1.   BATTLE lines were drawn between the sexes on Tuesday over the handling of the bird flu crisis.

2.   CHIEF Executive Tung Chee-hwa has ordered Acting Acting Chief Secretary for Administration Michael Suen Ming-yeung to co-ordinate follow-up action on the bird flu crisis.

3.   Dr Leung said the councils did not have much power to cope with the bird flu crisis.

4.   Gordon Siu Kwing-chu told the Public Service Panel of the provisional legislature the unit had responded pro-actively to the bird flu crisis.

5.   He said the bird flu crisis could have been handled more efficiently if fewer bureaux and departments were involved.

6.   Meanwhile, Mrs Chan clarified that she heads the task force handling the bird flu crisis.

7.   Mr Tung said the bird flu crisis had awakened the government to the importance of hygiene.

8.   Mr Suen last night denied his appointment was a belated action by Mr Tung to grapple with the bird flu crisis.

9.   Mr Suen refused to admit the bird flu crisis had been mishandled as he emphasised the government faced different problems at different stages.

10.   Several chicken retailers said on Sunday they were struggling to break even because a few importers and wholesalers had deliberately kept prices high since the bird flu crisis.