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Two civilians among 13 dead in Pakistan car bomb

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:37:50 -0400

QUETTA, Pakistan - At least 13 people, including two civilians, were killed in a car bomb targeting a police vehicle in western Pakistani city of Quetta Thursday, police officials said. The bombing also injured at least 20 people in the capital of Baluchistan province, riven by Islamist militancy and a violent separatist insurgency. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the ...

Kerry holds talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:37:23 -0400

JERUSALEM - US Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday separately began meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials but appeared doubtful about his success on getting the two warring sides back to peace negotiations. This is Kerry's fourth trip to the Middle East in as many months of his assuming the office of the top US diplomat. He was been trying to revive a peace process that has been ...

Meeting of Syrian opposition leaders begins in Istanbul

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:33:08 -0400

ISTANBUL - Syrian opposition leaders Thursday began their three-day meeting in this Turkish capital city to decide on their participation in talks aimed at end the civil war in the country. As the meeting began in Istanbul a prominent Syrian figure in the opposition proposed a transition plan for the country that requires President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power to a senior aide and leave ...

India positioned to become net security provider in immediate region and beyond PM

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:02 -0400

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Thursday said India is well positioned to become a net security provider in the South Asian region and beyond. Laying the foundation stone of National Defence University here, Dr. Singh said: "Our defence cooperation has grown, and today, we have unprecedented access to high technology, capital and partnerships. We have also sought to assume our ...

Microsoft expands Windows Azure in Asia Pacific

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:13:02 -0400

Welcome to Microsoft Pri0: That's Microspeak for top priority, and that's the news and observations you'll find here from Seattle Times technology reporter Janet I. ...

Dominican Republic Latin American leader in Asia trade

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:11:15 -0400

Miami.-The Dominican Republic is among Latin America's fastest growing trade partners of China and South Korea, according to an analysis by online publication Latinvex based on figures from the International Monetary Fund and the Korean government. Dominican Republic exports to China last year grew 40.8 percent to $411 million. That was the fifth-highest increase in Latin America. Total ...

Trip strengthens ties with South Asian partner

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:10:19 -0400

Li Keqiang in the South Asian nation. On Thursday, the premier wrapped up his two-day official visit in Pakistan, the second stop of his nine-day journey abroad. The two sides vowed to deepen strategic ties in spite of the global situation, signing a joint declaration and a number of accords and memorandums of understanding, including one for establishing an "economic corridor". As ...

CNOOC completes Asias biggest deepsea platform

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:10:15 -0400

/enpproperty--> China National Offshore Oil Corp -- the country's largest offshore oil producer -- said on Thursday it has completed construction of Asia's biggest deepwater platform in the South China Sea, marking a breakthrough for the company. The project, known as the Liwan 3-1 natural gas central offshore platform, will have an annual processing capacity of 12 billion cubic ...

‘Asian fit’ menswear by way of Savile Row

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:58:27 -0400

BRITISH Ambassador to the Philippines Stephen Lillie (right) and Cowdery cut the ribbon formally opening T.M. Lewin’s SM Aura store. PHOTOS BY RICHARD REYES If T.M. Lewin had expanded in the Philippines four years ago, the respected British men's shirting brand would have probably raised not a few eyebrows back in London. But that has changed, as the brand, which was founded way back ...

Punk meets history in first Chanel show in Asia

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:58:27 -0400

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld's Cruise 2014 collection mixed the wide pants and hobble maxi skirts that Coco Chanel wore 100 years ago in her first hat shop in Deauville, France. The relaxed long cardigans in knits and the tailored blazers were inspired by Lagerfeld's short black-and-white film about Chanel, entitled "Once Upon a Time" and starring Kiera Knightley. Balancing this ...

Indian doctor in UK gets 12 years in jail for raping and filming patients with camera inside his watch

Thu, 23 May 2013 15:38:02 -0400

Royal Wootton Bassett used a secret camera inside his wristwatch to record himself abusing female patients. Detectives investigating likened the timepiece to that in a James Bond ...

Yen makes up some lost ground in Asia trade after recent plunges

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:53:21 -0400

TOKYO--The yen jumped against the dollar in Asia Thursday as investors adjusted positions after the recent fast-paced decline in the value of the Japanese ...

Britain names soldier killed in London by suspected Islamists

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:20:20 -0400

Manchester United fan and a drummer in the military band, he had also served in Germany and Cyprus but was at the time of his death working in London. "An extremely popular and witty soldier, Drummer Rigby was a larger than life personality within the Corps of Drums and was well known, liked and respected across the Second Fusiliers," said a statement from the ministry of defence. ...

London attackers were Britons of Nigerian origin Report

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:20:19 -0400

LONDON: British authorities believe that two men accused of hacking a soldier to death on a London street in revenge for wars in Muslim countries are British of Nigerian descent, a source close to the investigation said on Thursday. Local media named one of the two suspects as British-born, 28-year-old ...

Exchange rates and inflation hit Asian expats in the Emirates

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:49:04 -0400

Currency appreciation back home is hitting Asian expatriates hard on their pockets. Above, a daily scene at a currency exchange in the UAE. Jeffrey E Biteng / The ...

Philippine bracing for more cancellations from Taiwanese travel agencies

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:35:10 -0400

The Philippine tourism industry is bracing itself for the worst following the suspension and cancellation of many trips by Taiwanese travel ...

Home-build lure for Asian migrants

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:30:10 -0400

Asian business migrants looking at moving to New Zealand are being urged to invest in real estate to secure their residency. Migration seminars are being conducted in nations such as Singapore and Malaysia aimed at people willing to put upwards of $1.5 million into new residential property developments. One seminar, held in Sabah, Malaysia, last weekend was advertised as "Invest in New Zealand: ...

More From Rest of World

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:03:54 -0400

Authorities unlawfully approve banned drugs, go scot-free Drugs banned in other parts of the world continue to be sold in India, despite parliamentary committee seeking their withdrawal from ...

More From Mad Mad World

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:03:49 -0400

Authorities unlawfully approve banned drugs, go scot-free Drugs banned in other parts of the world continue to be sold in India, despite parliamentary committee seeking their withdrawal from ...

Maersk to Hike Rates in Asia-Caribbean Trade

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:24:14 -0400

From Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Taiwan to Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Colombia and Puerto Rico, the hike will be $980 per 20-foot container and $1,400 per 40-foot and 40-foot high-cube ...

High-priced necklace stolen in second Cannes theft jeweller

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:18:58 -0400

Thieves have made off with a high-priced necklace made by Switzerland's De Grisogono in the second jewellery theft at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the company said on ...

Cleveland kidnap case hero Big Mac eater Charles Ramsey gets free burgers for life from eateries

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:11:26 -0400

On May 6, Charles Ramsey heard screaming and saw Berry, whom he didn't recognize, at a door that would open only enough to fit a hand through. He said she was trying desperately to get outside and pleaded for help to reach police. "I heard screaming," he said. "I'm eating my McDonald's. I come outside. I see this girl going nuts trying to get out of a ...

Thousands mourn literary giant Achebe at hometown funeral

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:48:30 -0400

hometown funeral of the man regarded as the father of modern African literature, best known for his seminal novel "Things Fall Apart." An overflow crowd outside the church where the funeral service was held gathered under tents or in the streets, where they stood atop cars to watch on two giant screens. Heavy security was in place throughout the small southeastern town of Ogidi, with ...

At least 18 soldiers killed in gunbattle in Niger Military sources

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:48:28 -0400

military sources and a local official said. "There are 18 soldiers and four attackers dead in Agadez," said one source. "One of the attackers has taken two or three soldiers hostage and is holed up in a house. We have him ...

