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Thein Sein praised for reforms in Myanmar but urged to end violence against Muslims

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:16:52 -0400

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama praised the reforms of Myanmar leader Thein Sein but urged him to end violence against Muslims. Sein is the country's first president to visit the White House in almost half a century. Speaking from the US capital Monday Obama said he recognized Sein's work to guide Myanmar down "a long and sometimes difficult, but ultimately correct, path to follow." ...

Roadside bombing kills six Afghan policemen in Herat

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:21:19 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan - At least six Afghan policemen guarding a strategically important dam were killed in a roadside bombing Tuesday in the war-torn country's western province of Herat, officials said. They said that suspected Taliban insurgents triggered the explosion when a police patrol vehicle heading to Herat city was travelling in the Chashti Shareef district of the province. "There ...

After two weeks detention North Korea frees Chinese boat and 16 fishermen

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:21:12 -0400

PYONGYANG - A Chinese boat and 16 fishermen held by armed North Koreans for more than two weeks have been released, easing the latest tension in relations between the neighbouring allies. Owner Yu Xuejun, who was not on board the boat when it was seized on 5 May, wrote on his microblog that his captain called him at 3.50am to say the crew and boat were set free and that they were on their way ...

Saudi Arabia nabs 10 over spying for Iran

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:20:01 -0400

Saudi Arabia has arrested 10 people on suspicion of espionage for Iran, the interior ministry announced Tuesday. "Following an initial investigation, the security forces arrested 10 more suspects over involvement in the espionage acts for an Iranian espionage cell, reported Xinhua citing a spokesperson for the ministry. The arrestees, comprising eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk, are linked ...

Afghanistan Suicide bomb kills anti-Taliban elder

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:46:35 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan -; Police say a suicide bomber on foot has killed an anti-Taliban village elder and at least three other people in a busy marketplace in central ...

Stocks surge as Bernanke retains dovish ton

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:46:30 -0400

LONDON -; Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's signal that monetary policy will remain loose gave stocks another lift Wednesday, paving the way for many indexes to advance to new record ...

Asian shares mixed Tokyo ends at 5-year high

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:40:10 -0400

A visitor takes a picture of an electronic stock board on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Tokyo, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday 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. AP PHOTO/ITSUO INOUYE HONG KONG--Asian shares were mixed on Wednesday ...

China Pakistan plan economic corridor Li

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:35:52 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang 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 ...

Big Asian AFC start by Malditas

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:31:58 -0400

The Philippine Malditas, as promised by their coach, are creating a stir in the Asian AFC Women's Qualifying. The Malditas crushed higher-ranked Iran, 6-0, Tuesday at the start of Group B play at the Bangabandu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Beefed up by several United States-based standouts who have NCAA Division 1 experience, the Malditas dominated the match right from the ...

For Westerners in Asia the Job Market Grows Tougher

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:31:07 -0400

Unfortunately, her Mandarin is limited -- and because of that, she has struggled to find a new job in Hong Kong, a city that once welcomed her with open ...

Indian medics reconstruct babys swollen head

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:22:48 -0400

Indian doctors said Wednesday they have successfully carried out a first round of reconstructive surgery on the skull of a baby suffering from a rare disorder that caused her head to nearly double in ...

Bangladesh panel blames building owner for disaster

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:22:47 -0400

The head of an official inquiry into the collapse of a Bangladesh factory complex said Wednesday the building's owner was the "main culprit" in the disaster because he violated building ...

Retarus Boosts Presence in Asia

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:13:05 -0400

SINGAPORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Retarus is continuing to expand its position as a leading global provider of professional messaging services. As part of its international expansion plans, Retarus has established retarus (Asia) Pte. Ltd. in Singapore to strengthen its presence in Asia. Retarus has had a representative office in Singapore for a number of years now. The formation of ...

Asia GasolineNaphtha-Gasoline up on Indian demand

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:13:04 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 22 (Reuters) - The Asian gasoline margin reached a 1-1/2 week high of $8.71 a tonne on Wednesday, supported by tighter supplies in India due to summer holiday demand coinciding with a refinery outage and maintenance. India's BPCL is seeking 25,000 tonnes of 91-octane gasoline for delivery into Kochi, located in the west coast, over first-half of June, making this ...

Asian Gold Premiums Hit New Highs as Europe Urged to Start Agressive QE

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:06:32 -0400

London Gold Market ReportBULLION prices rose throughout Asian and early London trade on Wednesday morning, touching $1398 per ounce for the third time this week and recovering 4.4% from Monday's one-month low.Silver rose more steadily, and was capped below $22.80 as energy prices slipped and agricultural commodities held flat.Tuesday's retreat in the gold price today ...

