AsiaPulse News back issues from February 2000:
OPEN - ASIA PULSE INTERNATIONAL - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... Good Morning. This is the Asia Pulse International service of business intelligence, news, tenders and expert commentary on the economies of Asia provided by Asia Pulse Pte Ltd (Asia Pulse). Asia Pulse reserves all rights including copyright in relation to services ...
AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SYDNEY, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's Australian newspapers: <Pre> THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW: - Westpac has flagged a major outsourcing of its </Pre> technology operations which would cut 1000 jobs and save $100 million a year; John Howard plans ...
FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR CALM - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SYDNEY, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar experienced relative calm overnight, emerging slightly softer this morning, but hanging onto yesterday's recovery with good two-way business. The currency has been mired in the mid-63 US-cent region after plunging on Friday night ....
MALAYSIA'S SIME DARBY COMPLETES POWER PLANT STAKE PURCHASE.
Feb 01, 2000 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Sime Darby Bhd group chief executive Nik Mohamed Yaacob said the conglomerate had completed the acquisition of a 20-percent stake in Port Dickson Power Bhd (PDP) from Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) for RM136 million. Sime Darby's ...
MALAYSIA'S BROAD MONEY SUPPLY UP 2.7PCT IN DECEMBER.
Feb 01, 2000 ... KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Broad money supply increased by RM11.3 billion or 2.7 percent in December, compared with only 0.9 percent increase recorded a month earlier, Bank Negara Malaysia said yesterday. The monetary situation improved in December, reflecting favourable ...
INDIAN GOVT CLEARS US$75 MLN INVESTMENT BY REDIFF COMMS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... NEW DELHI, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The country's leading Internet news portal Rediff Communication's US$75 million American Depository Receipts issue is among 46 foreign investment proposals worth Rs 4.0573 billion cleared by the government. After the Rs 3.225 billion ADR issue, ...
ASIANET: MCAFEE.COM TO ACQUIRE LEADING FIREWALL VENDOR.
Feb 01, 2000 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan 31 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - McAfee.com (Nasdaq: MCAF), the leading global consumer Application Service Provider (ASP) of online PC security and management services, announced today that it has agreed to ...
INDIA'S HLL TAKES OVER MANAGEMENT OF MODERN FOODS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... NEW DELHI,Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Indian Government today formally handedover Modern Food Industries Ltd to Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL), Indian subsidiary of FMCG major Unilever Plc by formally signing a shareholders' agreement that envisages transfer of 74 per cent government stake and ...
INDIAN OIL CORP STAKE IN IRAN PROJECT DELAYED.
Feb 01, 2000 ... NEW DELHI, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The state-owned Indian Oil Corporation's (IOC) equity participation in an exploratory block in Iran has been delayed as project promoter Elf has not yet responded to the IOC's bid for a 35 per cent stake. IOC Chairman and Managing Director M A ...
OMAN TO HOLD CONFERENCE on gulf trade.
Feb 01, 2000 ... MUSCAT, Oman, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - A conference on the future of Industrial Estates in development and international trade in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will be held at Crown Plaza Hotel here on 27-28 February, according to Ahmed bin Hassan al Dheeb, Executive Director of ...
STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX OPENS STRONGER - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... MELBOURNE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian sharemarket opened slightly stronger today after a surge on Wall Street overnight, but the focus remains on impending announcements of interest rate movements here and in the United States. The benchmark all ordinaries index was ...
INDIA TENDER - 2ND NATIONAL HIV/AIDS CONTROL PROJECT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** <Pre>National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd.(A Government of India Enterprise)Ministry of Health & Family WelfareGovernment of India through Nationalthermal Power ...
CENTRAL BANK OF OMAN ISSUES GOVT DEV'T BONDS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... MUSCAT, Oman,Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Central Bank of Oman ( CBO) has announced a RO.25 million new issue of government development bonds with a maturity period of 3 years and 337 days and carries a coupon rate of 8% per annum. According to a ...
INDONESIA'S TRIMEGAH SECURITIES POSTS SURGE IN PRICE ON IPO.
Feb 01, 2000 ... JAKARTA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Share prices for PT Trimegah Securities surged on the first day the company was traded Monday on the Jakarta Stock Exchange. The company started an initial public offering at a price of Rp2,000 (US$0.28) and the price shot up immediately to Rp3,050 ...
AUSTRALIA CALLS FOR NON-INTERVENTION ON TIMOR ISSUE.
