Hong Kong

A human rights group said Chinese police detained four dissidents on Monday for urging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to use Beijing's bid for the 2008 Games to press China to free jailed democracy activists.

ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has promoted Vib Sharma to senior vice president, advertising and integrated sales.

The Television Corporation (TTC), the UK-based television production and distribution company, has signed a contract with APBA Offshore, the world?s largest powerboat organisation, to create the Ultracatz Global Challenge, a new Grand Prix powerboat race series.

Asia basketball fans have been given a boost with the news that ESPN Star Sports will air 77 National Basketball Association (NBA) live games each season for the next four years from this November.

Next week?s Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Squash Open, featuring the world?s top men?s and women?s players, will see the launch of the first SMS squash results service for mobile phone users all over the world.

Hutchison 3G Italia , holder of an Italian third-generation mobile phone service licence, says it has acquired exclusive rights to transmit highlights of five Italian soccer clubs' games.

Manchester United wants to increase sales from its merchandising operation abroad by transferring responsibility for its overseas stores to regional partners with local expertise.

Quokka Sports in partnership with British Telecom has launched www.btchallenge.com to provide up to the minute coverage of The BT Global Challenge, dubbed the "World?s Toughest Yacht Race".

The ICC has sold the television, sponsorship, licensing, merchandise and internet rights to the next two Cricket World Cups for $550million, according to a report in The Times newspaper.

Asian soccer's governing body has said it would crack down on corruption and match-fixing.

Asian broadcaster ESPN Star Sports and HK pay-TV operator Cable TV have reached an agreement for non-exclusive distribution of ESPN and Star Sports channels in Hong Kong.

Asian sports broadcaster ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has acquired the exclusive terrestrial, cable and satellite television broadcast rights of the English Premier League for the next three seasons beginning August 2001.

Hong Kong's top policeman said on Tuesday an investigation had been ordered into an illegal soccer gambling ring suspected to involve police officers.

India has made a bid to stage the 15th Asian Games in 2006.

Police have arrested 15 people in Hong Kong in connection with illegal soccer bookmaking involving about HK$18 million (US$2.3 million).

Attheraces, the UK media consortium run by BSkyB, Channel 4 and Arena Leisure, has appointed Simon Cooper as its communications director.