Market Snapshot U.S. stocks drop hit by Fed Asian selloff

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:12:01 -0400

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks dropped in Thursday morning trade after Japanese equities dived overnight, as global markets reacted to weak Chinese manufacturing data and worries about the Federal Reserve's potential tapering of its bond-buying ...

Death toll in China blast rises to 33 Xinhua

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:05:23 -0400

The death toll from a blast at an explosives plant in eastern China earlier this week rose to 33 Thursday as 20 missing people were declared dead, state media ...

Malaysian activist charged with sedition 3 others held

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:05:22 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian court on Thursday charged a student activist with sedition and police arrested three others, including two opposition politicians, in what critics decried as a crackdown on ...

Paragua topples Sadorra wrests Asian Chess lead

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:01:38 -0400

Standings after Round 5: (Open) 4.5 points--GM Mark Paragua (PH); 4.0--GM Julio Catalino Sadorra (PH), GM Le Quang Liem (Viet), GM John Paul Gomez (PH), GM Richard Bitoon (PH), GM Li Chao (Chn); (Women's) 4.0 points--IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul (Mgl), WGM Mary Ann Gomes (Ind), WGM Guo Qi (Chn), WGM Wang Jue (Chn); 3.5--WGM Huang Qian (CHn), WGM Nafisa Muminova (Uzb), IM Pham Le Thao Nguyen ...

London attackers known to British security services

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:49:26 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Two British men of Nigerian descent accused of hacking a soldier to death on a London street in revenge for wars in Muslim countries were known to security services, a source close to the investigation said ...

Indonesia Tom Lantos Commission Hearing Testimony

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:39:09 -0400

"Human Rights in Indonesia" Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for inviting me to testify today, and thank the committee for focusing on Indonesia’s human rights record, which too often today does not receive the attention it deserves. Indonesia has seen enormous changes over the last 15 years. Human Rights Watch is aware of the general and widespread improvements that have ...

Man killed by FBI links Tsarnaev to triple murder Report

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:36:16 -0400

Ibragim Todashev attacked the FBI agent with a knife just as he was about to sign a confession that he had played a role in the triple murder, local media cited investigators as ...

Asian European Stocks Plunge on Weak Chinese Factory Data

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:07:40 -0400

Japan's Nikkei stock index tumbled 7.3 percent after release of the report showing Chinese factory production dropped in May for the first time in seven months. It was the biggest one-day loss since Japan's March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. Stocks in London, Paris and Frankfurt followed suit, dropping about 2 percent. U.S. future indexes fell ahead of the opening of ...

Malaysian Student Charged with Sedition 2 Others Arrested

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:07:39 -0400

Malaysian authorities have charged a student activist with sedition and have detained two others, including an opposition politician, on similar charges after their involvement in a campaign to challenge what they say are fraudulent election results. Prosecutors Thursday charged Adam Adli under the country's controversial Sedition Act for allegedly telling a political forum that ...

Confusion reigns after Asian market meltdown

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:04:58 -0400

Overnight Asian markets were a complete and utter mess and while a seven per cent correction in the Nikkei may be par for the course after an 80 per cent rally, the reasons behind the sell-off have significant implications for Canadian ...

Indian-origin British MPs condemn UK terror attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:49:18 -0400

British MPs on Thursday condemned the "horrific and barbaric" attack here in which a British soldier was beheaded, calling for unity and appealing for calm. Indian-origin MP and chairman of the influential home affairs select ...

Willing to take Chinas advice to start talks North Korea says

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:49:18 -0400

BEIJING: North Korea is willing to take China's advice and enter into talks, Chinese state television cited an envoy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as saying, following weeks of tension on the Korean peninsula after the North's latest nuclear test. However, that prospect seems unlikely as North Korea has repeatedly said it will not abandon nuclear weapons while the United States ...

US man held after pocket-dialing 911 while plotting murder

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:49:14 -0400

Scott Simon mistakenly pocket-dialed 911 as he planned a killing earlier in May 2013, enabling an emergency dispatch system to record his conversation and link him to the ...

Dhaka building collapse probe finds many failings

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:49:09 -0400

Sohel Rana also "used extremely poor quality iron rods and cement," Ahmed told The Associated Press on Thursday. "There were a series of irregularities." The report found that Rana had permission to build a six-story structure and added two floors illegally so he could rent them out to garment factories. Past statements from authorities said the owner had permission for a ...

In the Arena New Asian Tennis League Is Lining Up Big-Name Stars

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:29:06 -0400

PARIS ...

French lawmakers okay plan for more English at universities

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:22:56 -0400

PARIS: France's lower house on Thursday approved a plan to introduce more courses in English at universities despite critics alleging it will undermine efforts to promote French. A majority of lawmakers in ...

Taliban rickshaw bomb kills 13 in Pakistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:20:56 -0400

QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) -- A large bomb hidden by the Taliban in a rickshaw exploded as a police vehicle passed in southwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing 11 policemen and two civilians, police ...

Crane error blacks out one third of Vietnam

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:52:59 -0400

HANOI (AFP) - Over a third of Vietnam as well as the capital of neighbouring Cambodia suffered a blackout this week after a crane operator knocked a tree onto a key power line, electricity officials said Thursday.Twenty-two of Vietnam's southern provinces -- out of a nationwide total of 63 -- lost power for a few hours on Wednesday afternoon including the southern commercial centre of Ho Chi ...

Swiss free-trade deal a key global sign Chinas Li

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:03 -0400

ZURICH: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sees a looming free-trade deal with Switzerland as a touchstone for Beijing's growing ties with foreign nations, he told a Swiss newspaper on Thursday ahead of a landmark visit to Europe.Li was scheduled to arrive in Switzerland late on Thursday for trade-focused talks in what is the first stop on his debut visit to Europe since taking over in a ...

Important for Japan and China to work towards stabilising ties PM Lee

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:02 -0400

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said it is important for Japan and China to take a longer term perspective and work towards stabilising ...

Philippine capital angered by Da Vinci Code author

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:00 -0400

Philippine authorities on Thursday reacted angrily over "Da Vinci Code" author Dan Brown's portrayal of Manila as "the gates of hell" in his latest ...

Asia Entertainment Resources Ltd. Announces First Quarter 2013 Financial Results

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:31:18 -0400

HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asia Entertainment & Resources Ltd. ("AERL" or the "Company") ( ), which operates through its subsidiaries and related promoter companies that act as VIP room gaming promoters, today announced unaudited and unreviewed financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2013. All currency amounts are stated in United States dollars. ...

20 killed in 2 simultaneous car bombs in Niger

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:30 -0400

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) -- Niger's defense minister announced that 20 Nigerien soldiers were killed and another 16 injured when a suicide bomber detonated a car loaded with explosives inside a military installation in the city of Agadez on ...

Blind activist who escaped house arrest says China cant be trusted

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:11:41 -0400

LONDON: "Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai" may be the flavour in Delhi after the recent visit of Chinese premier Li Keqiang. However, a strong word of caution has come from one of China's most wanted men Chen Guangcheng. Chen, a blind activist who became an international hero after he became the first person to escape house arrest in Beijing for exposing forced abortions and sterilizations in ...

US family leaves Singapore frustrated with inquest

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:40:47 -0400

SINGAPORE -; The parents of an American software engineer found dead in his Singapore apartment last year left the city-state Thursday before the end of a coroner's inquest, saying they had lost faith in the process. Their lawyer said they would push for a U.S. congressional ...

