SYDNEY, Sept. 17 -- AsiaNet GLOBAL STUDY... BEIJING: More than half of the world's population is not covered by any formal social security protection against the risks of old age, death, sickness, work accident and unemployment. The majority of the more than three billion without adequate coverage live in developing countries -- those most prone to social and economic instability -- and this could have serious implications for a world dependent upon sustained economic and social development. http://www.issa.int FUNDING CONTOVERSY... TOKYO: An investigation conducted by Speak Up For Diversity alleges that Sony Corporation is granting money to David Touretzky at Carnegie Mellon University, USA, despite their own policy guidelines against providing philanthropic support to: "Organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, religion, age, national origin, or sexualorientation." http://www.speakupfordiversity.com CEO APPOINTED... NEW YORK: Ron Berger, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Creative Officer of the agency's New York and San Francisco operations, today announced the appointment of David Jones, 37, as Chief Executive Officer of Euro RSCG Worldwide's flagship New York office, a new position, effective immediately. He will report to Berger. http://www.eurorscg.com FUN DAY... ATHENS: Prior to the start of the Paralympic Games in Athens, Visa International, proud Sponsor of the Paralympic Games, is joining hands with members of Athens' disabled community to arrange a special "Fun Day" for children with a disability. This forms part of Visa's "Making a Difference"campaign. The children, from three Athens schools, will meet, talk and watch as eight Paralympic athletes from five countries demonstrate their skills at their sports at the Dais School in Athens. http://www.corporate.visa.com INVESTOR SEMINARS... CHICAGO: The Options Industry Council announced today that in October it will be participating in a series of live seminars, "Options for The Thinking Investor," hosted by the Singapore-based MarketWise Investors in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Singapore. http://www.marketwiseinvestors.com http://www.888options.com MENU BROWSER... BERN: Sicap AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Swisscom Mobile, today announced that DiGi, Malaysia's leading prepaid wireless voice and data service operator, has selected Sicap's USSD Menu Browser, a platform for delivering quick and easy customer self-care and value added services to mobile prepaidcustomers. http://www.sicap.com FOR SALE... WELLINGTON: New Zealand's most exclusive fishing and hunting ranch, Poronui Station, is being marketed for sale internationally for $US40 million. Nestled in a secluded mountain valley half an hour from Lake Taupo in the centralNorth Island, Poronui extends over 16,000 acres (almost 7000 hectares). www.poronuistation.com/media MUSICAL REUNION... LAS VEGAS: Superstar recording artist Whitney Houston is reuniting with long time mentor and producer music impresario Clive Davis to begin work on her 7th studio album for Davis' Arista Records. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040916/NYTH052 http://photoarchive.ap.org SURVEY RESULTS... HONG KONG: Global Sources Ltd. today released the results of its first 2004 Annual Salary & Career Development Survey which benchmarked compensation levels among managers in mainland China-based electronics companies. The results show that surveyed managers receive an average annual salary of US$9,136, and that 93 percent receive non-cash benefits from their employers in addition to their basic pay. http://www.esmchina.com/SURVEYS/SALARY04E.PPT . www.csc.globalsources.com . www.globalsources.com NEW HEADQUARTERS... SHANGHAI: Sabre Holdings today announced the opening of its Asia Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, China as part of its move to advance the companys strategic business agenda in the worlds fastest growing market. www.sabre-holdings.com (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agencies distributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwide clients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)--InfoQuest (PP)--