The furor capped weeks of a public-relations nightmare for the 67-year-old. Mass protests over his policies, which often seem to cater to the whims of the business elite, have swept the streets this summer. Last month Tung’s all-important Housing minister resigned. Now, Chung’s accusation has further demoralized Hong Kong officials. It has “undermined Mr. Tung’s image and the credibility of the government,” said Chief Secretary Anson Chan.
Beijing is also taking notice. Officials recently summoned the city’s tycoons to instruct them to support the embattled chief executive. A source close to the Chinese leadership told NEWSWEEK: “You would be surprised how much an authoritarian regime cares about public opinion.”
FIJIFree at last
For a terrorist, George Speight has had a good two months. In May he led a coup against Fiji’s elected government, holding the deposed prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and 17 other hostage. Last week he released his captives but secured immunity for himself and his henchmen. The Great Council of Chiefs, Fiji’s traditional power, installed Speight’s nominee as president and implemented a new Constitution guaranteeing Fijian racial supremacy over the minority Indian population. But the appeasement ends there. Several countries warned their citizens to leave the island, and Australia is planning sanctions.
BOOKSBidding War
No doubt about it, Jack Welch is a bankable CEO. He’s added hundreds of billions of dollars to America’s General Electric, and by all accounts, he sets the performance standard for CEOs. But here’s a “$7.1 million question: is Welch a bankable author? That’s how much Warner Books agreed last week to pay Welch for his autobiography, and the record amount for a one-time nonfiction book left the publishing world gasping for air. Welch’s windfall is more than twice the whopping $3.25 million that former U.S. Treasury secretary Robert Rubin landed recently for his book. To earn his advance, Welch will have to move roughly 1.6 million books. Many in publishing said that was a lot of chips to stack on the shoulders of someone who isn’t a household name. “Advances in excess of $5 million used to be reserved for the Oval office,” says Jeffrey Krames, editor in chief of McGraw-Hill’s business-book division. “Now they are going to the corner office.”
SHOESWINGED HEELS
Designing MiG fighter jets is just too lofty for some. A team of Russian engineers at the Ufa Aviation Technical University is now concentrating on shoes - gas-powered ones. Last week tests were successfully conducted for the booster boots in the town of Ufa’s main square. The shoes are fired by 12-inch pistons attached to the calf, which are triggered as the wearer steps down. Velocity is still the primary goal of these engineers - runners can be propelled forward at speeds of up to 25 mph. Boris Rudoi, who heads the team of engineers, says: “They [the boots] can be used by the physically disabled, by rescue services and to combat crime.” At only $700 a pair, you might want to pick some up just for fun, too.
TRANSITIONTrue Reformer
Robert Runcie, the former archbishop of Canterbury, promoted reform during his 11-year tenure as head of the Anglican Church from 1980 until 1991. He controversially supported both the ordination of women and a reconciliation with Roman Catholicism, and clashed with the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher over issues such as the Falklands War and the miners’ strike in 1984. He further infuriated Thatcher when the church chose to remain neutral on other key political debates during the 1980s. Runcie also riled the royal family when, after conducting the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana, he claimed that the marriage was an “arranged” one. Runcie died at 78 last week in London.
LET THEM EAT…A PICNIC
Long lunch: Last week the French marked Bastille Day with a nationwide food fest. Some 4 million people gathered along the country’s meridian, stretching from Dunkirk, via Paris (above), to the Spanish border, to picnic on traditional fare such as baguettes, wine - and barbecued ox.