Mostly Asian expat workers end UAE strike Arabtec

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:47 -0400

The vote followed the committee's decision to embrace a Republican move to ease restrictions on high-tech US companies that want to hire more skilled workers from countries like India and ...

Hamid Karzai in Delhi gives India military equipment wish list

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:51:22 -0400

Hamid Karzai said on Wednesday he had given a "wish list" of military equipment to India during his visit this week, presenting a conundrum for New Delhi as it weighs whether arming the Afghan army is in its interests. India wants to stabilize Afghanistan and is concerned about the resurgence of militant groups after foreign combat troops leave in 2014. However, arming Afghanistan would ...

Gunmen kill 12 at Baghdad brothel Officials

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:51:18 -0400

gunmen shot dead at least seven women and five men at a brothel in Baghdad on Wednesday, security and medical officials said. The attack took place in the capital's eastern area of Zayouna, where a number ...

Bangladeshi volunteers haunted by rescue trauma

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:18:24 -0400

SAVAR, Bangladesh (AFP) - 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 ...

Montana parents quit Singapore inquest into sons death

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:03:59 -0400

HELENA --The Veterans Affairs Montana Health Care System is preparing for a major renovation of its hospital at Fort Harrison, creating ...

AirAsia profit falls nearly 40 in 1st quarter

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:01:53 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia, Asia's largest low-cost carrier by fleet size, said Wednesday that first-quarter net profit fell 39 per cent year-on-year due to ...

Nestle expands Singapore RD amid Asia market growth

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:41:43 -0400

Photo from http://www.nestle.com.sg/ GENEVA -- Swiss-based global food giant Nestle said Wednesday that it had expanded its research and development operations in Singapore, amid robust Asian market growth. Nestle said that it invested almost 4.0 million Swiss francs (3.2 million euros, $4.1 million) to extend its research facility, and would this year add 20 jobs to the current team of 100. ...

Swedens capital Stockholm hit by worst riots in years

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:34:36 -0400

The riots in one of Europe's richest capitals have shocked a country that prides itself on a reputation for social justice, and fuelled a debate about how Sweden is coping with both youth unemployment and an influx of ...

Oil stays near $96 before crude stocks report Fed

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:32:58 -0400

The price of oil was little changed above $96 a barrel Wednesday as investors waited confirmation of a rise in U.S. crude stocks and the Federal Reserve's latest views on the U.S. ...

UPDATE 1-Nomura eyes Asia alliances boosts Japan asset target

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:21:11 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 8:21am EDT (Recasts, adds COO comments and details) By Nathan Layne TOKYO May 22 (Reuters) - Japan's largest brokerage firm Nomura Holdings Inc said on Wednesday it was seeking partners to expand its retail and asset management operations in Southeast Asia and was in talks with several financial institutions in the region. Chief Operating Officer Atsushi Yoshikawa did not ...

Japan watchdog Nuclear plant sits on active fault

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:04:51 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday endorsed a panel's conclusion that a seismic fault running underneath one of two reactors at an atomic plant in western Japan is active, making the reactor's restart virtually ...

Death toll rises to 23 in China factory blast

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:04:47 -0400

The blast was so strong that 10 of those killed could only be identified by their DNA. Experts from the State Administration of Work Safety have been sent to the factory and are investigating the cause of the ...

Investors edgy ahead of Bernanke testimony

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:04:46 -0400

LONDON -; Investors were edgy Wednesday ahead of the appearance of U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke before lawmakers in ...

Pakistan court rejects Musharraf bail in judges case

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:51:09 -0400

Pervez Musharraf over the detention of judges during his 1999-2008 rule, the state prosecutor said. The ruling came two days after a court granted bail to Musharraf over the murder of former prime ...

Asia Fuel Oil-Cash market sluggish eye on July supply flows

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:44:20 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 22 (Reuters) - Asia fuel oil cash premiums remained sluggish on Wednesday on oversupply, but there was growing consensus among traders that arbitrage flows in the backend of June would be thin, providing a floor for prices. Asia cash premiums for the 380-centistoke (cst) benchmark for the marine fuels market were pegged at 25 cents a tonne, steady to levels seen in ...

Hershey Opens Asia Innovation Center in Shanghai

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:44:19 -0400

Innovation a key driver for Hershey's Asia growth As part of the company's strategy to drive global growth and innovation, The Hershey Company ( ) today announced the opening of its new Asia Innovation Center located in Shanghai, China. Hershey's new Asia Innovation Center, located at the Jinqiao Golden Bridge Research Park in the Pudong District of Shanghai, is a ...