Markets roiled by Nikkeis 7.3 percent slide

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:40:45 -0400

A man walks past an electronic stock indicator showing the Nikkei 225 index which nosedived 1,143.28 points, or 7.3 percent to close at 14,483.98 in Tokyo Thursday, May 23, 2013. Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. (AP Photo/Shizuo ...

China ASEAN jointly recommend brands

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:33:47 -0400

The China-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) held a press conference in Beijing on Thursday to release a list of recommended brand-name products manufactured by China and the ASEAN bloc.Sixty companies and products from China were listed, as well as 45 companies from ASEAN countries.The recommendation list is intended to enhance understanding between both sides and promote economic cooperation, said ...

Hands soaked in blood London knifeman declares his creed on video

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:33:20 -0400

By Peter Griffiths and Estelle Shirbon LONDON | Thu May 23, 2013 7:33am EDT LONDON May 23 (Reuters) - A young man with bloodied hands holds a knife and a meat cleaver soaked in blood as he faces the camera to say he has just killed a soldier on a London street in retaliation for the deaths of Muslims killed by British troops in faraway lands. As the man speaks, a woman in a blue skirt ...

‘Asian Century’ raises own tough challenges

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:33:14 -0400

Christian Forneck, senior foreign policy adviser at the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union Parliamentary Group in the German Bundestag Our discussion is about the beginning of a multipolar era in which there are many new power centers around the world. It doesn't matter if you believe in the thesis of "US decline," or "the demise of the West." One thing is ...

Does Asia Slump Signal US Correction

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:30:19 -0400

: "I think I'd be more likely to be buyer than a seller. First of all, markets correct from time to time. That's natural whether it's in Japan or over here." "We want the Fed to taper because that means the economy is getting better," Keon added, saying the underlying economy is "stronger than people think" because the fiscal drag of the tax increases ...

Asia Fuel Oil-Cash premiums up on supply tightness seen end June

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:39 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Asia fuel oil cash premiums rose on Thursday, as traders turned their attention to tighter Western arbitrage flows in the second half of June, which are expected to keep the market supported, at least in the medium term. Asia cash premiums for the 380-centistoke (cst) benchmark for the marine fuels market was valued at 69 cents a tonne, up 44 cents ...

Asia Pacific Digital Brands and Retailers in Asia Pacific Struggling to Bring E-Commerce Offerings to Market Quickly

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:39 -0400

Complexity and service provider fragmentation significant barriers to taking businesses online SINGAPORE, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- eCommerce in Asia Pacific is growing at a fast pace and by the end of 2013 is expected to overtake North America as the region with the world's highest B2C eCommerce revenues (Note 1). Despite this positive backdrop, brands and retailers face a high level of ...

Asia Distillates-Gasoil margins slip on weak Indonesian demand

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:38 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Asian gasoil margins slipped on Thursday as diesel demand from Indonesia failed to revive even ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, when demand usually peaks, traders said. The June gasoil crack fell 62 cents to $16.26 a barrel above Dubai crude, Reuters data showed. Indonesia's diesel demand is expected to remain weak at least until ...

Asia tension could lead to conflict—DFA chief

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:18:31 -0400

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. AP FILE PHOTO TOKYO -- The Philippines on Thursday warned that territorial rows in Asia are ';causing considerable tension that could lead to conflict'; as several countries face off with China over island claims. Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, speaking at a Tokyo business conference, said China’s ';nine-dash line claim ...

IHT Rendezvous Job Hunting in Asia Language Skills Count

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:16:37 -0400

HONG KONG — Asia has long exerted a magnetism for mobile Westerners in search of jobs and adventures. Tens of thousands of Europeans and Americans live in cities like Singapore and Hong Kong, which are financial and trading hubs with a long history of ties to the West. The global financial crisis ...

Pakistan arrested American before he was killed in US drone strike

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:11:17 -0400

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Pakistani authorities once arrested an American citizen now known to have been killed in a U.S. drone strike in the country, but he escaped after being released on bail. The Obama administration revealed Wednesday that Jude Kenan Mohammad died in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's tribal region, making him the fourth American citizen killed by unmanned aircraft in ...

Mobile services shut for second day in Pakistan for Lis visit

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:59:38 -0400

Mobile phone services were suspended in the Pakistani capital and nearby Rawalpindi for the second day on Thursday as part of extraordinary security measures put in place to ensure an incident-free visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang here. Officials announced the suspension of cellular services between 1 pm and 5 pm local time in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Yesterday, mobile services were suspended ...

Japan gyrations underline economys vulnerability

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:29:52 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's financial markets gyrated wildly Thursday, underscoring the vulnerability of its economy to a loss of investor confidence as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attempts shock monetary easing to end two decades of ...

Asian Stocks Tumble On Fed Talk China Growth Concerns

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:29:07 -0400

Asian stocks tumbled on Thursday after minutes of the Federal Reserve's April 30-May 1 meeting revealed "a number" of members favor tapering the central bank's $85-billion bond-buying program as early as the June meeting if the labor market continues to improve. Fed chief Ben Bernanke also hinted that an exit could be initiated in the "next few meetings" if the ...

Ageing Asia to strain worlds long-term economic growth

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:26:52 -0400

Vancouver, May 23 : The Asia-Pacific region will continue to power global economic growth in 2013, but the region's increasing ageing population will cast a shadow on the long-term development, according to a Canadian ...

Asian markets sell off

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:23:34 -0400

Singapore - Hawkish comments by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and weakness in China's factory activity rocked Asian markets on Thursday, took the dollar to three-year highs, sent share markets lower, and hit the Japanese government bond market as yields rose to their highest in a ...

ASEAN power chiefs to follow up power grid plan

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:34 -0400

power utilities and authorities gathered on Thursday to follow up the progress of the ambitious ASEAN power grid action plan, which was set to inter-connect power lines in the 10 ASEAN member states by 2020. Speaking to reporters after the opening of the 29th meeting of the Heads of ASEAN Power Utilities and Authorities Council, Keo Rottanak, director general of the Electricity of Cambodia, ...

Calls mount for Malaysias BN to move away from race-based politics

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:08 -0400

Two schoolgirls walk across a street as flags of Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition fly above them in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (AP Photo/Mark ...

Speculation over N Korea envoys China trip

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:07 -0400

Speculation mounted over a top NorthKorean military official's visit to China on Thursday, as few details of his meetings were made ...

India PM pledges to clean up defence sector

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:06 -0400

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pledged on Thursday to crack down on corruption in the defence sector after a string of recent graft scandals left his government facing renewed calls to step ...

Mother of two tried to talk down London attackers

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:16:02 -0400

LONDON: A mother of two is being hailed for her bravery after it emerged she attempted to talk down the two Islamic extremists who killed a British soldier in a gruesome machete attack on the streets of ...

SE Asia Stocks-Fall on Fed China data jitters Spore Thailand hit 2-wk low

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:15:45 -0400

BANGKOK, May 23 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stocks fell on Thursday, with Singapore marking its worst week since November 2012 and Thai stocks at their lowest close in more than two weeks, as worries over the future of U.S. monetary stimulus and weak Chinese data dented global sentiment. Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia saw weakness in large caps such as Singapore Telecommunications Ltd, Siam ...

RPT-WRAPUP 1-Asian markets sell off on Bernanke remarks China PMI

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:05:18 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 6:05am EDT * Asian shares down after China HSBC flash PMI, credit spreads wider * Nikkei plunges 7 percent, 11th worst daily drop * JGBs bounce after 10-year JGB yield hits year highs * Korean won worst hit as dollar rises broadly By Masayuki Kitano and Hideyuki Sano SINGAPORE, May 23 (Reuters) - Hawkish comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and weakness in ...

