Hundreds of social welfare groups are continuing to snub moves to increase AIDS awareness. They are refusing to sign a charter which aims to ban discrimination against HIV-infected workers. Hui Yin-fat, director of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service, says that although 24 social welfare groups have signed the Community Charter on AIDS, another 200 organisations could not be budged. He said the council had applied for up to an extra $1 million from the AIDS Trust for educational purposes. The charter, launched in 1994, aims to promote anti-discrimination measures for workers infected with HIV, the virus which leads to AIDS. Martial arts and action movie hero Jackie Chan has been signed up by talent super-agents, the William Morris Agency. Chan has a multi-picture deal with New Line productions, which released his hit Rumble in the Bronx, and will release his next movie, First Strike, in January. Chan's plans include television projects, books and commercials in the United States. Greenpeace Hong Kong will help China develop new technologies to tackle environmental problems in a constructive rather than confrontational way. Greenpeace International executive director Thilo Bodek said that finding a Hong Kong executive director could take another year. The organisation is looking for the right trilingual candidate with environmental interests, and campaigning and economic experience. John Kennedy Jnr and Carolyn Bessette drew up a contract before their marriage last month which states how much he would pay her if the marriage did not last, reports said. According to a British newspaper, the terms in the pre-nuptial pact ensure that the longer the marriage lasts, the more money Ms Bessette would get in the event of a divorce. The late president John F. Kennedy's 35-year-old son and Ms Bessette were married in a secret ceremony in Cumberland Island, Georgia, US, on September 21 and spent their honeymoon in Turkey. Tennis superstar Boris Becker said, after beating Jan Siemerink in the final of the US$800,000 (HK$6,240,000) CA Trophy , that winning his first title since injuring his wrist at Wimbledon bordered on a miracle. Far from playing his best, Becker won 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-2, 6-3 on the indoor hardcourt of Vienna's Stadthalle for his third title of the year - after the Australian Open and the London grasscourt championship at Queen's Club. Victory came as a relief for Becker, who took a long break after rupturing a tendon in his right wrist in a match at Wimbledon. Unemployment in Hong Kong has continued to slide for the fifth consecutive month. It fell to 2.6 per cent in the three months to September from 2.8 per cent, according to Government figures. The rate dipped in most sectors - manufacturing, transport, restaurants and hotels, wholesale and retail trades, and community, social and personal services. However, economists were not optimistic about the trend because of poor performance in exports. Of the 86,400 people registered as unemployed, 12,100 are first-time job seekers. Maids in some parts of Manila are being offered free martial arts training so they can defend themselves against robbers. In an increasing trend, and in addition to their usual duties, many maids are doubling as security guards. After being trained in the martial arts, the domestic helpers are issued with identity cards describing them as 'peace and order volunteers'. South Korean World Cup organisers said they were not taking seriously criticisms made by FIFA general secretary Sepp Blatter of preparations for the 2002 finals. The first World Cup finals to be held in Asia were jointly awarded to South Korea and Japan after months of bitter rivalry between the two. But in a magazine article, Mr Blatter warned it had not died down and that FIFA may have to award the event to another country. Japanese officials would not comment, saying they were still waiting to see Mr Blatter's interview with World Soccer magazine.
