Indonesia: Bird flu may have transmitted human-to-human

Indonesian officials said they are investigating what may be the first case of human-to-human transmision of avian flu.

"We cannot confirm that has occurred but we cannot rule it out," I Nyoman Kandun of the health ministry said Monday.


State hosptial staff examine a man infected with avian flu in Medan, Sumatra. AFP file photo from Yahoo News.

Kandun said that there was no indication the virus had mutated so the disease is probably not anymore contagious among humans than before.

Indonesia has more bird flu deaths than any other country this year and trails only Vietnam in total fatalities.

Hundreds of Vietnamese fishermen rescued, many still missing

Six Vietnamese fishing boats headed home Sunday after China refueld their ships stranded by powerful Typhoon Chanchu.


Fishermen in Danang, Vietnam repair their boat on Saturday, May 20, after Typhoon Chanchu hit the region. AP photo from Yahoo News.

Some 330 Vietnamese fishermen from 22 ships were rescued near Pratas Island off the coast of Guangdong province in China's largest ever international rescue effort.

Officials said 21 bodies had also been recovered. At least 150 people are still missing.

Chanchu wrecked havoc in the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan and China. As many as 1 million Chinese may have fled their homes to escape the typhoon.





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Philippine President opens Asia's largest mall

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo opened the Philippines largest mall Saturday, the third largest in the world and said to be the largest in Asia.

The Mall of Asia, developed by tycoon Henry Sy has 4.3 million square feet of floor space built on 148 reclaimed acres on the Manila Bay.


Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and business tycoon Hans Sy at the IMAX theater on Saturday, May 20, in the newly-opened Mall of Asia. AP photo from Yahoo News.

Large air-conditioned malls are popular attractions in this developing country, the equivalent of large theme parks like Disneyland in the United States.

Although modern "mega-malls" were initially concentrated in the capital Manila, they are becoming frequent in many other parts of the country.

The new Manila mall houses the Philippines' first IMAX theater with an 8-story tall screen and an Olympic-scale ice skating rink.

In addition to malls, Philippine developers have recently seen a boon in expatriate purchases of condominiums and other real estate in the country. Luxury high-rise condos in the posh Makati area of Metro Manila, and vacation homes in the unspoiled countryside are particularly popular.




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