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North Korea fires short range weapons

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:25:10 -0400

PYONGYANG - North Korea continued to fire short range projectiles into waters off its east coast for a third straight day on Monday, officials here said, despite warnings from the US and South Korea against increasing tensions. The North has conducted six such firings since Saturday, in what are believed to be tests of short-range guided missiles or rockets from multiple launchers, officials ...

Papering over border differences China and India agree to boost trade

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:19:57 -0400

NEW DELHI - India and China Monday played down a recent border stand-off and agreed to maintain peace along their disputed boundary as well as boost economic relations. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, who decided to make India the first stop of his maiden foreign jaunt as premier, stressed that the population of the two nations comprised one third of the world. Both countries have seen ...

Musharraf gets bail in Bhutto assassination case

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:10:36 -0400

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Former Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf was Monday granted bail in a case related to the assassination of ex premier Benazir Bhutto. Musharraf has been under house arrest because he is accused of failing to provide adequate security for Bhutto who was murdered in a bomb and gun attack in December 2007 while campaigning for elections. The assassination ...

China accepts there are some problems with India but wants to resolve all issues peacefully

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:10:03 -0400

Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, alluding to recent skirmishes on their Himalayan border, acknowledged on Monday, that there were some problems with good friend India but said that the two Asian giants should take a leaf out of their vast history to resolve all issues peacefully. "Since we are strategic partners and we are good friends that can speak to each other with candour, so we do not deny ...

World stocks mixed ahead of Fed statements

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:11 -0400

BANGKOK -; World stock markets were mixed Tuesday as investors waited for the U.S. Federal Reserve to telegraph what it plans to do next with its economic stimulus ...

Asian Stocks End Mixed Ahead Of Fed Statement

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:29:29 -0400

Asian stocks turned in a mixed performance on Tuesday, with investor attention solely focused on Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's Congressional testimony to Congress and the release of the Fed's May minutes due this Wednesday for cues on the outlook for interest rates. The U.S. dollar edged higher after weakening against major currencies the day before following Moody's report warning ...

Philippines boosts military to resist bullies

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:18:23 -0400

Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Tuesday announced a US$1.8-billion military upgrade to help defend his country's maritime territory against "bullies", amid an ever-worsening dispute with ...

New Pakistan govt may consider importing electricity from India

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:15:21 -0400

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's new government will seriously consider importing 1,000 MW of electricity from India as part of a short to medium-term strategy to end power outages, according to a media report today. ...

Afghanistan Surge in Women Jailed for ‘Moral Crimes’

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:53:31 -0400

Four years after the adoption of a law on violence against women and twelve years after Taliban rule, women are still imprisoned for being victims of forced marriage, domestic violence, and rape. The Afghan government needs to get tough on abusers of women, and stop blaming women who are crime ...

Philippines protests China warships presence

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:48:31 -0400

CAVITE, Philippines (AP) -- The Philippines has protested the presence of a Chinese warship and other vessels off a Filipino military-occupied shoal in the disputed Spratly ...

S. Korea to write off debts for joint sureties of 1997 Asian crisis

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:21:05 -0400

South Korea's financial regulator said Tuesday that it will write off debts held by joint sureties during the 1997 Asian foreign exchange crisis as part of efforts to help the sureties escape from financial difficulties coming from other parties' debts.As much as 70 percent of debt principals coming from the joint surety contract will be written off in accordance with the debt- ...

Myanmar jails 7 for up to 28 years for riots

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:11:30 -0400

Myanmar on Tuesday sentenced seven people to prison terms ranging from two to 28 years in connection with religious violence in March that left dozens of people dead, a justice official ...

ASIA CREDIT CLOSE Spreads steady Citic shines after tap

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:09:57 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 5:09am EDT HONG KONG, May 21 (IFR) - Asian credit spreads were largely steady as primary issuance took a break with the next batch of issuers still in the process of completing roadshows. Citic Pacific's new NC5.5 year perp continued to perform well in the secondary market and was trading around 101 after it was tapped for an additional USD200m yesterday, following a USD800m ...

Saudi Arabia executes crucifies 5 Yemenis for murder SPA

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:08:38 -0400

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed and crucified five Yemenis convicted of murder and forming a gang which carried out robberies across several towns in the conservative Muslim kingdom, the interior ministry said. The five were executed in the southwestern town Jizan, it said, quoted by state news agency SPA, bringing the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year to 46, according to an AFP ...

Iconic publication designer Roger Black joins Edipresse Asia

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:02:55 -0400

HONG KONG, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the best known publication designers in the past 40 years is moving to Hong Kong to head design in Asia for ...

Asia Markets Hong Kong Sydney stocks fall Tokyo ends up

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:57:43 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks declined, and Hong Kong equities snapped a three-day winning run on Tuesday, weighed by overnight losses on Wall Street and uncertainty over U.S. monetary ...

Official Roadside bomb kills 6 policemen in western Afghanistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:55:14 -0400

KABUL - A powerful roadside bomb killed six policemen in western Afghanistan on Tuesday when their vehicle hit the explosives buried in the road, an Afghan official said. Insurgents often use makeshift land mines to target both Afghan government officials and international forces in Afghanistan. The explosives often kill civilians as well, accounting for a large percentage of Afghan civilian ...

Credit Suisse is the No. 2 in Asia prime brokers

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:52:03 -0400

Goldman Sachs remains Asia's top prime broker with 179 clients and total assets under management of $24.6 billion. Credit Suisse overtook Morgan Stanley by adding 14 new clients and $2.4 billion in assets over the last year, a first for any prime broker in Asia, the survey ...

Wave of attacks kills at least 95 in IraqThe bloodshed is still far shy of the pace scale and brutality of the dark days of 2006-2007 when Sunni and Shiite militias carried out retaliatory attacks against each other in a cycle of violence that left the

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:44:10 -0400

BAGHDAD: A wave of attacks killed at least 95 people in Shiite and Sunni areas of Iraq today, officials said, pushing the death toll over the past week to more than 240 and extending one of the most sustained bouts of sectarian violence the country has seen in years. The bloodshed is still far shy of the pace, scale and brutality of the dark days of 2006-2007, when Sunni and Shiite militias ...

Owner Chinese boats captain beaten by NKoreans

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:42:07 -0400

BEIJING (AP) -- The owner of a Chinese fishing boat seized for more than two weeks by armed North Koreans says the captors wore military uniforms, and that they beat up the boat's captain and stole its ...

Chinas Li seeks stronger economic ties with India

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:15:22 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang waves at the media in front of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his ceremonial reception at the Indian President's palace in New Delhi, India, Monday, May 20, 2013. Li said Monday he chose India for his first foreign visit because cooperation between the world's two most populous nations is crucial to world stability and economic growth. He was ...

Political parties aim for a greener Asia

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:05:04 -0400

The International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) Special Conference will provide a platform for Asian countries to explore ways for more sustainable development in the region, said Shen Beili, an official with the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), today in ...