Asia Distillates-Ultra low sulphur diesel premium falls

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:44:17 -0400

SINGAPORE, May 22 (Reuters) - The Asian ultra low sulphur diesel premium fell to a more than six-week low on Wednesday as arbitrage economics to send the cargoes to Europe remained firmly shut on weak European demand, industry sources said. The cash premium for the 10 ppm sulphur diesel premium fell 12 cents to $1.66 a barrel above Singapore quotes, lowest since April 8 when it ...

Gupta family wedding scandal India says plane landed after proper authorization

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:24:23 -0400

This picture courtesy of the Gupta family shows Vela Gupta and her husband Indian-born Aaskash Jahajgarhia posing with relatives and guests during ceremonies for their wedding in Sun City, South Africa, on May 1, 2013. (AFP ...

Chinese premier visits Pakistan praises ties

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:55:39 -0400

A man walks next to huge portraits of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, left, displayed near the presidency in Islamabad, Pakistan. Keqiang will arrive in Islamabad on May 22 on a two day official visit to hold talks with Pakistani leadership to discuss international, regional issues and enhance co-operation in bilateral ties. (AP Photo/Anjum ...

China demand drives Asian gold bar premiums to record highs

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:51:59 -0400

- Premiums for gold bars hit a record high in Asia on Wednesday as lower spot prices lured more buyers, mainly in China, the world's second biggest consumer of the precious metal, amid tight physical ...

SE Asia Stocks-Singapore up on earnings hopes Thai shares fall

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:35:54 -0400

BANGKOK, May 22 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock markets rose to new highs on Wednesday on light to moderate volume and ahead of U.S. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony in Congress, with expectations of improved earnings forecasts supporting Singapore shares. Singapore's Straits Times Index was up 0.3 percent at 3,454.37, reversing Tuesday's fall, led by ...

Dark future for womens rights in Afghanistan

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:19:26 -0400

determined that some 400 women and girls were locked away in Afghan prisons and juvenile detention facilities for the 'moral crime' of running away from home or having sex outside of marriage. My organisation, Human Rights Watch, reported those findings. Some 18 months later, things have really changed. For the ...

Power of Moore OK tornado dwarfs Hiroshima bomb

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:52:36 -0400

Everything had to come together just perfectly to create the killer tornado in Moore, Okla.: wind speed, moisture in the air, temperature and timing. And when they did, the awesome energy released over that city dwarfed the power of the atomic bomb that leveled ...

World stocks mixed ahead of Fed chief testimony

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:48:28 -0400

BANGKOK -; World stock markets were mixed Wednesday, hours before Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke is to deliver remarks before Congress on the state of the U.S. ...

Asian Stocks Rise On Fed Speculation

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:47:42 -0400

Asian stocks rose broadly on Wednesday, encouraged by a positive lead from Wall Street, after comments from two Federal Reserve officials suggested the Federal Reserve is unlikely to taper its $85 billion-per-month bond-buying program anytime soon. Investors look forward to a speech from the Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the release of FOMC May minutes due out later in the day for clues on the ...

Japan nuclear reactor atop active fault regulator

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:37:34 -0400

Japan's nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that one reactor was sitting directly above an active tectonic fault, effectively ruling out a restart ...

India slum thrives as tourist attraction

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:37:33 -0400

The word slum conjures up images and deprivation and poverty. But Mumbai's Dharavi slum in India is estimated to generate an annual business turnover of $650 million as a tourist ...

Abes view of history upsets many in Asia the US

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:34:58 -0400

Back in February, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gave a speech at a Washington think tank on the theme "Japan Is Back" that was widely interpreted as a bid to revive his country's long-stagnant economy through drastic policy changes. "Abenomics", as these proposals have been dubbed, is a kind of shock therapy that includes stimulus spending, a loose-money policy and a weaker ...

Chinese PM pledges stronger partnership with Pakistan

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:43:16 -0400

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang vowed to strengthen his country's partnership with Pakistan as he arrived Wednesday for a visit less than two weeks after the country's general election.The long-time allies will look to use the two-day trip to boost trade ties, and Li will meet prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif -- who has not yet been sworn in -- as well as holding talks ...

Chinese premier begins 2-day visit to Pakistan

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:44 -0400

Octogenarians race to be oldest Everest climber

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:43 -0400

In this Friday, May 17, 2013 photo distributed by Miura Dolphins, 80-year-old Japanese adventurer Yuichiro Miura, right, and his son, Gota, rest on their way to a camp at 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) from a camp at 6,050 meters (19,849 feet) during their attempt to scale the summit of Mount Everest. According to his management office, Miura plans to reach the 8,850-meter (29,035-foot) peak on ...