Barred from poll Rafsanjani calls Iranian leaders ignorant

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:03:32 -0400

DUBAI (Reuters) - Former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has accused Iran's leadership of incompetence and ignorance just days after he was barred from standing in an election next month, the opposition Kaleme website reported on ...

Father of Afghanistan cricket captain abducted near his home

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:01:58 -0400

KABUL - Gunmen kidnapped the father of Afghanistan's national cricket team captain near his home in an eastern city, officials said Thursday. There has been no ransom demand since Mohammad Nabi's 60-year-old father Khobi Khan was abducted from his car in the city of Jalalabad, cricket board president Shazada Masoud said. Police are searching for Khan, but there have been no leads or ...

Lydia Davis wins Man Booker International PrizeAmerican writer Lydia Davis edged past Indian literary veteran U R Ananthamurthy to win the Man Booker International Prize 2013 on Wednesday night.

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:50:55 -0400

edition of the award at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. She was chosen from a list of 10 eminent contenders, including Kannada writer Ananthamurthy. The prize, worth 60,000, is awarded for an achievement in fiction on the world stage. It is presented once every two years to a living author for a body of work published either originally in English or available in translation in English. ...

North Korea envoy awaits chat with Chinas leader

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:48:58 -0400

BEIJING (AP) -- While a North Korean envoy waits for an expected meeting with China's Communist Party chief, his Chinese hosts are taking him touring in ...

Chinas continuing progress the biggest fact in Asias success Singaporean PM

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:14:24 -0400

Visiting Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said here Thursday that Asia has successfully recovered from depression and faster than expected with China's continuing progress, the biggest fact of Asia's success.Lee made the remark in a keynote speech during the 19th International Conference on the Future of Asia, adding Asia's global role has grown and the region is ...

Japan protests at S Korean dailys A-bomb op-ed

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:51 -0400

Japan accused a South Korean newspaper of "dishonourable" behaviour for publishing an editorial suggesting the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were "divine ...

Italian arrested in Thailand over US$10m fraud

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:50 -0400

Thai authorities have arrested an Italian wanted over alleged links to a human trafficking ring which swindled around US$10 million from European taxpayers and ...

Myanmars goldrush luring foreigners in droves

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:49 -0400

From seasoned investors to recent graduates armed with little more than hastily-made business cards and dreams of striking it rich, foreigners are pouring into Myanmar to stake a claim as it opens ...

UK emergency committee meets after London attack we will never buckle says Cameron

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:07:55 -0400

David Cameron says there are strong indications it was an act of terrorism, and his top advisers will be examining the potential security implications of the attack, which took place near a London military barracks. One of the attackers went on video to explain the crime -- shouting political statements, gesturing with bloodied hands and waving a meat cleaver. Police shot and wounded the ...

Sri Lanka hails Indian housing assistance

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:07:55 -0400

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has welcomed a whopping Rs 1,372 crore Indian housing assistance programme to build around 4000 homes in the country's eastern province. The housing assistance programme is one of the largest grant assistance projects implemented by India outside the country. Sri ...

Asia in the ageing century part I – population trends

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:02:07 -0400

23 May 2013 | While Asia's population is expected to increase by one billion people in the next thirty years, the significant demographic story is the change in its age ...

The Asian stock indexes suffered

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:55:59 -0400

The financial markets have been adverse to risk since the Federal Reserve reiterated the prospect of scaling back its asset purchase program in June. While quantitative easing must be curtailed and eventually ended at one point or another, the markets were clearly hoping for a much further point, since the US economic recovery hasn't produced real jobs growth. Adding to risk off is the ...

Heavy Sell-Off on Asian Equities

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:55:57 -0400

The Asian markets were squeezed by heavy sell-off on the equity markets. Nikkei 225 closed 7.32% down after having rallied to 5 year high; Hang Seng slid 2.35% as HSBC flash manufacturing PMI index retreated to 49.6 - its 7-month low - indicating that Chinese manufacturing contracted in May. Taiex and Kospi index fell 1.92% and 1.24%, while the Australian ASX 200 index lost 2% as the inflation ...

Burma New Doubts About Pace of Reforms

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:44:55 -0400

Burma ’s president to ask tough questions about the slowing pace of human rights reforms and insist on implementation of past commitments, Human Rights Watch said today. President Barack Obama is hosting a visit to Washington, DC, by Burma’s president Thein Sein on May 20-21, 2013. Six months after Obama’s visit to Burma, key pledges by the Burmese government remain ...

ASIA CREDIT CLOSE Nikkei rout adds push to credit sell-off

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:43:03 -0400

Thu May 23, 2013 4:43am EDT SINGAPORE, May 23 (IFR) - A sell-off in Asian credit gained momentum after the Japanese stock market suffered a steep drop this afternoon. Investment-grade credits were already some 2bp wider in the morning as investors digested the content of Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony last night to the US Congress. However, after lunch a 7.5%-plus drop in the Nikkei ...

Stricken Japan nuke plant struggles to keep staff

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:40:22 -0400

TOKYO (AP) -- Keeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission ...

Perth could be Asias oil gas tech hub

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:14:53 -0400

Perth has an opportunity to become the best oil and gas technology centre in Asia by modelling itself on major hubs in Scotland and Norway.Some of the world's biggest oil and gas companies continue to attract bright professionals to Western Australia and salaries in the local energy sector are now among the highest in the world.Woodside Petroleum chief executive Peter Coleman says Perth has ...

Bangladesh Owners many failings led to collapse

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:12:30 -0400

FILE - In this Sunday, May 12, 2013 file photo, Bangladeshi soldiers stand amid the rubble of the garment factory building that collapsed on April 24 as they continue search operation in Savar, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. A government investigation said poor quality construction materials and building code violations contributed to the collapse of building housing garment factories last month in ...

Heat wave causes power outages anger in India

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:12:29 -0400

An Indian man bathes as a woman prepares to wash clothes at a lake on a hot afternoon in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. The capital city has been reeling under a heat wave with temperature crossing 44 degree Celsius (112 Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Altaf ...

Business Briefs May 23

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:05:34 -0400

* APMTenninals, a member of A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, on Monday held a meeting with the Ministry of Transport to discuss the construction of an international goods transhipment centre in Cai Mep-Thi Vai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. * GM Motor Vietnam on Monday introduced in Vietnam the new mini Chevrolet Spark 1.0 AT directed at young, dynamic first-time car buyers and urban residents. The ...

Asian Debt Beware of Bubbles

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:40 -0400

Gresik is a small industrial town of fewer than 100,000 people, just to the north of Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya in East Java. But its position is critical. It sits near the Lombok Strait, the second most important shipping gateway between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and the vital trade route for fuel and resources between China and Australia. That is why AKR ...

NZ US agree on further co-op in Asia-Pacific

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:01:34 -0400

/enpproperty--> WELLINGTON - Government and defense officials from New Zealand and the United States on Thursday reiterated their commitment to continue strengthening their "strategic partnership" on a range of issues in the Asia-Pacific region. A joint statement issued from the US-New Zealand Strategic Dialogue in Washington said the issues discussed included the US ...

Four sentenced to death over grisly Malaysia murders

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:58 -0400

A Malaysian court on Thursday sentenceda lawyer and three farm workers to death over the gruesome murder of aglamorous cosmetics tycoon and her three ...

Outrage grows over scandal-tainted Sarawak chief minister

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:56 -0400

Despite earning a civil servant's salary for three decades, Taib Mahmud, the powerful chief minister of Malaysia's Sarawak state, is reputed by critics to be one of Asia's richest ...