Death toll in Turkish balloon crash reaches 3

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:01:58 -0400

ANKARA, Turkey: Officials say another Brazilian tourist has died of wounds sustained after a hot air balloon crashed to the ground, raising the number of tourists killed to 3. The balloon collided with another balloon mid-air and crashed during a sightseeing tour of volcanic rock formations in Turkey's Cappadocia region on Monday. The governor's office for Nevsehir province said Tuesday ...

EM ASIA FX-Taiwan dollar won lead Asia FX gains Bernanke in focus

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:57:13 -0400

* Taiwan dlr up on foreign investors, exporters; c.bank caps * Won up on offshore funds, exporters; intervention suspected * Baht firm on inflows, short-covering; rate cut views limit (Adds text, updates prices) By Jongwoo Cheon SEOUL, May 21 (Reuters) - The Taiwan dollar and the South Korean won led gains among emerging Asian currencies on Tuesday, as investors ...

Bangladeshi South Korean climbers die on Everest

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:57:07 -0400

KATHMANDU (AFP) - A climber from Bangladesh and another from South Korea have died on Mount Everest as hundreds flock to the world's highest peak during good weather, Nepalese tourism officials said Tuesday."Both men died while descending from the summit on Monday," an official with the tourism ministry told AFP from Everest Base Camp.Sung Ho-Seo, 34, of South Korea was attempting ...

Asia shares mixed ahead of Bernanke testimony

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:56:57 -0400

Asian shares were mixed on Tuesday after a dip on Wall Street ahead of testimony from the US Federal Reserve chief and a policy meeting of the Japanese central bank. The dollar turned higher against the yen in Asia as investors waited for Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony on the US economic outlook to Congress on Wednesday. Tokyo stocks rose 0.13 percent or 20.21 points to 15,381.02, ...

Asia Naphtha-S Korea YNCC seeks vols for 1-year period

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:56:54 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) - South Korea's YNCC is seeking naphtha for a one-year period starting July 2013 and ending June 2014, traders said on Tuesday. Traders had said on Monday South Korea's top ethylene maker Lotte Chemical's unit Titan, based in Malaysia, was seeking up to 130,000 tonnes, also for July 2013 to June 2014 arrival at Pasir Gudang. It was not clear how ...

Burberry profit rises 14 percent on Asia retail growth

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:54:08 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - British luxury group Burberry said full-year pretax profit rose a better-than-expected 14 percent on strong retail growth in Asian markets, where it is increasing numbers of Burberry branded stores. Burberry, known for its ...

EURUSD had started to move higher in Asia

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:51:27 -0400

EUR/USD drifted cautiously higher. There was very little important news to guide the price action. There were hardly any data in the US or in Europe. So, the focus was on the Fed exit debate. Markets are awaiting the appearance of Fed's Bernanke before the Joint Economic Committee of Congress on Wednesday, looking for clues on the timing of the Fed's exit. Recent soft eco data suggest ...

Myanmar Muslims jailed for killing Buddhist monk

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:12:00 -0400

MEIKHTILA, Myanmar -; Six Muslim men and one minor have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from life to two years in prison for involvement in the killing of a Buddhist monk during sectarian violence in central ...

Business Briefs May 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:05:11 -0400

* Phu My Hung Corporation last week held ceremony to mark its 20 years of operation in Vietnam. During the period, the firm has developed 84 projects and around 12,000 housing units. Currently, there are around 25,000 people living in Phu My Hung new urban area in HCM City’s District 7. * Electro-Voice has introduced ZLX loudspeakers of 12 and 15 inches in Vietnam with prices ranging ...

The Asian stock indexes slipped

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:46:56 -0400

The appetite for risk was neutral in FX in the Far East. Most foreign currencies consolidated after profit taking boosted them on Monday from their recent losses. While the yen remains near a 4 1/-year low, the Aussie is attempting to separate itself from an eleven-month low. The Asian stock indexes slipped. The short-term outlook for most foreign currencies is sideways. The medium-term outlook ...

Chinese analysts defend Sino-India trade imbalance

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:37:26 -0400

China's growing surplus in trade with India, an issue of concern to New Delhi, is difficult to resolve and is likely to widen, Chinese experts said. The trade imbalance has come up during the current India visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Trade between India and China is one of the fastest growing, although the two Asian neighbors have longstanding border disputes that resulted in a ...

Tough oil market forces trading firms in Asia to cut jobs reshape

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:33:17 -0400

* At least 15 trade staff have left since late last year * Low European demand, China exports hit middle distillates * Trade firms seek revenue from LNG, agriculture, assets By Florence Tan and Jessica Jaganathan SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) ...

REFILE-GLOBAL MARKETS-Dollar firms as suspense builds Asia shares dip

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:17:28 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 2:30am EDT * Dollar index firmer, but down from near 3-year high * MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan slips 0.2 percent * Nikkei up slightly, hits 5-1/2-year high By Masayuki Kitano and Vidya Ranganathan SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar inched up against major currencies but stayed well off highs on Tuesday as investors cautiously traded expectations of whether Federal ...

Oil price rises to near $97 per barrel

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:08:36 -0400

BANGKOK -; The price of oil rose toward $97 per barrel Tuesday, but gains were checked as investors waited for the Federal Reserve's latest views on the U.S. ...

Australian zoo says white rhino birth sign of hope

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:58:36 -0400

An Australian zoo said on Tuesday the birth of a southern white rhinoceros was a "sign of hope" for the species given the escalation of poaching in ...

Monster tornado rips apart Oklahoma at least 91 dead

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:55:09 -0400

Oklahoma City has risen to 91, including at least 20 children, an official told CNN early Tuesday. Amy Elliott, of the state medical examiner's office, said in a televised interview that 40 more bodies had been recovered since an earlier toll of 51, after the massive twister flattened several suburban blocks and two schools. Stunned weather forecasters reported a two-mile (three-kilometer) ...

Israel fires back at Syria after gunshots at its troops

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:43:03 -0400

Israeli soldiers walk together during a training close to the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria on the Israeli occupied Golan Heights May 7, ...

Guatemalas top court annuls Rios Montts genocide conviction

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:29:18 -0400

Rios Montt was found guilty of overseeing the killings by the armed forces of at least 1,771 members of the Maya Ixil population during his 1982-83 rule in ...

Death toll rises to 21 in Indonesian mine collapse

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:06:21 -0400

TIMIKA, Indonesia (AFP) - The death toll from a mine tunnel collapse in eastern Indonesia has risen to 21, the US operator said Tuesday, as rescuers searched for another seven workers now also presumed dead.The accident happened on May 14 at Freeport-McMoRan's Grasberg, one of the world's biggest gold and copper mines in mountainous, remote Papua province, and 10 workers were rescued ...

Japan mayor says S Korean troops abused women

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:53:54 -0400

South Korean soldiers were guilty of abusing women in wartime, Osaka's mayor said in comments reported Tuesday, days after provoking a storm by labelling sex slaves a military ...

Asia Pacific leaders call for efficient use of water resources

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:52:55 -0400

The second Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS) ended yesterday with two versions of the Chiang Mai Declaration. The official declaration by leaders of 40 countries highlighted the need to encourage the inclusion of disaster risk reduction in the United Nations' development agenda beyond 2015, upgrade regional cooperation, promote the efficient use of water resources, and forge better ...