Japan approves joining intl child abduction pact

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:40 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's parliament has approved joining an international child custody treaty amid foreign concerns that Japanese mothers can take children away from foreign fathers without ...

Sunbathing crocodile shocks Indonesian beachgoers

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:34:43 -0400

JAKARTA--Hundreds of sunbathers fled a popular Indonesian beach in panic when a four-meter (13-foot) crocodile laid down next to them to soak up some rays, an official said Wednesday. Crowds were thronging the beach at Balikpapan on Borneo island at the weekend when the 500 kilogram (1,100 pound) reptile crawled ashore. ';The crocodile was spotted sunbathing near the lifeguard post on ...

China to host conference of Asian parties

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:33:51 -0400

China will host a special conference of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), according to the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).The conference will run under the theme, "Promote green development and build a beautiful Asia together," and be held in Xi'an, capital city of northwestern China's ...

Japanese PM to visit Myanmar for first time in 36 years

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:33:27 -0400

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit Myanmar from May 24 to 26 to boost bilateral economic ties, becoming the first prime minister to visit the Southeast Asian country in 36 years, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.During his visit, Abe, who will be accompanied by a group of Japanese business leaders, is expected to hold talks with Myanmar's leaders and ...

Asia-Pacific real estate investment trusts gain 18 in first four months of year

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:29:26 -0400

Property trusts across the Asia-Pacific have performed impressively in recent months, led by a surge in the value of Japanese real estate investment trusts (Reits). Reits in Japan gained 29.8 per cent in the first four months of this year, pulling up the region to an overall gain of 18.1 per cent in the same period. Singapore Reits were the next best performers, with a 14.7 per cent gain in the ...

Riding out Oklahoma tornado in a walk-in freezer A survivors tale

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:27:44 -0400

tornado ever bore down on her Chinese restaurant, folks could take refuge in its roomy walk-in freezer. On Monday, Zhang got the chance to test their idea -- and to live to tell the tale -- when one of the most powerful and destructive twisters to hit the United States in recent years ripped through this Oklahoma City suburb. "I'm so lucky," she said, over and over, as she told her ...

Chinese Premier arrives in Pak on two-day visit

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:27:38 -0400

Li Keqiang was accorded a red carpet welcome as he arrived here today on a two-day maiden visit to "iron brother" Pakistan for talks on bilateral and regional issues focusing economic cooperation. ...

Fishermen pay price in Asia’s volatile sea rifts

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:19:50 -0400

MASINLOC, Philippines--Along the northwestern Philippine coast, poor children with claw hammers clamber aboard an abandoned fishing vessel to pry loose and steal rusty nails from its deck. It’s become a familiar sight in villages where some fishermen have been forced to give up their livelihoods since China took control of their fishing haven last year. Fishermen say Chinese maritime ...

Asian equities are supported by the soft Fed comments yesterday

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:15:52 -0400

EUR/USD initially failed to extend the tentative short-term uptrend that started on Monday. EUR/USD tried to regain the 1.29 mark at the onset of trading in Europe. However, as was the case on Friday evening and earlier yesterday in Asia, this was a too high hurdle. EUR/USD gradually drifted south and reversed a big part of Monday's rebound. There was hardly any news. European equities ...

The dollar edged down against the yen in early Asian trade on Wednesday

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:15:51 -0400

Good Morning, - EUR/USD trade to one week high above 1.29...market awaits Bernanke testimony. - Asian shares: Japan's Nikkei +1.60%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng close, Korea's Kospi +0.64%, Australia's ASX 200 -0.17% and China's Shanghai -0.12%. - ECB's Liikanen urges open mind on asset-backed securities. - St. Louis Fed President James Bullard and New York Fed President ...

6 kids among 7 injured in south China knife attack

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:59:57 -0400

BEIJING (AP) -- Authorities in southern China say a mentally ill man stabbed six primary school students and an adult in the latest of several attacks on Chinese ...

Afghan students protest womens rights decree

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:59:57 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- Hard-line Islamist students are protesting in the Afghan capital demanding the repeal of a presidential decree for women's rights that they say is ...

Australia set to cull 10000 wild horses

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:36:48 -0400

SYDNEY (AFP) - A controversial cull of up to 10,000 wild horses in Australia's harsh Outback reportedly began Wednesday in a bid to control the feral animals which officials say are destroying the land.The Central Land Council said animals -- including horses, donkeys and camels -- were dying in their thousands due to a lack of food and water and a cull was necessary on humanitarian and ...