Asian-Americans united on immigration overhaul

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:58:19 -0400

In passing a broad, much-amended bill on immigration, the US Senate Judiciary Committee has cleared the way for a full debate in which Asian-Americans will be a vocal proponent. The community, whose diverse heritage reflects that of the world's biggest continent and numerous Pacific islands, rarely speaks with a single voice on public policy. But reforming what many say is a broken US ...

Tokyo plunges more than 7 as Asian markets fall

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:51:56 -0400

Asian markets fell Thursday with Tokyo plunging more than seven percent as investors took profits after weak Chinese data and signs the US Federal Reserve could start tapering off its massive stimulus measures. Tokyo dropped in the afternoon after HSBC said manufacturing activity in China contracted in May for the first time in seven months, in another sign of the weakness of recovery in the ...

Briton 10 died minutes after injection in IndiaThe most-shocking case to emerge is that of 10-year-old Damien Herian from Wolverhampton who complained of a stomach-ache while at a theme park in Jalandhar.The boy was given an injection.

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:29:17 -0400

Gurkiren was killed by health workers in Punjab to illegally harvest her organs, stories of other such unexplained deaths of Britons in Punjab are coming out. The most-shocking case to emerge is that of 10-year-old Damien Herian from Wolverhampton, who complained of a stomach-ache while at a theme park in Jalandhar. The boy was given an injection. Minutes later he was dead, Birmingham labour ...

Japanese climber 80 becomes oldest atop Mount Everest

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:29:14 -0400

KATHMANDU, NEPAL: An 80-year-old Japanese man became the oldest person to climb Everest breaking the record set by a Nepali who climbed Everest at the age of 76 in ...

We want to start a war in London suspect tells eyewitness

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:29:13 -0400

LONDON: British counter-terrorism police were on Thursday investigating the murder of a man thought to be a soldier, who was butchered and beheaded on a busy London street by two men shouting Islamist slogans. The attackers, wielding knives including a meat cleaver, carried out the attack a few hundred metres (yards) from the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London, then delivered ...

Japan stocks dive as benchmark bond yield spikes

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:27:37 -0400

BANGKOK (AP) -- Japanese stocks plummeted Thursday after a spike in government bond yields and unexpectedly weak Chinese manufacturing spooked investors sitting atop months of massive gains in share prices. The Nikkei 225 in Tokyo nosedived 7.3 percent to close at ...

Japan bond yields jump following Fed comments

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:01:32 -0400

TOKYO -; Yields on 10-year Japanese government bonds briefly topped 1 percent for the first time in a year on Thursday, unnerving some investors at a time when Japan's already overburdened government finances are vulnerable to rises in interest rates. Japanese shares fell ...

Car Bomb Kills 12 In Pakistans Southwest

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:29 -0400

Police in Pakistan say a bomb planted on a vehicle in the southwest of the country has killed 12 people, including 11 police officers. Police officials said the attack just outside Quetta also wounded more than 20. Police said the bomb targeted a vehicle carrying members of the police's special forces. Quetta is the capital of southwestern Balochistan Province, which is a stronghold ...

Nawaz Sharif seeks civil nuclear technology from China

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:46:49 -0400

Li Keqiang . Sharif called on Li at a hotel here this morning and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations in different fields. He focussed on civil nuclear technology, trade and foreign investment during his talks with Li, Geo News channel quoted its sources as saying. The PML-N chief said China had invested in Pakistani nuclear projects in the past and should provide more cooperation to ...

Malaysian charged with sedition 2 more arrested

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:39:18 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysian authorities detained two anti-government figures and charged a student activist with sedition Thursday, raising political tensions after recent national elections triggered claims of ...

Korea Japan dominance eroded in Asian football

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:33:05 -0400

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea and Japan's domination of eastern Asian football is being further eroded, judging by the make-up of the quarterfinalists in this season's Asian Champions League.The two nations have between them won all but one of the past seven Asian Champions League titles -- with the exception being a penalty shootout loss in the final -- and have been the top dogs ...

South Korean girl killed by suicide jumper Report

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:21:40 -0400

SEOUL: A seven-year-old South Korean girl was killed instantly after being struck by the body of a man as he plunged from his tenth-floor apartment in an apparent suicide, a report said Thursday. The 40-year-old man jumped from the flat in the southern port of Busan on Wednesday evening and hit the daughter of his neighbour who was emerging from the apartment building, SBS TV station said. The ...

Asia stocks slide as China factory output slips

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:52:55 -0400

Recession in Europe, growth-robbing deflation in Japan and economic anemia in the U.S. have finally caught up with export-hooked China despite the government's attempts at bolstering consumption at ...

Indian Shares Extend Losses On Asian Cues Weak Rupee

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:52:19 -0400

markets lower on Thursday after Fed chief Bernanke hinted at reducing the current pace of bond purchases and preliminary data showed China's manufacturing activity contracted for the first time in seven months in May. The Indian rupee opened at 55.84 against the dollar, hitting a fresh six-month low, weighed down by a stronger dollar and lingering concerns about India's high current ...

Police Car bomb kills 12 in southwest Pakistan

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:46:41 -0400

QUETTA, Pakistan — A police officer says a car bomb in southwest Pakistan has killed 11 policemen and a civilian. Fayaz Sumbal says the Thursday morning bombing on the outskirts of Quetta city has also wounded about 23 people. He says a remote-controlled bomb in a car parked along a road targeted a vehicle carrying members of the police's special forces. Quetta is the capital of ...

Grounded ship is Philippines last line of defence

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:43:00 -0400

A handful of marines living on a World War II-era ship that is grounded on a remote, tiny reef is the Philippines' last line of defence against China's efforts to control most of the South China ...

Man hacked to death in London attack heightens terror fears

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:13:21 -0400

London military barracks and one then went on video to explain the crime - shouting political statements, gesturing with bloodied hands and waving a meat cleaver. Soon after, arriving police shot and wounded the unidentified assailants and took them into custody. The brutal daylight attack galvanized this city and raised fears that terrorism had returned to London. Authorities did not identify ...

What award winning President SBY should say

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:46:35 -0400

Paper Edition | Page: 7 It's not every day that a world leader whose country frequently makes the news for sectarian violence wins a religious freedom award. But on May 30, the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in New York City will honor Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono with its World Statesman Award, given annually to an individual who supports "religious freedom and human ...

Malaysian charged with sedition over call to protest general election result

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:45:18 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) - Prosecutors have filed a sedition charge against a student activist who had urged Malaysians to engage in street protests against the government over claims of election fraud. The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition that has governed since 1957 won the May 5 general elections. Opposition officials insist the coalition retained power through bogus ballots and other ...

Building materials blamed in Bangladesh disaster

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:44:46 -0400

DHAKA, Bangladesh -; A government investigation found poor quality construction materials and building code violations were among the "series of irregularities" that caused the collapse of a building housing garment factories last month in Bangladesh, the committee head said ...

Asian Markets Trade Lower On Economic Worries

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:44:02 -0400

economy following a weak manufacturing report from China. The overnight weak close on Wall Street amid doubts about further monetary stimulus from the U.S. Federal Reserve is also contributing to the weakness in the Asian region.The Australian stock market is trading sharply lower with investors pressing sales at several counters. Financial, consumer staples, industrial, mining and property ...

Amnesty International urges governments to do more for refugees

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:33:47 -0400

LONDON: Human rights group Amnesty International has launched its 2013 annual report into global welfare.The organisation, which focuses mainly on dangers faced by refugees, displaced people and migrants, is now calling on global governments to do ...

