The UK's NHS Information Authority (NHSIA) is rolling out its new e-mail and directory service, NHSmail, to ten hospital trusts, according to Kablenet.com. Currently, there are around 7,000 separate e-mail systems within the NHS, and only half of the 1.2 million NHS staff have their own e-mail address. The NHSmail system, which has undergone a number of successful trials, will allow health care teams working on the same projects to share e-mails and diaries. The new system also features an electronic calendar, so registered NHS staff can record appointments, set reminders and plan meetings. There are plans for NHSmail to be rolled out nationally in 2003.
The US federal government has launched a Web site aimed at making scientific research more accessible to the public. The site, www.science.gov, has compiled information from ten government agencies and 14 scientific and technical organisations into a searchable, user-friendly database. Visitors to the site, which is free to use and does not require registration, can search for technical reports, journal citations, databases and fact sheets, among other resources. The site is also broken down into 12 categories, from applied science and technologies through health and medicine to natural resources and conservation. The site has had thousands of search requests since its 01 December launch.
The Internet will play a key role in this week's presidential election in South Korea, reports the Financial Times. South Korea has the highest broadband penetration in the world, making the Internet a key medium for communicating with voters and in particular with the younger segment of the electorate. "The Internet is as powerful as television in reaching young people in Korea," says Huh Un-na, the head of Internet campaigning for the ruling Millennium Democratic party. The two major parties in South Korea have sophisticated Web sites where the thousands of "Netizens" who visit every day can compare policies and personalities, watch video clips of speeches and send messages to candidates. However, South Korea's election regulator has complained that it is unable to police all of the campaign material, both official and unofficial, on the Web. In addition, candidates and their supporters have been accused of sending out mass e-mails and mobile phone messages, in violation of election rules.
On-line newspaper JoongAng Ilbo reports that KT Corp, Korea's largest fixed-line telecoms operator, has secured a USD65 million e-government contract with the Indonesian government. KT says the project involves building a broadband network and related computer systems as part of Indonesia's e-government strategy. The first phase of the plan, due to be completed by 2005, will see KT establish and integrate telecoms networks in Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities and develop application software. KT pointed out that the deal is the first time a Korean telecoms firm has exported e-government technology.
Three hundred local government units (LGUs) throughout the Philippines are to participate in a nationwide e-government scheme. The "e-LGU" project, which is being funded by the national government and being managed by the National Computer Centre and the Department of Science and Technology, aims to grow e-government at the local level in a cost-effective manner. Among the e-government objectives of the initiative are the monitoring of overdue taxes using automated revenue systems, the improvement of records management and an increase in the availability of information for citizens.
Quelle: electricnews.net