Feb 01, 2000 ... CANBERRA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian government today called on the international community to leave Indonesia alone to pursue those accused of human rights abuses in East Timor. The federal government supported Indonesian President Wahid in his handling of the matter, ...
ASIANET -- ACER PERIPHERALS LICENSES PHONE.COM MICROBROWSER.
Feb 01, 2000 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan 31 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Phone.com, Inc.(Nasdaq: PCHM) and Acer Peripherals, Inc. today announced that Acer Peripherals has licensed the Phone.com(TM) UP.Browser(TM) microbrowser for use in its new GSM and CDMA ...
OROGEN MINERALS GOLD OUTPUT LIFTS 22PCT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... PERTH, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Orogen Minerals Ltd released a strong December quarter yesterday, strengthening its position as a growing player in the Papua New Guinea petroleum industry. The positive result helped lift Orogen's increased annual gold and oil production by 22 per ...
AUSTRALIA'S NORTH LTD SET TO SHIFT FOCUS TO IRON ORE.
Feb 01, 2000 ... MELBOURNE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - As its strategic focus shifts to iron ore, North Ltd has plans for its $A1 billion ($US652.3 million) West Angelas project to become the diversified miner's "flagship" operation. The Melbourne-based group said yesterday it saw strong growth ...
MIM HOLDINGS MAKES DRAMATIC RETURN TO PROFITABILITY.
Feb 01, 2000 ... BRISBANE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Diversified miner MIM Holdings Ltd yesterday made a dramatic return to profitability, while vowing to continue its assault on costs and increase productivity. The company unveiled a net profit for the six months ending December 31, 1999 of $A107.3 ...
ANALOG DEVICES INTRODUCES PROGRAMMABLE FLASH MEMORY-BASED DSP.
Feb 01, 2000 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) NORWOOD, Mass., Jan 31 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI) announced today a new family of flash memory-based embedded digital signal processors (DSP) called DashDSP(TM) that combine high performance digital ...
AUSTRALIAN INFRASTRUCTURE FUND EARNINGS FALL 51PCT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... MELBOURNE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - A difficult trading environment for the listed infrastructure sector effectively halved earnings for the first half of 1999/2000 for the Australian Infrastructure Fund (AIF). The AIF posted a net profit of $A11.04 million ($US7.2 million) for ...
KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of Korean newspapers: DONG-A ILBO - Rival parties shelve action on election law revision bill to today. - Prosecution to start investigation of military service irregularities before Lunar New Year holidays. ...
SENIOR RENAULT REP. TO VISIT KOREA FOR TALKS ON SAMSUNG MOTOR.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - A high-level Renault representative will visit Seoul for talks on the purchase of Samsung Motor in the middle of this month and his trip will likely trigger full-fledged negotiations as Renault's on-site inspection on Samsung will be completed around Feb. 20. ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - VIETNAM, TRAFFIC SIGNAL INSTALLATIONS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** <Pre>**************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** VIETNAM - URBAN TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENT ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - THAILAND, ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** <Pre> **************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** THAILAND - UNIVERSITIES SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ...
AUSTRALIAN NET BROKER SANFORD SECURITIES NOW NO.2 TRADER.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SYDNEY, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Sanford Securities Ltd, an Australian Internet stock broker, said it had strengthened its position in the online trading market, with 5.2 million website hits per day during January. The company said it had achieved rapid growth since it implemented a ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - THAILAND, SCHOOL SCIENCE EQUIPMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** <Pre>**************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** THAILAND - SECONDARY EDUCATION QUALITY ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - CHINA, EDUCATION.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** **************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** CHINA - ACCOUNTING REFORM AND ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - MALAYSIA, HEALTH DEVELOPMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** <Pre>**************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** MALAYSIA - HEALTH DEVELOPMENT PROJECT GENERAL ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - MALAYSIA, LAB EQUIPMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** *********************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 *********************************** MALAYSIA - HEALTH DEVELOPMENT PROJECT LABORATORY ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - INDIA, SEWAGE DISPOSAL.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** *********************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 *********************************** INDIA - BOMBAY SEWAGE DISPOSAL PROJECT ...
WORLD BANK PROCUREMENT - INDIA, HIGHWAYS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** **************************************** WORLD BANK INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SERVICE PROCUREMENTS JANUARY 2000 **************************************** INDIA - GUJARAT STATE HIGHWAY PROJECT-PHASE ...