Three Chinese ships in disputed waters Japan coastguard

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:33:45 -0400

A Chinese marine surveillance ship cruises near the disputed islets on April 23, 2013. Three Chinese government ships have entered the waters of disputed islands on Thursday, Japan's coastguard said. ...

Asian movies with Western style

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:32:36 -0400

movie s in Taiwan is that I will always see things from a different perspective. My films are about Taiwanese people, but there is a Western sense of humour and film-making style," says the second-generation American. "And there will always be things that only I will notice about the daily lives of Taiwanese, because I find them unique and different. I think the same will happen if I ...

Bangladeshi factory collapse volunteers struggle to sleep haunted by rescue trauma

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:39:43 -0400

MAMUN was hailed a hero for pulling survivors from the ruins of Bangladesh's Rana Plaza factory complex but now he struggles to sleep, haunted by the memory of sawing off a young woman's hand. "I had never even touched the hand of a woman before but it was the only way to save her and the others," said the 22-year-old in an interview ahead of the one-month anniversary of ...

US tornado survivors begin rebuilding their lives President Obama to meet them on Sunday

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:21:12 -0400

Oklahoma City suburb rolled up their sleeves Wednesday under a blazing sun and got down to the long, hard task of rebuilding their lives. Local authorities in Moore deemed it safe for everyone who lived within the 17-mile (27-kilometer) long disaster zone to return to their homes, or what little remained of their homes, to collect whatever belongings they could. Twenty-four people died when the ...

DHL Express Named One of Asia Pacifics Best Employers by Aon Hewitt

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:15:40 -0400

Inaugural wins for 'Best Employer' award in Thailand, Indonesia and South Korea SINGAPORE, May 23 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- DHL, the world's leading logistics company, has been named 'Best Employer' in Asia Pacific for its Express division by Aon Hewitt, a global leader in human resource consulting and outsourcing solutions. Additionally, DHL Express received the 'Best ...

Lawyer Malaysian accused of rape married the girl

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:13:43 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Prosecutors say they are pursuing rape charges against a Malaysian who allegedly had sex with a 13-year-old and then married ...

Giant freezer offers shelter from fury

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:53:46 -0400

twister as it passed literally on top of them. "I thought it was an earthquake," recalled Michael. "I felt the building was shaking and moving. There were loud noises and banging and wind blowing... I thought only the glass door of the restaurant would be broken, but when we crawled out, everything was gone." Initially, the Zhangs struggled to open the freezer door against the ...

Li moots China-Pak eco corridor

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:53:45 -0400

Li Keqiang on Wednesday linked growth in his country's restive west with that in sluggish Pakistan, saying the two sides wanted to create an "economic corridor" to boost development. Li, on his first overseas trip since taking over in a once-in-a-decade power transfer in Beijing, congratulated Pakistan on its recent general election and hailed the countries' long-standing ...

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy adversely affects child’s mental development

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:53:41 -0400

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy, something rampant among Indian women, adversely affects the child's mental development. A UK study published in medical journal The Lancet on Thursday has shown that iodine - which is consumed mainly via dairy products and seafood - is essential for producing hormones made by the thyroid gland, which have a direct impact on fetal brain development. A ...

Pope lands in exorcism row

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:53:36 -0400

A dispute over whether Pope Francis performed an exorcism intensified with a well-known exorcist insisting that Francis helped ';liberate'; a Mexican man possessed by four different ...

No bank deposits will be spared from confiscation

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:18:16 -0400

] Bank depositors in the UK and USA may think that their bank deposits would not be confiscated as they are insured and no government would dare embark on such a drastic action to bail out insolvent banks. [But] I challenge anyone to prove me wrong that confiscation of bank deposits is legalized daylight robbery Before I explain why confiscation of bank deposits in the UK and US is a certainty ...

Asia Roundup Mixed despite strong Wall Street lead

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:18:14 -0400

Asian shares were mixed yesterday, Wednesday May 22 2013 despite a strong lead from Wall Street as markets awaited testimony from the US Federal Reserve chief, but Tokyo stocks finished at their highest level in five years. Seoul climbed 0.64 per cent, or 12.74 points, to finish at 1,993.83, while Sydney ended down 0.28 percent, or 14.7 points, at 5,165.4. Shanghai closed down 0.12 per cent, or ...

Japan is integral to the future of Asia PM Lee Hsien Loong

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:12:44 -0400

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Japan is integral to the future of Asia and called on Japan to deepen its strategic engagement with Southeast Asia and the wider ...

French workers’ struggle triggers ‘Kill Mittal’ game

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:09:46 -0400

Lakshmi Mittal to keep a factory open. Players throw barrels and beams at police in the "Kill Mittal" game inspired by the long-lasting -- and ultimately unsuccessful -- struggle in France's northeastern town of Florange to stop the closure of steel blast furnaces owned by Mittal. "This game is not an incitement to violence or to beat up the big bosses. I purposefully chose ...

Coty Inc. to Purchase Established Southeast Asian Distributor

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:07:45 -0400

Coty Inc. , an emerging leader in global beauty, is pleased to announce the agreement to acquire StarAsia, an established distributor of beauty products in the markets of Southeast Asia ...

The Asian Century Is Built On Broadband

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:03:29 -0400

Ben Pobjie Say what you like about Canberra, the city has got guts. And even after a century, the city still comes alive during a good bout of leadership speculation. Ben Pobjie hoists a glass of average chardy to our nation's ...

Asia Markets Tokyo stocks soar as Sydney Seoul retreat

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:57:49 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Australian and South Korean stocks dropped Thursday on worries the Federal Reserve could downscale its bond purchases, while Japanese shares marched to fresh multiyear highs as several exporters got a lift from the weakened ...

Top Concerns in Asias Unfinished Development Agenda for the Post-MDG Era

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:54:43 -0400

More MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Asia and the Pacific face a daunting unfinished development agenda when the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) expire in 2015. The focus in this fast growing region should be on the glaring gaps in its MDG achievements: eradicating extreme poverty and making better progress on human development, especially reducing infant deaths and improving maternal health. ...

Asian expat workers end rare UAE strike—company

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:08:07 -0400

DUBAI--Thousands of mainly Asian expatriate workers in the United Arab Emirates have ended a strike they began at the weekend in a rare stoppage aimed at improving their conditions, their employer said Wednesday. ';Arabtec confirms that all workers returned to work with no impact on any of its projects,'; the Dubai-based company, which is constructing the Louvre Abu Dhabi, said in a ...

Asean Defence Officials Share Knowledge At Dialogue

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:03:01 -0400

View Comments Bandar Seri Begawan - The Asean Regional Forum Defence Officials' Dialogue (ARF DOD) played out at The Empire Hotel & Country Club yesterday. Themed The Impact of Social Media on Defence and Security, the forum was chaired by Acting Director of Defence Policy at the Ministry of Defence Haji Adi Ihram bin Dato Paduka Haji Mahmud and attended by senior ARF members. The ...

Immigration bill clears first hurdle in US Senate

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:41 -0400

immigration bill , which offers a path to citizenship for more than 11 million - including over 260,000 Indians - undocumented immigrants and ...

Guptagate India defends plane landing at SA air base

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:40 -0400

PRETORIA/NEW DELHI: After a top Indian diplomat was accused of "manipulation" by South Africa to obtain permission for landing of an aircraft chartered by a well-connected Indian family at a military air base, India has said there was proper "authorization" and that some wedding guests on board the plane had invitation for bilateral engagements. "The senior Indian ...

