HONG KONG: In a diplomatic ruling worthy of King Solomon, Hong Kong's new government has decided to recognise all three, a girl and two boys, born within minutes of Monday midnight, when China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong after 156 years of British rule. In Cantonese, the number three is Sam, which sounds like San, meaning life.But there was some competition between two hospitals. Officials at Baptist Hospital in Kowloon Tong, where two of the babies were born, pointed out that the boy born at Sha Tin's Union hospital was delivered by caesarean section. But the government decided to give all the three babies small, gold, coin-like pendants to commemorate their birth on the first day of Chinese rule.One-fourth of food in US wastedWASHINGTON: More than one-fourth of all the food produced in the United States is wasted, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said in a study described as the first of its kind in 20 years. The study, conducted by USDA's economic research service, found that in 1995 about 43 million kilos of food, or 27 percent of the food produced in the nation, were lost in homes, stores and other retail outlets. Losses at harvest, farms, and wholesale distribution outlets were not measured.Russian combat helicopter testedLYUBERTSY: A new Russian-made military helicopter, known officially as KA-52 and informally as the Alligator, made its first flight at the Kamov design bureau's Lyubertsy Aerodrome near Moscow. The helicopter flew for six minutes yesterday making different manoeuvres at an altitude of 10 metres. ``It was a good flight.Today we made the first flight and we are pleased with the results,'' test pilot Alexander Smirnov said , after landing. Curbs on vodka sale in kiosksMOSCOW: A Presidential decree banning vendors at street kiosks from selling vodka and other spirits has taken effect in Russia. The decree handed down by President Boris Yeltsin, which took effect from yesterday, calls for the sale of spirits to be limited to shops that have a sales floor of at least 18 square metres. The measure is designed to curb the sale of illicitly distilled liqour.