S KOREA TO EASE RULES ON FINANCE HOLDING COS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The government will ease the debt-to-equity ratio of financial holding companies to over 100 percent and demand a minimum capital of 800 billion ($us711 million) to 1.2 trillion won. The Finance and Economy Ministry said Tuesday that it would either ...
GLOBAL ONE WELCOMES RESOLUTION OF ITS OWNERSHIP.
Feb 01, 2000 ... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) BRUSSELS, Jan 31 PRNI HK-AsiaNet - Global One today welcomed the clarification of its ownership issue and the announcement that France Telecom has become its sole owner. Daniel Caclin, the newly-appointed CEO of ...
PHONE CALLS, JOBS, OFFICES UP FOR GRABS IN KOREAN CYBERSPACE.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - With a little patience and effort or a bit of creativity and ambition, one can get free phone calls, jobs or even a brand new office to start a business these days. "Free" marketing is the key to success among Internet service businesses amid heavy ...
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS MISSING THE BOAT IN ASIA: PWC SURVEY.
Feb 01, 2000 ... BRISBANE, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - PricewaterhouseCoopers has issued a survey which shows that Australian retailers are missing out on opportunities to expand into Asia. Retail Meter Asia, a study prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Australian Centre for Retail Studies at ...
AUSTRALIAN NEW MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS UP 2.8PCT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... CANBERRA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported today that 64,451 new vehicles were registered in Australia in December, seasonally adjusted, up 2.8 per cent on November. The rise in new motor vehicle registrations could signal an end to the ...
JAPAN HOUSING STARTS RISE 1.4% FOR 1ST GAIN IN 3 YEARS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Japan's housing starts rose 1.4% on the year to 1.21 million units in 1999, the first year-on-year increase in three years, according to data released Monday by the Ministry of Construction. The gains were attributed to new tax breaks on housing ...
JAPAN HITS BACK AT NEW ZEALAND OVER WHALING COMPLAINTS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Foreign Minister Yohei Kono announced Monday he had sent a letter of protest to the New Zealand government, urging it to stop criticizing Japan for its research whaling program. ...
JAPANESE MORNING NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of the morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) today: - Sony To Sell Consumer Electronics Over The Internet - Sumitomo Life To Transfer Nonlife Ops To Sumitomo Marine - M'bishi Motors To Reorganize Domestic ...
NZ INSURER TOWER LTD APPLIES FOR LICENCE IN CHINA.
Feb 01, 2000 ... WELLINGTON, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Insurance company Tower Ltd had applied for a life insurance licence in China, managing director James Boonzaier said. He had had met Feng Xiaozeng, vice-chairman of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, in January to formally present the ...
FOREX - US$ TRADED AT 1,123 WON IN EARLY TRADE - FEB1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The U.S. dollar opened at 1,124.50 won and traded at 1,123 won as of 10:21 a.m. Tuesday, supported by dollar purchase of state-run banks. It closed at 1,123.20 ...
TOYOTA MOVES CLOSER TO CHINESE PRODUCTION APPROVAL.
Feb 01, 2000 ... BEIJING, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - China's State Development Planning Commission on January 21 approved a Toyota Motor Corp. (TSE:7203) proposal covering the production of passenger cars in the country through a joint venture with Tianjin Automotive Industrial (Group) Co. The ...
DREAMNET TO MAKE WEB PAGES READABLE ON I-MODE CELL PHONES.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Japanese internet firm DreamNet announced Monday it will in mid-February start a service to rewrite Internet homepages into text that can be read on cellular phones hooked up with the i-mode Internet service provided by NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc ....
BOJ MANAGERS SEE GLIMMER OF HOPE ON CAPITAL SPENDING.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Bank of Japan branch managers generally agreed at a meeting Monday that the decline in overall capital spending is slowing to a halt, a view that should bring a little solace to regional economies. Steady exports and recovering production are prompting outlays by ...
MITSUI FUDOSAN SIGNS DEAL WITH 10 TELECOMS CARRIERS.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Mitsui Fudosan Co. (TSE:8801) had agreed with 10 communications companies on the installation of their lines, the major real estate developer said Monday. The deal will offer tenants of its approximately 300 office buildings freedom to choose between ...
JAPAN'S NATIONAL DEBT TO GROW 7.7% TO US$5.07 TRLN: MOF.
Feb 01, 2000 ... TOKYO, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Japan's national debt will swell to 544.84 trillion yen (US$5.07 trillion) at the end of March 2001, according to a Finance Ministry forecast submitted to the Diet Monday in support of the fiscal 2000 budget proposal. The figure is 7.7% (38.73 trillion ...