More courses in English at French universities Storm brews

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:00:37 -0400

English at universities, amid a storm of controversy in a nation fiercely protective of its identity. The measure, which would also introduce lessons in other languages as part of a wider bill ...

Asia Called Mixed on Fed Minutes

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:55:08 -0400

Minutes from the last Fed policy meeting released on Wednesday noted that "a number of participants expressed willingness" to reduce quantitative easing as early as the June meeting if economic data shows evidence of strong and sustained growth. ...

China Submission by Human Rights Watch to the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:37:06 -0400

Submission by Human Rights Watch to the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council on the proposed amendments to the Regulations of Education of Persons with Disabilities in ...

Asia-Pacific film festival cultural base to be built in Sanya

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:09:09 -0400

Hongkong’s ITC Properties Group Limited will invest RMB 6 billion in the construction of an Asia-Pacific film festival cultural base in Sanya, Hainan. After the base is completed, an Asia-Pacific film festival and TV festival will be held in Sanya every year, and the base will be the permanent and high-end site of film conventions and exhibitions in the Asia-Pacific area. The ITC ...

HK hails the return of the duck

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:29 -0400

Hong Kong on Tuesday joyfully welcomed the return of a giant inflatable rubber duck, which drew tens of thousands of visitors before it was abruptly deflated for maintenance for almost a week. The southern Chinese city has taken the 16.5-metre-tall (54-feet) yellow inflatable duck, conceived by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, to its heart since it was towed into the harbour on May 2 to cheering ...

China Galaxy soars 11 pct in debut after $1.1 billion HK IPO

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:26 -0400

China Galaxy Securities Co Ltd rose as much as 11.3 percent in its trading debut on Wednesday after raising $1.1 billion in a Hong Kong IPO, underscoring a surge in retail investors’ demand for new listings in the city. The debut of China’s seventh-biggest brokerage, and that of Sinopec Engineering (Group) Co Ltd on Thursday, will be bellwethers for a slew of Hong Kong offerings in ...

Why Taiwan Won’t Let The Philippines Off Easy

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:25 -0400

Veteran Taiwanese political scientist George Tsai cringes at the anti-Philippine hysteria that swept his homeland like a typhoon after May 9. That day Taiwan began its campaign for an apology from Manila over the shooting of a local fisherman. What got into us, asked George Tsai, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy vice president and professor at Chinese Cultural University in Taipei. ...

Taiwan fares well in US’ religious freedom report

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:24 -0400

Religious freedom is ';generally respected'; in Taiwan with no major problems last year, according to an annual US Department of State report issued on Monday. Taiwan’s record was in stark contrast to that of China where – according to the report – Beijing routinely enforces laws that restrict religious freedom. Findings for last year of the International Religious ...

Taiwan Dollar Forwards Gain a Third Day Before Bernanke Speech

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:23 -0400

Taiwan dollar forwards rose for a third day on speculation Federal Reserve Chair Ben S. Bernanke will signal today the need to sustain stimulus policies that have spurred fund flows into emerging markets. Bernanke is due to address Congress today and the Federal Open Market Committee is scheduled to release minutes of its last meeting. Fed Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said ...

Kenneth Bae American Jailed In N Korea Spoke Of ‘Collapsing’ Country’s ‘Walls’ In 2009 Sermon

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:19 -0400

A 44-year-old American citizen, jailed last year in North Korea accused of seeking to topple the government, said in 2009 that he wished to ';collapse'; the ';walls'; separating North Korea from the rest of the world and that he had asked US churches to send members to worship in the hermetic communist nation. According to a recently unearthed video, Kenneth Bae, who was ...

Fishermen free but China angry at N Korea

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:17 -0400

The North Koreans have released 16 Chinese fishermen who were captured and held for ransom for a fortnight, but the ordeal has angered its sole ally and trading partner. The owner of the fishing vessel, Yu Xuejun, confirmed the men had been set free yesterday after their boat was seized in waters between China and the rogue ...

N Korea’s hidden labour camps exposed

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:13 -0400

Even with new leader Kim Jong-un at the helm, North Korea remains the most reclusive and closed country in the world: It is a police state inside a totalitarian system ruled by a family dynasty that encourages a cultish ideology and following. The regime controls everything. There is no free speech, free trade, fair court, no Fox News or MSNBC equivalent. Outsiders are not allowed to freely ...

Korea’s Iran crude imports for April down 44.4 pct yy

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:13 -0400

South Korea’s imports of Iranian crude in April fell nearly 45 percent from a year ago to 4.18 million barrels, official data showed on Wednesday, below expectations just ahead of talks with Washington to extend a waiver for US sanctions on Tehran. The world’s No.5 crude buyer and one of Iran’s top four customers bought 139,400 barrels per day (bpd) from Iran in April, up 7.5 ...

S. Korea advised to focus on expanding nuclear exports

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:12 -0400

South Korea’s new administration needs to focus on finding ways to expand its nuclear exports, especially to the Middle East, as it plans to resume talks with the United States on their civilian nuclear cooperation, experts here said Tuesday. Seoul and Washington are moving to hold talks on the issue in Seoul in the first week of June, which would be the first round since they agreed to ...

Greek PM invites China to ‘join Greece’s success story’

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:10 -0400

Officials in Brussels and Washington may view China’s global shopping spree with alarm, as the Asian power house continues to buy up companies, sovereign debt, ports, and bridges around the world. But the Greeks are already dusting off the red carpet. On a five-day visit to Beijing that ended Monday, Greek prime minister Antonis Samaras eagerly invited the Chinese to ';join ...

Yet Another China Growth Downgrade

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:08 -0400

Another week, another downgrade as pessimism spreads about China’s economic prospects. This time it’s UBS Securities (UBS), which cut its 2013 forecast for gross domestic product expansion from 8 percent to 7.7 percent. ';Increasingly evidence suggests that growth will be weaker than we previously envisaged,'; writes Tao Wang, UBS’s chief China economist, in a May 21 ...

China factory blast leaves 13 dead 20 missing

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:06 -0400

A blast which ripped through an explosives plant in China has left 13 people dead and another 20 missing, an official said Tuesday, compounding the country’s poor industrial safety record. Another 19 people were injured in the explosion on Monday at a three-storey workshop owned by Poly Explosives (Jinan), a state-owned company in the eastern province of Shandong, the Xinhua news agency ...

China’s Li offers to help end Pakistan’s energy crisis

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:06 -0400

China and Pakistan should make cooperation on power generation a priority, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said, as Islamabad seeks to end an energy crisis that triggers power cuts of up to 20 hours a day, bringing the economy to a near standstill. Li arrived in the Pakistan capital on Wednesday on the second leg of his first official trip since taking office in March after a visit to ...

Chinese PM on Pakistan visit

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:05 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Pakistan Wednesday for a two-day visit where he will meet prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif as the long-time allies look to boost trade ties. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party swept to victory in the May 11 general election on a promise to revitalise Pakistan’s struggling economy and help from its giant neighbour to the north will ...

In film market China allures but also deters

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:04 -0400

In just a few years, China has become the world’s most enticing movie market, but the pitfalls there for foreign filmmakers are many, experts say. Censorship, bureaucracy and piracy head the roster of concerns, according to specialists interviewed in China, Hong Kong and at the Cannes Film Festival. ';China is extremely complicated when it comes to the cinema,'; said Jerome ...

PM Li Keqiang faces litmus test in Pakistan China’s ‘iron brother’

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:03 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang faces the challenge of meeting conflicting demands for his attention and Beijing’s purse when he lands in Pakistan on Wednesday at the end of his India visit, his first foreign tour after assuming office. Li needs to pay equal attention to the aspirations of newly elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the armed forces led by Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, sources ...