Ray Manzarek keyboardist and founding member of rock group The Doors dies at 74 from cancer

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:47:01 -0400

FILE - In this undated publicity file photo, members of the Doors, from left, John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison, pose for a portrait. Manzarek, the keyboardist who was a founding member of The Doors, has died at 74. Publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald says in a news release that Manzarek died Monday, May 20, 2013, at the RoMed Clinic in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by ...

Yahoos rise in Asia offsets risk from Tumblr bet

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:42:49 -0400

By Alexei Oreskovic SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Yahoo Inc Chief Executive Marissa Mayer's 721.2 million pounds acquisition of blogging service Tumblr will be a test of her ability to revive the aging Web portal. Luckily for her, her performance may ...

Obama Chinas Xi to meet earlier than expected amid issues from North Korea to cyberspying

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:37:26 -0400

BEIJING, China - China's new leader Xi Jinping will confer with President Barack Obama next month in California, months earlier than their expected first meeting, as both sides seek to stem a drift in relations, troubled by issues from cyberspying to North Korea. The June 7-8 meeting at a retreat southeast of Los Angeles, announced Monday by the White House, underlines the importance of the ...

Chinese fishing boat crew released by North Korea

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:09 -0400

BEIJING -; The owner of a Chinese fishing boat seized for ransom by unidentified North Koreans says the boat and its 16 crew members have been ...

Asian Markets Mixed Amid Cautious Trades

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:59:31 -0400

markets are exhibiting a mixed trend on Tuesday with investors mostly treading cautiously amid a lack of fresh triggers. The overnight weak close on Wall Street is weighing on sentiment to an extent. Also, following recent strong upmove, investors appear a bit reluctant to indulge in any aggressive buying for now.In the Australian market, consumer discretionary, financial, healthcare and ...

North Korea releases detained Chinese sailors Xinhua

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:50:13 -0400

North Korea has released 16 Chinese fishermen and their boat, Chinese state-run media said Tuesday, after reports that armed assailants had taken the sailors hostage and demanded a ...

New crossroads of Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:48:53 -0400

That is how Myanmar is being portrayed, and not without reason. For both China and the United States, the stakes couldn't be higher. China has invested heavily in the country. According to an article published recently in the New York Times "the pipelines are finished. The oil storage tanks gleam in the tropical sun. The deep-sea port set in jade-coloured waters awaits the first ships ...

Asia Brands up Kenanga Research has Outperform

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:41:46 -0400

initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a target price of RM4. At 10.50am, it was up 14 sen to RM3.28. There were 140,100 shares done. The FBM KLCI rose 6.79 points to 1,783.94. Turnover was 1.15 billion shares valued at RM767.72mil. There were 471 gainers, 275 losers and 246 counters unchanged. Kenanga Research's target price of RM4 was based on 8.5 times FY14E price-to-earnings ...

Asia stocks muted ahead of Fed meeting

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:20:29 -0400

The Fed is currently conducting the third round of massive bond purchases known as quantitative easing to help drive down interest rates and spur lending. But recently improving data on the U.S. economy has led to speculation that the Fed might consider scaling back the program or winding it down earlier than ...

No new H7N9 cases in China for a week government

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:46:01 -0400

No new human cases of the H7N9 virus have been recorded in China for a week, national health authorities said, for the first time since the outbreak began in ...

Arrow Asia Pac Ltd. Recognized as Caring Company for its Social Responsibility Contribution by the Hong Kong Council ...

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:37:23 -0400

ARW ) announced that Arrow Asia Pac Ltd. was honored with the Caring Company logo by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), a reflection of the company's commitment of caring for the staff and capitalizing on its strengths and resources to remunerate the community. ...

Asia Roundup Higher on better US data

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:45:36 -0400

Asian shares rose yesterday, Monday May 20 2013 reflecting a bullish mood on Wall Street and extending their two-week rally, buoyed by better-than-expected US data. Tokyo stocks were up 1.47 per cent, or 222.69 points, to 15,360.81, and Sydney gained 0.54 per cent, or 28.2 points, to close at 5,209.0. Shanghai closed up 0.75 per cent, or 17.12 points, to 2,299.99, and Seoul finished flat at ...

Asean Youths Vital To Regional Business Industry

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:24:21 -0400

Bandar Seri Begawan - As part of efforts to further promote the importance of entrepreneurship amongst the younger generation in the region, the first Asean Youth Entrepreneurs seminar and exposition was held yesterday following the launching ceremony officiated by Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awang Hj Hazair bin Hj Abdullah, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports to ...

GLOBAL MARKETS-Dollar index off 3-year high Asian shares ease

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:16:01 -0400

Mon May 20, 2013 9:16pm EDT * Dollar index backs off from near three-year high * MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan eases 0.1 percent By Masayuki Kitano SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) - The dollar nursed losses versus a basket of currencies on Tuesday, having retreated the previous day as traders pared back expectations that U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke would hint at tapering bond buying this ...

India Protect Bangladesh War Crimes Trial Witness

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:14:15 -0400

Those involved in his abduction may have assumed Bali would be killed by the Indian Border Security Force when he was pushed into India, or that he would permanently disappear. There is a real risk to Bali if he is returned to Bangladesh, as he could expose those involved in his abduction. Bali needs access to an independent lawyer and UNHCR so that he can make an informed decision about whether ...

23 Hezbollah members killed in SyriaSyrian government forces pushed deeper into a strategic rebel-held town near the Lebanese border battling rebels in fierce street fighting Syrian state-media said on Monday.

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:11:21 -0400

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that more than 100 Hezbollah members have been wounded in the fighting around the town of ...

37 dead as massive tornado roars through US suburb death toll expected to rise

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:11:20 -0400

Oklahoma City suburbs , killing at least 37, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph (320 kilometers) and landing a direct blow on at least one school. An Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office spokeswoman said the death toll was expected to rise. Officials at two hospitals said they're treating nearly 60 patients, including more than a dozen children. At least 10 people ...

Barack Obama pledges help after Oklahoma tornado

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:11:19 -0400

Mary Fallin to express his concern about a monstrous tornado that killed 37 people and wreaked havoc in the Oklahoma City suburbs. The White House says Obama told the governor that he's directed the government and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide any assistance she needs. FEMA has sent a special team to Oklahoma's emergency operations center to help out and dispatch ...

Etisalat to Showcase CSR Projects From Across ME Africa and Asia at 10th CSR Summit in Dubai

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:11:10 -0400

WAM ABU DHABI, May 19th, 2013 (WAM) -- The heads of Corporate Social Responsibility from Etisalat's operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Gabon, Egypt, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Togo and the UAE are travelling to Dubai to present their projects and engage with stakeholders to form new partnerships at IIR Middle East's 10th annual CSR Summit to take place in Dubai. During ...

Zim to Boost Asia-South America Rates in Mid-June

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:39:31 -0400

will raise rates for all shipments on its trade from Asia to the east coast of South America, starting June 15.The increase will be $500 per 20-foot container and $1,000 per 40-foot container, the carrier said.Containerized exports from Far East Asia to South and Central ...

