Woman who stalked Hong Kong doctor for 10 years prosecuted

Posted on : 2010-09-14 | Author : dpa News Category : Asia

Hong Kong - A lovesick woman who stalked a Hong Kong doctor for 10 years has been warned she would be jailed immediately if she contacts him again, a news report said Tuesday.  Chan Yuk-fung, who is in her 40s, has bombarded paediatrician Ng Yiu-ki with love letters, e-mails and gifts of food for the past decade, the South China Morning Post said.  The doctor obtained an injunction last year barring her from contacting him or going within 50 metres of him, but Chan, who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, defied the court order.  At a court hearing Monday, Chan was found guilty of contempt of court for breaching the injunction and given a suspended three-week jail sentence.  She was also ordered to pay 12,700 US dollars in legal costs on top of another 18,000 US dollars she owes in legal costs for previous court hearings.  Chan contacted the doctor 15 times from May to July and later sent him vouchers for mooncakes, a traditional Chinese food eaten at the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls in September.  Judge Leung Chun-man warned her she would be jailed immediately for 21 days if she breached the injunction again.  Chan said she would try to occupy herself with making new friends and going to church.

Japanese prime minister wins party's leadership fight - Update

Posted on : 2010-09-14 | Author : dpa News Category : Asia

Tokyo - Prime Minister Naoto Kan was re-elected Tuesday as president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), preventing a third change in premiers in a year.    Kan remains the head of government after winning a party leadership contest against Ichiro Ozawa, the veteran politician known as the "Shadow Shogun" for his history of making backroom deals and for wielding power in the DPJ behind the scenes.  The challenge to Kan, who has been premier for three months, came after the DPJ lost its majority in the upper house of the Diet in July's elections, held weeks after Kan took office as Japan's fifth premier in four years.  With the next parliamentary elections not until 2013, Kan's confirmation as prime minister in the party's vote was an indication to political analysts of political stability in the world's third-largest economy, which has been struggling with a large debt load, deflation, an ageing population and a surging yen, which has hurt Japan's exporters.

Philippine leader vows to restore people's trust in police

Posted on : 2010-09-14 | Author : dpa News Category : Asia

Manila - Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday vowed to restore people's trust in the police after a botched hostage rescue left eight Hong Kong tourists dead last month.  Aquino urged the newly installed police chief, Director General Raul Bacalzo, to intensify reforms and instill discipline in the police force  "We will wipe out the fear and doubt of the people in your institution," Aquino said in turnover ceremonies at police headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City in the Manila metropolitan area.  Bacalzo replaced Jesus Verzosa, who retired early, less than a month after the August 23 hostage tragedy at a seaside park in Manila.  The crisis began when dismissed police officer Rolando del Rosario Mendoza seized a tourist bus filled with 25 people, mostly Hong Kong tourists, in a bid to get his job back.  While nine hostages were freed through negotiations, the standoff ended in violence when Mendoza opened fire inside the bus, prompting police to launch an assault.  Eight Hong Kong tourists and Mendoza were killed in the botched rescue.  The incident triggered outrage in the former British colony, where many have denounced the way the Philippine police handled the situation and demanded an apology and compensation for the victims' families.  Aquino admitted the carnage was a major setback to his 2-month-old government, but he promised to forge ahead and lead the country in the fight against corruption and poverty.  "We will remove the scar of doubt of the people, not only in our police forces but also in the government," he said  Aquino added he would ensure that the funds allocated for training and for purchasing equipment for the police would not end up in the pocket of unscrupulous government officials.