.
China yesterday threw Zimbabwe's disintegrating economy a lifeline with energy and mining deals worth pounds 700m, including the construction of three coal-fired thermal power stations to aid the state power company which has been cutting customers' power for seven hours a day.
Neither China nor Zimbabwe indicated how the investment would be repaid, but the deal will give Beijing access to the African country's precious minerals, including the world's second largest deposits of platinum as well as gold, chrome, coal, nickel and diamonds.
As the deal was announced in Harare, China continued to ramp up its role as a global player by hosting a summit of states representing almost half the world's population and some of Washington's most prominent opponents.
The Chinese president, Hu Jintao, said the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation - which brought together the leaders of 10 nations in and around central Asia - was designed to promote peace and stability in a region that had become an increasingly important source of oil and gas.
The group's potential role as a counterweight to the US was underlined by the presence of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, who received a warm welcome in Shanghai despite his country's standoff with nuclear inspectors over Tehran's uranium enrichment.
The countries represented in Shanghai control almost a quarter of the world's oil supplies and are building pipelines across the region. One pipeline is being planned to run from Iran to China crossing Pakistan. Yesterday Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, requested admittance as a full member of the SCO.
Amid Zimbabwe's rapidly devaluing currency the Chinese deals are worth Z$143 trillion (pounds 700m) at the official rate of exchange, or Z$310 trillion at the more realistic black market exchange rate.
The Chinese firm China Machine Building International has built thermal power plants in Nigeria and Sudan and has been involved in mining ventures in Gabon.
"It is a welcome investment for the Mugabe government but it will only begin to produce much needed electrical power in several years' time," said a Harare economist, John Robertson. "Until then we will remain in the dark."
Another agreement will see a joint venture between Zimbabwe's state mining development corporation and China's Star Communications to mine chrome, with funding from the China Development Bank. Zimbabwe also plans to import Chinese equipment for telecommunications, roads, irrigation and farming. Robert Mugabe's government already relies on China for aircraft and weapons barred by the west because of embargoes.
China's trade with Africa jumped by 39% to pounds 17bn in the first 10 months of last year, according to Chinese trade statistics - a surge fuelled by increased imports of African oil, said analysts.
The amount by which China's trade with Africa rose in the first 10 months of last year
39%
Document GRDN000020060615e26g000cn
BUSINESS

China is dominant force in many African nations / In purchasing resources, nation affects economies, products, politics

CRAIG TIMBERG

Washington Post

673 words

15 June 2006

Houston Chronicle

HOU

3 STAR ; 0

2

English

© 2006 Houston Chronicle. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All Rights Reserved.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - Every time newspaper publisher Trevor Ncube visits his native Zimbabwe, he said, there seem to be more Chinese. He sees them shopping at boutiques, driving fancy cars, picking up their children from elite private schools.
And as in much of Africa, Ncube said, China's reach into Zimbabwe's economy is equally pervasive: The roads are filled with Chinese buses, the markets with Chinese goods, and Chinese-made planes are in the skies. Chinese companies are major investors in mining and telecommunications.
The government in Beijing, meanwhile, is a crucial backer of Zimbabwe's authoritarian president, Robert Mugabe.
"They are all over the place," said Ncube, who owns newspapers in Zimbabwe and South Africa. "If the British were our masters yesterday, the Chinese have come and taken their place."
Such unease appears to be rising across Africa as Chinese become powerful players - and, in some places, the dominant ones - in economies across the continent.
In a pattern replicated across the world, China's voracious appetite for raw materials is helping push sub-Saharan economies to their fastest growth in three decades, and inexpensive Chinese-made products are suddenly available across the continent.
Yet many Africans say the influx, while offering consumers more affordable goods, has not improved their economic situation and has hurt local companies.
African and Western activists say China's increasingly close ties to the troubled governments in Angola, Nigeria, Sudan and Zimbabwe are undermining efforts to nurture democracy and improve human rights.
When Chinese President Hu Jintao toured Africa in April, he implicitly responded to concerns about his country's growing role on the continent.
"China's development will not bring a threat to anyone but, instead, will only bring more opportunities and space for development to the world," Hu told the Nigerian National Assembly, according to news reports.
No internal interference
He also reiterated China's policy of making business deals without any expectation that governments will improve democracy, respect human rights or fight corruption. He told reporters in Nairobi, the last stop of his tour, that China follows "a policy of noninterference in other countries' internal affairs."
China's overall trade with Africa rose from $10.6 billion in 2000 to $40 billion last year and continues to increase, according to Chinese government statistics.
Sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth rate, meanwhile, has nearly doubled over the same period, from 3 percent to an estimated 5.8 percent this year, the best since 1974, according to the International Monetary Fund.
"Those places that are energy-rich and mineral-rich are awash in cash," said J. Stephen Morrison, head of the Africa program for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, speaking from his office in Washington. "And that is driven in part by these new, rapid-growth Asian economies."
Billions for drilling rights