Asian celebrities recruited to promote Australia

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:36:27 -0400

Tourism Australia has called on popular Hong Kong actor, Ekin Cheng, to showcase Cairns and Sydney to the Asian market in a new television travel series. Joined by fellow celebrities Andy Chai Siu Chun, Jacqueline Wong and Lai Yi, the group will film the travelogue series, ‘Tailor Made Tours’, which were designed to attract more visitors from Greater China. Expected to reach an ...

Vanuatus Prime Minister visits Huay Hong Krai development project

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:33:08 -0400

Vanuatu's prime minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil has visited the Huay Hong Khrai development study center in Chiang Mai to retrieve know-hows that might be applied in his own country.Ni-Vanuatu Prime Minister Moana Carcasses Kalosil was in Chiang Mai to attend the 2nd Asia-Pacific Water Summit, which drew to a close on Monday (May 20). Mr. Kalosil visited the Doi Suthep temple, a popular ...

India opens exit door for workers in Saudi Arabia

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:31:35 -0400

DUBAI: India on Monday started verification and issuance of emergency certificates allowing its citizens to leave Saudi Arabia following concerns over a new labour policy in the Gulf kingdom. The schedule announced is for the delivery of the first batch of 12,000 emergency certificate applications received at the Indian embassy in Riyadh and nearly 3,000 in Saudi's Eastern Province. The ...

Asia Seen Cautious Central Banks Watched

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:26:12 -0400

Asian stock markets are expected to open little changed on Tuesday as a cautious tone sets in following a lackluster lead from Wall Street and as central banks get back into the driving seat. Japan's benchmark index may take a breather after charging to a fresh five-and-a-half year high on ...

Asia-Pacific high-achievers honoured for exemplary performance

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:26:10 -0400

Honouring the best: Yong (second from left) presenting the Asia- Pacific Top Golden Brand Products award to Agro Yuli Sdn Bhd managing director Teck Tan Jing Shu (third from left) and director Tan Jing Choon (fourth from left). With them are (from left) Asia- Pacific Top Excellence Brand Nomination Committee (Malaysia) chairman Robert Tan, Asia-Pacific Top Excellence Brand Nomination Committee ...

North Korea Stop Crackdown on Economic ‘Crimes’

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:09:32 -0400

The collapse of North Korea's public distribution system of food and other necessities fuelled a survival response resulting in increased private economic activities. North Koreans also have greater access to information through technology, so they know how the rest of the world is living and how bad the situation is at home. The response by North Korean police and security officials has ...

Hindi to be included in Australian school curriculum

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:52 -0400

MELBOURNE: A vast untapped pool of skilled Indian migrants should be used to teach Hindi in Australian schools and universities, according to a report. The report by Melbournebased think tank Australia India Institute argues for the inclusion of Hindi in Australia's school curriculum, saying it should be an essential part of the Commonwealth's Asia policy. Authored by well known ...

Monster tornado flattens suburb of Oklahoma City reports say four people killed

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:51 -0400

Oklahoma City on Monday, tearing up at least two schools and leaving a wake of tangled wreckage as a dangerous storm system threatened as many as 10 US states. Television video showed homes destroyed, cars tossed and at least one building on fire. Rescue workers were pulling third-graders from a damaged school in Moore, Oklahoma, a KFOR television reporter said from the scene. "I have never ...

Benazir death Pervez Musharraf gets bail on way out of Pakistan

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:49 -0400

Benazir Bhutto assassination case. Judge Chaudhry Habibur-Rehman of the anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi granted bail to Musharraf against two surety bonds of Rs 10 lakh each. In the morning, the judge had reserved his decision after hearing arguments by lawyers of both sides. The judge announced his decision in the afternoon. During the arguments, Musharraf 's lawyer Salman Safdar said ...

Pakistan switches off ACs in govt offices bans socks for staff

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:35 -0400

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has told civil servants not to wear socks as the country turns off air-conditioners amid a chronic power crisis and soaring temperatures. The government has turned off all air-conditioning in its offices as the country endures blackouts of up to 20 hours a day in some places. "There shall be no more use of air-conditioners in public offices till such time that substantial ...

Imran Khans party wrests MQMs Karachi bastion

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:35 -0400

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday beat its candidate by a big margin in the re-polling held in 43 polling stations in Pakistan's violence-plagued city of Karachi. PTI's Arif Alvi secured 77,659 votes to beat MQM's Khushbakht Shujaat who polled 30,365 votes, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan. The repoll in 43 ...

Nawaz Sharif hints at initiating peace talks with Taliban

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:06:34 -0400

Nawaz Sharif , known for being soft towards militant groups, on Monday said the Pakistani Taliban's offer of talks should be taken seriously because the problem of militancy cannot be solved through the use of power and bullets. Addressing newly elected parliamentarians and legislators of his PML-N party in Lahore, Sharif stressed the need to respond to the Taliban's offer. "Guns ...

Sun Life throws the net wide in Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:33:49 -0400

Kevin Strain, president of Sun Life's business in Asia, sees his biggest challenge as striking a balance between keeping up with other players in the market, while still charging prices that allow insurance products to be ...

Asian Stocks Rise as Japan’s Topix at 5 Year High

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:19 -0400

Asian stocks rose for the first time in three days, with Japan’s Topix Index trading at the highest level in nearly five years, after US leading indicators and consumer sentiment advanced more than estimated, boosting investor confidence in the global economic recovery. Toyota Motor Corp. gained 1.7 percent as shares of the world’s largest carmaker led Japanese exporters higher. ...

Pinoys urged to stay indoors in Taiwan

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:10 -0400

The chair of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office is urging Filipinos in Taiwan to stay indoors after work and to avoid drinking in public after 2 overseas Filipinos were attacked in Taiwan. The attacks came amid simmering tensions between Manila and Taipei after the Philippine Coast Guard killed a Taiwanese fisherman off Batanes. A task force has been created to check on the situation of ...

For American imprisoned in N Korea labour camp it could be

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:06 -0400

It’s bad for Kenneth Bae, the Washington man arrested in North Korea last year and sentenced to 15 years in prison, but it could be worse, according to people familiar with the workings of one of the world’s most secretive and repressive regimes. Bae began serving a 15-year, hard labour sentence on Tuesday for what Pyongyang has described as hostile acts against the state. But word ...

Ban Ki-moon urges N Korea to end missile tests

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:06 -0400

UN Secretary general Ban Ki-moon has called on North Korea to refrain from carrying out any further missile tests. He was speaking as Pyongyang test-fired a fourth short-range missile over the weekend. Such launches are routine but come as countries in the region are trying to break a stalemate in relations there, the BBC’s Lucy Williamson says. Ban urged Pyongyang to lower the ...

Korea slams N Korea’s ‘provocative’ missile launches

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:04 -0400

South Korea on Sunday condemned North Korea’s latest short-range missile launches as ';provocative'; and again urged it to hold talks about a suspended jointly-run industrial park. The North Saturday launched three short-range guided missiles off its east coast, apparently as part of a military drill, at a time when cross-border relations remain icy after months of simmering ...