INDONESIAN 1999 IMPORTS DROP 12PCT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... JAKARTA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said that Indonesian exports in 1999 dropped by 0.73 percent to US$48.49 billion, while imports decreased 12.51 percent to $23.92 billion from a year earlier. While oil/gas exports in 1999 rose by 24 percent ...
INDONESIA'S INFLATION RATE RISES TO 1.32% IN JANUARY 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... JAKARTA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia's inflation rate rose to 1.32 percent early in 2000 from a deflation rate of minus 0.72 in the 1999-2000 budget year (April 1999 - January 2000). "The rising of prices of various basic needs in the New Year 2000 and approaching Idul Fitri ...
DEUTSCHE BANK PULLS OUT OF BID TO BUY STAKES IN KORAM.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Deutsche Bank has opted not to acquire a stake in KorAm Bank, The Korea Times reported Tuesday. A bank official was quoted as saying in a telephone interview, "Deutsche is no longer considering participation in an investment syndicate that recently ...
STOCKS - KOSPI FALLS 11.06 PTS EARLY - FEB 1, 2000.
Feb 01, 2000 ... SEOUL, Fan 1 Asia Pulse - KOSDAQ stocks rose for the fourth day with the key index recovering 200 mark during early session. The Korean Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 11.06 points to 932.82 as of 10:35 a.m. on the ...
INDONESIA'S TOURIST ARRIVALS UP BY 4.13 PCT IN 1999.
Feb 01, 2000 ... JAKARTA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - More than 3.92 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year, up 4.13 percent from a year earlier, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) reported. The number of tourist arrivals in the past five months showed a downward trend because of ...
ADB TECHNICAL - TAJIKISTAN, FLOOD MANAGEMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT - ADVISORY ********************************************** ...
ADB TECHNICAL - FIJI, CAPITAL MARKET.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT - ADVISORY ********************************************** ...
PRES WAHID SEEKS SWISS GOVT HELP TO TRACE SOEHARTO'S WEALTH.
Feb 01, 2000 ... BERN, Switzerland, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid has announced plans to send the Swiss government a letter asking for assistance in finding out whether or not the now former president Soeharto has stashed some money at the banks in Switzerland. ...
ADB TECHNICAL - VIETNAM, POLICY DEVELOPMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT - ADVISORY ********************************************** ...
ADB TECHNICAL - VANUATU, COMPREHENSIVE REFORM PROGRAM.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT - ADVISORY ********************************************** ...
WORLD BANK, IMF TO HELP INDONESIA SET UP ANTI-CORRUPTION GROUP.
Feb 01, 2000 ... JAKARTA, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have expressed their readiness to help the Indonesian Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Law and Legislation draw up a program for the establishment of an anti-corruption agency, Attorney General ...
ADB LOAN PROJECT - MICRONESIA, PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 LOAN PROJECTS ********************************************** MICRONESIA: Private Sector Development ...
ADB LOAN PROJECT - EAST TIMOR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 LOAN PROJECTS ********************************************** EAST TIMOR: Community Empowerment and ...
HK RELEASES FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR 9 MONTHS ENDED DEC 31.
Feb 01, 2000 ... HONG KONG, Feb 1 Asia Pulse - The Hong Kong Government announced Monday its financial results for the nine months ended December 31, 1999. Expenditure for the period April to December 1999 amounted to HK$163.468.6 billion (US$21.01 million) and revenue to $118,763.1 million, ...
ADB LOAN PROJECT - SAMOA, EDUCATION.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 LOAN PROJECTS ********************************************** SAMOA: Education Sector Project ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - CONSTRUCTION WORK (1).
Feb 01, 2000 ... ***** ASIA PULSE TENDER ***** NATIONAL CANCER CENTER CHUO HOSPITAL INVITES BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on January 27: (1) Official in charge of disbursement ...
JAPAN GOVT TENDER - DREDGING WORK (1).
Feb 01, 2000 ... ***** ASIA PULSE TENDER ***** HOKKAIDO DEVELOPMENT BUREAU INVITES BIDS FOR DREDGING WORK The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on January 27: (1) Official in charge of disbursement of the ...
ADB LOAN PROJECT - MARSHALL ISLANDS, SKILLS TRAINING.
Feb 01, 2000 ... *** Asia Pulse Tender *** ********************************************** ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES JANUARY 2000 LOAN PROJECTS ********************************************** MARSHALL ISLANDS: Skills Training and ...