China Space Programme Ramping Up Capabilities Pentagon Says

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:01 -0400

China’s growing space prowess shows no signs of slowing, the US Department of Defense said in its annual report to Congress on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China. The Pentagon has been carefully monitoring China’s space activities, and pointed out that last year, the country conducted a total of 18 space launches and expanded its ...

China arrests 13 over protest ‘rumours’

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:59:00 -0400

Chinese authorities have arrested 13 people for Internet posts that sparked a rare protest in Beijing, highlighting tensions between officials and migrant workers, police said. The 13 held include the boyfriend of Yuan Liya, a 22-year-old woman who fell to her death from a shopping mall, igniting the hours-long protest by hundreds of people earlier this month, Beijing police said late Tuesday. ...

Japan to Follow Own Path on Abductee Issue With N Korea

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:59 -0400

A senior Japanese official said on Tuesday that Tokyo will stick with its policy of making its own overtures to North Korea on what it believes are abductions of its citizens, dismissing US and South Korean concerns that the North may try to drive a wedge between the three nations. A surprise trip to Pyongyang last week by a top aide to prime minister Shinzo Abe irked Japan’s allies, who ...

Fed’s Bullard Says ECB Needs ‘Aggressive’ QE to Avoid Japan Fate

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:58 -0400

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said Europe risks an extended period of low growth and deflation like Japan’s unless the European Central Bank acts with an aggressive quantitative easing programme. ';You should worry about it, and then take policy action to avoid it,'; Bullard said in Frankfurt today in response to an audience question after a speech. ...

Japan April exports rise 3.8 pct yearyear – MOF

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:55 -0400

Japanese exports rose 3.8 percent in April from a year earlier, marking a second straight month of gains, Ministry of Finance data showed on Wednesday, in a sign that a weaker yen and a pickup in global demand are helping the export-reliant economy. The MOF data also showed that Japan logged a trade deficit in April for a 10th straight month, with higher import costs offsetting export gains due ...

S’pore Japan prime ministers express wish for enhanced bilateral ties

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:53 -0400

The prime ministers of Singapore and Japan have expressed the desire to enhance bilateral ties. Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, in Tokyo, Japan on Wednesday. In his opening remarks, Abe said both countries share the same values of freedom and democracy. He added Singapore and Japan can work together for peace and stability in the ...

Japan Confronts Pyongyang Abductions

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:52 -0400

A senior Japanese official said Tokyo will make its own overtures to North Korea on what it claims are abductions of Japanese citizens, dismissing US and South Korean concern that the North may try to drive a wedge between the three allies. A surprise trip to Pyongyang last week by Isao Iijima, a senior aide to prime minister Shinzo Abe, irked Japan’s allies, who fear such moves could ...

Japan Keeps Monetary Policy Steady Amid Deflation Fight

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:51 -0400

The Bank of Japan stood pat on monetary policy Wednesday amid market jitters over volatility in bond markets, which has threatened to undermine the country’s battle to end deflation and stimulate growth in the giant economy. In a unanimous vote, the bank’s board stuck to its strategy of expanding the monetary base at an annual pace of 60 trillion yen to 70 trillion yen, or $585 ...

Singapore-KL high-speed rail link looking ‘very attractive’

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:58:49 -0400

The proposed high-speed rail link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur is looking ';very, very attractive';, though further discussions on the finer details are needed, Malaysian Foreign minister Anifah Aman said yesterday. In his first major press conference since the elections to outline the ministry’s priorities, Datuk Seri Anifah said preliminary studies for the rail link are ...

Tennis Iron woman Zheng stuns Wozniacki in Brussels

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:45:42 -0400

China's Zheng Jie knocked top seed Caroline Wozniacki out of the Brussels Open on Wednesday, just hours after prevailing in a three-set opener held over because of Tuesday's heavy ...

France seeks to brand Hezbollah as terrorist group

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:42:56 -0400

Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday. "Because of the decisions that have been taken by Hezbollah and the fact that they are fighting very harshly the Syrian population, we have decided to ask that the military branch of the Hezbollah would be considered as a terrorist organisation," Fabius told reporters in English. The United States has long designated the Lebanon-based militant group, ...

4 Americans killed since 2009 in US drone strikes

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:47:24 -0400

FILE - In this May 15, 2013, file photo, Attorney General Eric Holder gestures while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington. Four American citizens have been killed in drone strikes since 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Holder said that in conducting U.S. counterterrorism operations against al-Qaida and its associated forces, the government has targeted and ...

Central Coast Mariners Asian Champions League campaign over after Guangzhou loss

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:34:28 -0400

China Central Coast had no answer to the talent assembled so expensively by Guangzhou Evergrande as the A-League champions tumbling out the Asian Champions League on Wednesday with a 3-0 defeat in China.Manager Graham Arnold had stressed the importance of keeping a clean sheet if his side was to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in the round of 16, but Brazilian midfielder Muriqui put Guangzhou ...

Richmonds PriceSmart finds right mix in catering to both Asian and English-speaking shoppers

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:30:18 -0400

METRO VANCOUVER -- While debate continues to burn over a campaign for English sign bylaws to rule over pockets of Chinese business resistance, a supermarket chain has pulled off a cross-cultural culinary coup.Many businesses across the city display dual language signage -- usually English and Chinese, in varying proportions depending on what community you're in.Few, if any, however, can ...

Am. Samoa to keep flier miles for govt travelers

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:24:31 -0400

By FILI SAGAPOLUTELEAssociated Press PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (AP) - American Samoa plans to take away frequent flier miles from government workers who travel on behalf of the U.S. territory. Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga says the territory will use the miles to help medical patients travel off-island when needed, or help students travel for educational programs. Moliga says Hawaiian Airlines ...

French-Asian consortium announces winning of Canada natural gas project

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:14:48 -0400

PARIS--A consortium comprising French, South Korean and Chinese companies has won a contract for a liquefied natural gas project in Canada, the French partner Technip said on ...

Pakistans Imran Khan leaves hospital for homePakistani politician Imran Khan left hospital Wednesday two weeks after breaking bones in his back in a fall at an election rally a hospital spokesman said.

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:45:31 -0400

Imran Khan left hospital on Wednesday, two weeks after breaking bones in his back in a fall at an election rally, a hospital spokesman said. The 60-year-old was ordered to remain immobile in bed after he fractured vertebrae and a rib in a dramatic tumble just days before the May 11 general election, where his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party made a major breakthrough. Khwaja Nazir, a ...

Soldier beheaded in suspected terror attack in London

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:45:26 -0400

LONDON: In a shocking incident, a soldier aged around 20 years and wearing a T-shirt that read "Help for Heroes" was beheaded in the middle of a road in ...

Thai Same-Sex Marriage Bill Not Without Controversy

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:17:33 -0400

BANGKOK, THAILAND -- As the debate on same-sex marriage continues in Western nations, including the United States, Thailand could become the first country in Asia to legalize gay marriage. Thailand is known for its liberal acceptance of sexuality, but the draft same-sex marriage law is not without controversy. This is a traditional Thai wedding, except there is no groom. There are two ...

Asian Water Summit Focuses on Security Disaster

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:17:32 -0400

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND -- Resource experts say many Asian countries face a potential water crisis unless they address mismanagement that could lead to severe shortages of clean water. Other states struggle to contain massive floods. The site of a just-concluded regional summit on the managing water supplies and disasters. There was no sign of a water shortage here in northern Thailand as ...