SKorea analysing NKorea’s 4 projectile launches

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:04 -0400

South Korea is analysing whether projectiles North Korea fired into its eastern waters over the weekend are short-range missiles or a new type of artillery the country may be developing, officials said Monday. North Korea fired what Seoul officials called a short-range projectile Sunday, a day after conducting three similar launches. South Korean officials earlier said the weapons fired on ...

China asks N Korea to free seized boat

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:03 -0400

China says it has called on North Korea to secure the release of a fishing boat and its crew seized earlier this month. Owner Yu Xuejun said the vessel had been in Chinese waters when the 16-man crew were seized on 5 May. Yu said the North Korean captors were demanding a 600,000 yuan ($100,000, GBP 66,000) ransom. State-run Xinhua news agency said that diplomats in Pyongyang had been asked ...

China’s ambitious plans for its huge reserves

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:01 -0400

I ask, because while so many Western governments spend sleepless nights worrying about the size of their trade deficits, China has the opposite problem. Thanks to its export success, China is the world’s largest holder of foreign exchange reserves. Those reserves are growing all the time and currently stand at a record $3.44 trillion. That’s $3,440,000,000,000 if you want all the ...

Better India China ties key to world peace Li

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:26:00 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged Monday to build trust with India and declared that ties between the Asian giants were key to world peace as he visited New Delhi only weeks after a border spat. Speaking alongside his counterpart Manmohan Singh, Li said China wanted to increase related stories Will India and China go beyond niceties? Border peace vital for ties, Manmohan tells ...

China Home-Price Gains Signal Growth Challenge for Li Economy

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:58 -0400

China’s new-home prices rose last month in 68 of 70 cities tracked by the government, indicating Premier Li Keqiang will need to maintain efforts to cool the property market even as economic growth slows. Increases in Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai were the biggest on a yearly basis since a change in data methodology in January 2011, a report from the National Bureau of Statistics showed ...

China Property Gains Defy government Plans

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:58 -0400

Surging credit has kept China’s real estate-sector humming despite a renewed attempt by the government to bring prices under control, supporting short-term economic growth but risking a destabilising decline in prices down the line. Average house prices rose 4.3 percent from a year earlier in April after gaining 3.1 percent in March, according to The Wall Street Journal’s ...

Despite curbs China’s vast hot money triangle flourishes

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:58 -0400

In an underground mall just a stone’s throw from China’s teeming border with Macau, a row of 30 small shops with identical golden plaques does a brisk, though shadowy trade with mainland Chinese visitors, many of them bound for the gambling hub. ';Good rates. Better than the banks,'; shout salespeople jostling to usher clients into shops where thick wads of Chinese 100 ...

China ‘will not accept’ carbon tax on EU flights report

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:56 -0400

China will not pay for CO2 emissions by its airlines on flights within Europe, a top civil aviation official reportedly said after the European Commission warned eight Chinese firms face fines for nonpayment. The world’s second largest economy ';will not accept any unilateral and compulsory market measures';, Yan Mingchi, deputy director-general of the legal and regulation ...

Three new suicides at Apple supplier’s China factory

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:56 -0400

Three Foxconn workers have committed suicide at a factory in China in the past three weeks, a labour rights group said on Saturday. All three jumped to their deaths at a plant in the central city of Zhengzhou run by the Taiwanese electronics giant. A 30-year-old married man killed himself on Tuesday following the similar deaths of a 23-year-old woman on April 27 and a 24-year-old man three ...

EU China have ‘much to lose’ in case of trade war

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:25:53 -0400

The latest tit-for-tat EU-China trade disputes could signal worse to come but both sides have a lot to lose if things get out of hand and harm the much-needed economic growth they seek, analysts said. In May alone, the two have locked horns over solar panels, steel tubes and telecoms equipment, sparking fears of a trade war between two of the world’s biggest trading partners. Analysts ...

President Obama to meet Chinese president in California in June

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:21:20 -0400

President BarackObamawill hold his first summit with President Xi Jinping in California next month, with Sino-US relations rattled by alleged Chinese cyber spying and tensions in the ...

Asia Very Very Competitive for OTAs.

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:19:08 -0400

) told analysts that "the absolute economics in terms of the pricing of hotels and the competition makes it potentially more expensive" than other key global markets. But the pay off is that Asia Pacific markets are growing fast, more than compensating for the high costs borne by its two major regional ...

Mobiles offer financial lifeline to Asian migrants—study

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:17:47 -0400

Asia’s mobile revolution is set to transform the region’s financial services industry, offering a cheap way for millions of migrant workers to send money home to their families, a report said on Monday, May 20, 2013. JOHN MOORE/GETTY IMAGES/AFP BANGKOK--Asia’s mobile revolution is set to transform the region’s financial services industry, offering a cheap way for millions ...

CTS Australasia Exports to South America Plummet

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:12:16 -0400

Containerized export volume from Australasia/Oceania to South and Central America steeply declined in March 2013, according to data from Container Trades Statistics ...

More From South Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:50:44 -0400

US school directly hit by tornado: Police Television footage on Monday afternoon showed homes and buildings that had been reduced to rubble in the city south of Oklahoma ...

Myanmars president calls for end to communal violence

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:14:50 -0400

Myanmar's President Thein Sein on Monday urged an end to intercommunal violence and discrimination after hearing a call from US President Barack Obama to put a stop to ethnic unrest in the ...

US school directly hit by tornado Police

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:12:00 -0400

Oklahoma City suburb took a direct hit from a mile (1.6 kilometer) wide tornado. Gary Knight with the Oklahoma city police department says there is no word of injuries from the elementary school. Knight says the school suffered "extensive damage" on Monday afternoon. Neighborhoods in Moore, Oklahoma, are flattened and buildings are on fire. Television footage on Monday afternoon showed ...

Luxury labels designs on South East Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:06:57 -0400

Rany Moran is the kind of high-spending customer that Europe's luxury fashion brands are looking to court. The Indonesian businesswoman based in Singapore runs a television station, manages her family's property development business and has a social calendar that demands a large wardrobe full of designer ballgowns and smart Dior suits. "There is always an expectation that you ...

Exclusive U.S. Air Force to move forward target date for F-35 use

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:03:50 -0400

Workers can be seen on the moving line and forward fuselage assembly areas for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter at Lockheed Martin Corp's factory located in Fort Worth, Texas in this October 13, 2011 handout photo provided by Lockheed ...

Obama praises Myanmar reform but warns on ethnic unrest

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:11:38 -0400

US President BarackObamaon Monday saluted Myanmar President Thein Sein for his leadership in pushing through startling political reforms, but warned ethnic violence in the country must ...

US charges three New York University researchers in Chinese bribery case

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:08:45 -0400

New York University researchers on Monday, alleging they conspired to take bribes from Chinese medical and research outfits for details about NYU research into magnetic resonance imaging technology. A criminal complaint filed in the US district court in Manhattan charged Yudong Zhu, 44, Xing Yang, 31, and Ye Li, 31, with commercial bribery in connection with NYU research financed by the US ...

Obama cites Myanmar reforms during President Thein Seins visit

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:43:32 -0400

Thein Sein of Myanmar has shown leadership to move his country toward political and economic reforms. Obama spoke as he sat in the Oval Office with the Asian nation's president at his side. It was the first time a Myanmar leader has visited the White House in 47 years. Activists object to the invitation because of concerns over human rights in the country. But it marks a turnaround in ...

Baghdad car bomb kills 13 raises death toll to 70Iraqi officials say a car bomb in another Shiite neighbourhood in Baghdad has killed 13 people.

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:43:32 -0400

Shia neighborhood in Baghdad has killed 13 people. The blast pushed the day's death toll from a deadly wave of bombings and shooting attacks across Iraq to 70. The officials say the latest blast struck on Monday afternoon in a busy market in the Shaab Shia neighborhood of the Iraqi capital. A police officer says 25 people wounded in the explosion. A medical official confirmed the casualty ...

Hong Kong launches plan to tackle waste crisis

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:20:12 -0400

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong on Monday launched a ten-year plan to reduce waste by 40 percent per person as part of efforts to catch up with other leading Asian cities and avert a looming environmental crisis.With a population of more than 7 million, the city currently sends 1.27 kg (2.8 pounds) per person per day to three huge outdoor landfill sites which are set to reach capacity by 2020.The ...

Golf Guans dream run will continue at Memorial tournament

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:07:46 -0400

Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, the youngest player in Masters history, will continue his dream run in US PGA events by playing in next week's Memorial tournament, organisers said on ...

US concerned over defamation charges against Egyptian journalists

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:04:52 -0400

El-Watan newspaper, and Alaa El-Ghatrify, its managing editor, state newspaper Al-Ahram reported. Over the last few months several journalists, talk show hosts and comedians in Egypt have been charged with defamation, and activists accuse the government of using the courts to crack down on dissent. El-Watan is fiercely critical of Mursi and ...

Pakistans presumptive PM calls for Taliban peace talks

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:01:24 -0400

Nawaz Sharif, who is expected to resume is former post as Prime Minister, could have difficulty getting the military on his side. The army chief says he would only sit down with the Taliban if they 'unconditionally submit to the state, its constitution and the rule of law.' (K.M. Chaudary/Associated ...

Obama voices concern to Lebanon on Hezbollah role in Syria

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:52:59 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama told his Lebanese counterpart on Monday he was concerned about Lebanese Hezbollah militants fighting in Syria to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the White House ...

US senators approve 5000 visas for Tibet refugees

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:16:21 -0400

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US lawmakers debating a landmark immigration bill on Monday approved the provision of 5,000 visas to Tibetan refugees to enter the United States over the next three years.Citing "terrible" and increasing oppression by Chinese authorities against Tibetans, Senator Dianne Feinstein offered the matter as an amendment to the vast legislation aimed at fixing the US ...

US dollar eases in Asia trade but expected to resume rise

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:03:03 -0400

TOKYO--The dollar eased in Asia on Monday after a Japanese minister said the recent correction against the yen was nearly over, but analysts said the greenback would soon resume its ...

Oil prices edge lower in Asian trade

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:03:03 -0400

SINGAPORE--Oil prices were down in Asian trade Monday as investors locked in profits from last week's gains after U.S. stocks blazed to new record ...

Obama hosts Myanmar leader in symbolic White House visit

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:02:46 -0400

Myanmar President Thein Sein on Monday became the first leader of his country to visit the White House in nearly half a century, as Washington offers a strong symbolic gesture to back his ...

Caterpillar machinery sales down 9 pct in April led by Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:10:53 -0400

CHICAGO | Mon May 20, 2013 2:10pm EDT CHICAGO May 20 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc said on Monday that retail demand for its construction and mining equipment continued to be sluggish in April, though the sales picture appeared to be improving in almost every market outside North America. The Peoria, Illinois-based company said worldwide dealer sales of its earth-moving machines fell 9 ...

Thailands US$12b water management programme faces criticisms

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:47:06 -0400

Sasin Chalermlarp, secretary-general of the Seubnakasathien Foundation, said: "Water management is a massive undertaking, since we are talking about the alteration of the biodiversity in a vast area of the central plain (of Thailand), which has been transformed from natural fields to urban areas without any ...

BOOK TALK - Preparing for Asias golden age

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:39:05 -0400

By Vidya Ranganathan SINGAPORE (Reuters) - There is a new gold rush in the Asia-Pacific: rising incomes and consumer spending by Asia's fast-growing middle classes that is generating unprecedented opportunities for multinational firms. If western firms recognise those opportunities in markets for consumer and luxury goods, travel and other services, their strategies will increasingly ...

Southeast Asia now leads the world for trust in banks

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:39:00 -0400

In sharp contrast to Europe and the US, many Asian countries have weathered the global financial crisis well and emerged with considerable economic momentum. That momentum helps explain why confidence in financial institutions was highest in Asia last year - particularly among emerging markets in Southeast and South Asia, where median trust was 77 per cent and 75 per cent, according to a Gallup ...

Asian-Americans Smart High-Incomes And ... Poor

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:48:15 -0400

Asian-Americans have the highest income and education levels of any racial group in the country. So it might be surprising that they have a higher poverty rate than non-Hispanic whites. Michel Martin discusses the issue with Algernon Austin of the Economic Policy Institute and Rosalind Chou, co-author ...

Pakistan vows to be Asian tiger

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:47:09 -0400

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Pakistan's prime minister-in-waiting Mohammad Nawaz Sharif has vowed to turn Pakistan into an Asian tiger in a short span of time.Intensely pro-business Sharif, is Prime Minister for the third time - a rare event in Pakistan where political charms wash off quickly. His strength - a majority in the National Assembly which he won on the strength of his 1990s ...

Cosco to Boost Asia-South Africa Trade in Mid-June

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:45:50 -0400

will increase rates for all shipments, including refrigerated cargo, on its trade from the Far East to South Africa, starting June 17.The hike will be $300 per 20-foot container and $600 per 40-foot and 40-foot high-cube container, according to the ...

Lippi’s Guangzhou poised for Asia’s last eight

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:44:27 -0400

Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande will look to sweep aside the challenge of Central Coast Mariners and book their spot in the AFC Champions League last eight for the second year running this week.The Chinese domestic double-winners hold a 2-1 advantage from last week's round of 16 first leg, when goals from Lucas Barrios and Muriqui secured a stylish win at the Mariners' ground ...

Plague of deforestation sweeps across south-east Asia

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:43:58 -0400

deforestation is dizzying, threatening the region's remarkable biodiversity, which includes more than 1,700 species discovered in the last 15 years alone. Many of the forests in Vietnam have been cut down for the furniture export market and the trees replaced by coffee bushes; in less than 10 years, Vietnam has gone from zero to number two in global coffee production. So much forest has been ...

Kayani praises Pakistanis for standing up to terrorists

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:12:23 -0400

Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on Monday praised the people of Pakistan for standing up to terrorists and defying their "unfounded dictates" during the historic general elections, saying their actions reflected their commitment to moderation and rule of law. "In these elections, people of Pakistan not only courageously withstood the threat of terrorism, they also defied ...

US says Pakistan curbing explosive fertilizers

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:46:27 -0400

ISLAMABAD -; Pakistan has taken a number of steps to prevent fertilizers made within its borders for agriculture from being used as explosives in roadside bombs that target American troops in Afghanistan, said a top U.S. military officer ...

Silver drops despite steady market tone elsewhere

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:46:26 -0400

A man under an umbrella walks past an electronic stock board of a securities firm in Tokyo Monday, May 20, 2013. Japan's Nikkei 225 index jumped 1.4 percent to 15,352.84 as evidence of a steady economic recovery in the U.S. helped push Asian stock markets higher Monday. (AP Photo/Koji ...

A Real Life Hunger Games

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:11:23 -0400

Human Rights Watch, we’ve been documenting abuses of unaccompanied migrant children for more than 10 years, and I’ve personally interviewed hundreds of these children. The kids I met with are sent abroad in a last ditch effort to find a better life or escape persecution. Traveling with smugglers-under trucks, by foot, and in rickety boats-at least 10,000 unaccompanied children enter ...

US Pakistan moves to curb dangerous fertilizers

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:43:12 -0400

ISLAMABAD -; A top American military officer says Pakistan has taken steps to prevent fertilizers made in Pakistan from being used for roadside bombs targeting American troops in ...

Saudi Saudi Arabia signs accord to protect Philippine maids

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:30:21 -0400

maids from being exploited in the Middle Eastern kingdom. The agreement guarantees Filipina maids benefits like a day off each week while preventing their hiring costs from being deducted from their salary among other safeguards, said labour secretary Rosalinda Baldoz in a statement. "We are very confident that cases of abuse will be less after this agreement takes effect because the ...

Caluag rules Asian BMX Elite category

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:30:03 -0400

LONDON Olympian Daniel Caluag greatly admired the undulating course at the Tampines Bike Park in Singapore, and it's not difficult to figure why. The Filipino-American validated his status as the continent's No. 1 BMX rider with a sizzling run on the dusty 355-meter Tampines course to win the gold medal in the men's Elite category of the recent 8th Asian BMX Championships. ...

19 Indian state officials face corruption charges

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:04:33 -0400

LUCKNOW, India (AP) -- An Indian state official is recommending that 19 people be charged with misappropriating millions of dollars in the construction of monuments honoring dalits, the lowest Hindu ...

Nepal government investigating illegal Everest broadcast

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:30:19 -0400

A British mountaineer's interview with the BBC on his smartphone from the top of Mount Everest has stirred controversy with theNepalese government calling the broadcast "illegal", officials said ...

Pakistans former military ruler Musharraf granted bail

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:29:17 -0400

A judge granted bail to Pakistan's former military ruler on Monday in a case related to the assassination of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, his lawyer ...

Fresh Plunge in Precious Metals Natural as Bearish Money Managers Hold Upper Hand Over Asian Household Buyers

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:16:18 -0400

WHOLESALE PRICES for gold and silver rallied from a fresh plunge in early London dealing on Monday, rising to stand unchanged and 2.3% lower respectively from the end of last week's trade by lunchtime.Asian stock markets closed sharply higher, even as the Japanese Yen reversed Friday's drop to new 4-year lows against the US Dollar.Commodities ticked lower as did major government bonds. ...

Trans-Asia wind farm gets gov’t certification

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:10:48 -0400

Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp. has secured a "declaration of commerciality" certificate from the Department of Energy for its planned 54-megawatt wind farm in San Lorenzo, Guimaras. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange Monday, Trans-Asia said the DOE certificate also affirmed the conversion of its existing renewable energy service contract to ...

Word love is said and written six-times more than the word hate

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:03:10 -0400

LONDON: English speaking youngsters across the globe, who are 18 or under, use the word 'like' in conversation over five times as often as speakers who are over 70; 'because' is the most misspelled English word globally; the word 'love' is said and written over six times more frequently than the word 'hate'. These are the findings of a first-of-its-kind ...

Israel rejects French TV claim on Palestinian boys death

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:03:05 -0400

A September 30, 2000, file combo of TV grabs from France 2 footage taken during Israeli-Palestinian clashes in Netzarim in the Gaza Strip shows Jamal al-Dura and his son Mohammed, 12, hiding behind a barrel from Israeli-Palestinian cross fire. (via ...

Chinese police detain gay pride march organizer

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:44:01 -0400

BEIJING -; Police in central China have detained the 18-year-old organizer of a gay pride march in a sign of the government's nervousness over a growing civil society movement and demands for stronger individual ...

Afghan suicide attack kills 14 including politician

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:42:24 -0400

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan (AFP) - A suicide bomber struck outside government buildings in northern Afghanistan on Monday, killing 14 people including a local politician in the latest attack to target provincial officials.Emergency services rushed to the scene and took the wounded to hospital after the bomber, who was wearing police uniform, blew himself up next to Rasoul Mohseni, the head of ...

Cambodia factory accident injures 23 Police

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:40:26 -0400

PHNOM PENH (AFP) - A collapsing structure injured 23 workers on Monday at a Cambodian factory producing garments for a top Western brand, police said, the latest incident to raise concerns about regional industrial safety. At least 23 workers were injured at a Cambodian factory that produced garments for a top Western brand on Monday, police said, the latest incident to raise concerns about ...

Rights group criticizes Sri Lankas rights record

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:39:51 -0400

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -; An international human rights group said Monday that respect for basic rights and liberties has declined in Sri Lanka in the four years since the government defeated separatist Tamil rebels to end a civil ...

Asia Distillates-Gasoil margins climb on Saudi demand

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:22:17 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 20 (Reuters) - Asian gasoil margins climbed on Monday as spot demand emerged from Saudi Arabia while maintenance was being carried out at several refineries, industry sources said. The June gasoil crack rose 16 cents to $16.94 a barrel above Dubai crude, Reuters data showed. Saudi Aramco's trading arm is seeking up to 1.3 million barrels of gasoil in the spot ...

Asia NaphthaGasoline-Naphtha rises boosted by Lotte tender

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:22:16 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 20 (Reuters) - The Asian naphtha price rose on Monday to reach $875.75 a tonne, the highest since May 10, while its margin hit a four-session high of $93.50 a tonne on spot and term demand. South Korea's top ethylene maker Lotte Chemical issued a tender to buy an additional 25,000 tonnes of naphtha for second-half June arrival at Daesan, surprising some traders as ...

IMDEX Asia 2013 Ends on a Record-breaking High

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:22:13 -0400

Singapore, May 20, 2013 - (ACN Newswire) - The ninth edition of the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX Asia), Asia-Pacific's foremost maritime defence show, ended on a high last Thursday, 16 May, with a record number of participating companies and VIP delegations. 9,072 trade visitors from 59 countries/regions, a 16% increase from the last show, attended the three-day event at ...

Two tourists killed in Turkey hot-air balloon collision

Mon, 20 May 2013 08:03:41 -0400

ISTANBUL: A Brazilian and a Spanish tourist died on Monday and 23 other people were hurt after two hot-air balloons collided in a beauty spot in central Turkey, officials said. The accident occurred over Cappadocia's sculpted rock formations when one balloon collided with the basket of another balloon above and crashed to the ground, the governor of Nevsehir province, Abdurrahman Savas, told ...

Inside Asia On Chinas Border Underground Banking Flourishes

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:37:37 -0400

ZHUHAI, China ...

Pakistan court grants Musharraf bail in Bhutto murder

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:31:31 -0400

A Pakistani court on Monday granted bail to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf over the murder of Benazir Bhutto, an official said, but the retired general remains under house arrest. "General Musharraf's bail has been confirmed" by an anti-terrorism court in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, next to Islamabad, court official Mohammad Aslam Joya told AFP. Judge Habibur Rehman ...

Asias Ascott inks deal for first Saudi property

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:30:23 -0400

Singapore-based Ascott Limited, the world's largest international serviced residence owner-operator, has entered Saudi Arabia by securing a management contract for its first residence in ...

Asia Fuel Oil-Surplus fuel weighs on prices amid lacklustre demand

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:24:16 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 20 (Reuters) - Asian fuel oil refining margins and cash premiums were under pressure on Monday, thanks to oversupply because of heavy arbitrage flows from the West, while demand showed no signs of expanding despite a drop in outright prices. Asia cash premiums for the 380-centistoke (cst) benchmark for the marine fuels market were at 9 cents a tonne, down 27 cents ...

Vietnam Drop Charges for Leafleting

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:10:31 -0400

Vietnam should drop charges and free two activists arrested in October 2012 for "conducting propaganda against the state. Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha are scheduled to be tried in the People’s Court of Long An province on Thursday, May 16, 2013. According to state media, Nguyen Phuong Uyen and Dinh Nguyen Kha were arrested for handing out leaflets that "distort the ...

Chinese Indian leaders call for cooperation

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:44:15 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang waves to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, right, as he leaves the Indian Presidential Palace after his ceremonial reception in New Delhi, India, Monday, May 20, 2013. Just weeks after a tense border standoff, Li visited India on his first foreign three-day trip as the neighboring giants look to speed up efforts to settle a decades-old boundary dispute and boost ...

Markets solid despite Fed policy speculation

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:44:15 -0400

SE Asia Stocks-Indonesia jumps after new finmin Thailand at new high

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:40:26 -0400

BANGKOK, May 20 (Reuters) - Southeast Asian stock markets gained on Monday as optimism about global growth lifted sentiment in overseas markets while Indonesia's main index rose to a new all-time closing high, after the appointment of a new finance minister. Jakarta's Composite Index ended up 1.4 percent at 5,214.97, pushing up its year-to-date gain to 21 percent, Southeast Asia's ...

North Korea fires sixth missile in three days

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:29:27 -0400

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un applauds with children uring a visit to the Pyongyang Myohyangsan Children's Camp, situated at the foot of Mt. Myohyang in North Phyongan Province, in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 20, 2013. ...

Asian death wave tops a year of big disasters

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:15:50 -0400

The earthquake and tidal waves that took the lives of more than 23,000 in countries around the Indian Ocean was the latest and biggest of a series of natural disasters in 2004, one of the worst years in recent memory. The other events include:February 24Morocco. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 hit the northeastern region of Al Hoceima, killing 628 and injuring more than 900. March ...

Obama exhorts good deeds by Morehouse graduatesSo yes go get that law degree.But if you do ask yourself if the only option is to defend the rich and powerful or if you can also find time to defend the powerless Obama said.

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:09:24 -0400

ATLANTA: President Barack Obama, in a soaring commencement address on work, sacrifice and opportunity, on Sunday told graduates of historically ...

Associated Press CEO calls records seizure by US govt unconstitutional

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:09:23 -0400

WASHINGTON: The Associated Press' president and chief executive says the government's secret seizure of two months of reporters' phone records has already had a chilling effect on news gathering, a week after the subpoenas were revealed ...

World stocks rise on signs of steady US recovery

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:48:00 -0400

At least 12 dead in China factory explosion

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:48:00 -0400

BEIJING -; A massive blast ripped through an explosives factory Monday in eastern China, killing at least 12 people and leaving others buried in the debris, state media ...

Malaysia court orders release of 3 terror suspects

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:47:59 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -; A Malaysian court has ordered the release of an al-Qaida-linked former army captain and two other suspects charged with inciting terrorist ...

Asian Stocks Rise On Growth Optimism

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:47:16 -0400

Asian stocks rose on Monday, extending a two-week rally, as an upbeat reading on U.S. consumer confidence bolstered optimism about the economic recovery in the world's ...

Asian shares extend winning streak

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:43:06 -0400

Hong Kong shares jumped to their highest since early February on Monday, led by Chinese cyclical counters, as investors chased a resurgent mainland China market on their return from a Friday holiday, which posted a fourth-straight day of ...

ASIA CREDIT CLOSE Region tightens on constructive backdrop

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:40:13 -0400

Mon May 20, 2013 5:40am EDT SINGAPORE, May 20 (IFR) - Credit markets in Asia had a relatively quiet day in the context of a generally constructive tone, on the back of better-than-expected US consumer sentiment data and, as we come up to the close, stronger openings in European markets. The Itraxx IG index is 1bp tighter versus Friday's close, at 101bp bid. A Singapore-based trader saw that ...

India China vow to end long-running border dispute

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:39:29 -0400

The Indian and Chinese premiers pledged on Monday to finally resolve a border disputethat has soured ties for decades, saying good relations between the two Asian giants were key to world ...

Unrest erupts in Bangladeshs troubled garment hub

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:39:28 -0400

Bangladeshi police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at thousands of garment workers Monday as they demanded a wage hike at a protest in a manufacturing hub outside the capital ...

Japanese automaker set to combat air pollution with electric vehicles

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:39:26 -0400

Recently, global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide broke through the watershed level of 400 parts per million.Japanese automaker Terra Motors, however, believes its electric motorcycles and its three-wheeled vehicles can ...

Cambodian ceremony honors victims of Khmer Rouge - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois Missouri News Sports

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:32:58 -0400

(AP Photo/Heng Sinith). A Cambodian woman stands with burning incense sticks as she visits a memorial holding skulls of the Khmer Rouge victims at Choeung Ek "Killing Field" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, May 20, ...

Li Keqiang makes India first stop on his foreign visit

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:20:15 -0400

China's official media, in its extensive coverage of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's Indian visit, sought to play down the Asian neighbors' border disputes. Li, who made India the first stop on his first foreign tour since becoming the China's No. 2 leader, arrived in New Delhi Sunday on a three-day trip. The visit comes after last month's tense situation resulting from a ...

Sri Lanka No Progress 4 Years On

Mon, 20 May 2013 05:18:48 -0400

Four years after Sri Lanka's horrific civil war ended, many Sri Lankans await justice for the victims of abuses, news of the 'disappeared,' and respect for their basic rights. Instead, the Rajapaksa government has rejected investigations, clamped down harder on the media, and persisted in wartime abuses such as ...