Weak yen a help for Japan but headache elsewhere

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:34:27 -0400

TOKYO -; A steady decline in the yen is proving a godsend for exporters such as Toyota and has won solid support from Japan's main trading partners, who are betting the impact on their own currencies will be offset by gains from a recovery in the world's third-largest economy. It's not such good news for entrepreneurs like Thamonwan Thawornthaweewong, whose Angry Bird fish balls, ...

Business Briefs May 22

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:28:22 -0400

* May 30 is the ex-dividend date of Cotec Construction JSC (CTD) to receive dividend of the second round 2012 in cash at a rate of 10 percent. The final registration day is June 3. The payment date is June 17. * May 30 is the ex-dividend date of CNG Vietnam JSC (CNG) to receive dividend of the third round 2012 in cash at a rate of 15 percent. The final registration day is June 3. The payment ...

US summit will help reduce suspicion China media

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:23:17 -0400

Chinese state media on Wednesday welcomed news of the firstsummit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Barack Obama, saying the meeting will help "reduce suspicions" in the ...

Japan mulls resuming talks with N Korea

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:23:16 -0400

Japan is considering direct talks with North Korea, the government said Wednesday, adding momentum to the cause after a top level aide to the prime minister made a surprise trip to ...

Mobile services shut in Pakistan ahead of Chinese PMs visit

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:20:17 -0400

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Wednesday shut mobile services in Islamabad and the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi over security concerns on the arrival ...

China charges six in sex video extortion case

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:20:09 -0400

BEIJING: A court in the city of Chongqing has charged six people with working together to blackmail government officials by recording videos of them having sex, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. The six were charged with extortion on Monday, Xinhua said, citing a statement from judicial authorities in Chongqing, where they are slated to be tried. Investigators said the group ...

GSMA Puts The Connected City At The Heart Of Mobile Asia Expo 2013

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:14:36 -0400

LONDON, May 22,2013 /PRNewswire/ -- At Mobile Asia Expo 2013 in Shanghai, the GSMA will unveil a new Connected City experience, building on the success of the Connected City at this year's Mobile World Congress. Opening on the ...

Irans Ahmadinejad says will challenge allys ban from election

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:06:58 -0400

Iran's electoral watchdog on Tuesday disqualified Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, Ahmadinejad's former chief of staff, from running in the June 14 presidential vote. "In my opinion there will be no problem with the Leader and I will take up this issue until the last moment with him," Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday, according to the ISNA news agency. "I am hopeful the problem ...

Asia stares at another year of record bond issuance

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:52:35 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 2:52am EDT * Region on track for US$85bn in dollar bonds by end-May * Total 2013 volume may reach US$155bn * S&P sees Asian bond market outgrowing US by 2017 By Christopher Langner May 22 (IFR) - Dollar bond issuance from Asia, excluding Australia and Japan, is on track to end May over US$85bn, a record, after two weeks of US$6bn-plus in fixed income supply and amid forecasts of ...

Pakistani cricket star politician leaves hospital

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:27:32 -0400

Supporters of former Pakistani cricket star and chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) Imran Khan attend a sit-in-protest to condemn the killing of Zohra Shahid, a senior member of PTI in Karachi, Monday, May 20, 2013 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Police said gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed Shahid outside her home on Saturday. (AP Photo/B.K. ...

Asian stocks buoyed by Wall Street

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:21:38 -0400

Sydney - Asian stocks rose on Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street with Japan's Nikkei reaching a five-and-a-half-year high, while the yen took a defensive stance ahead of the outcome of the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) policy ...

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks supported by Fed reassurance BOJ stands pat

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:20:55 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 2:20am EDT * Some Asian stock markets buoyed by record highs on Wall St * Fed officials play down speculation of ending stimulus anytime soon * BOJ keeps policy unchanged as expected * JGB futures dip after BOJ, Nikkei stays firm By Masayuki Kitano and Vidya Ranganathan SINGAPORE, May 22 (Reuters) - Some Asian stock markets rose on Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall ...

Pakistan leader Imran Khan leaves hospital for home

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:13:44 -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 ...

IHT Rendezvous Tensions Flare in Asian Seas Now Involving Taiwan

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:03:36 -0400

Residents of Taichung in Taiwan, led by a Taiwanese lawmaker, Lu Shou-yen (center, in purple shirt,) chant slogans demanding an apology from the Philippine government for the death of a Taiwanese ...

Japan mulls talks with NKorea surprising allies

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:18:51 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's government is looking into re-opening official talks with North Korea to resolve questions over the abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago, raising concerns among allies who fear Tokyo's focus on that issue might weaken efforts to reign in Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ...

Indian Shares Rise On Asian Cues

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:18:06 -0400

Indian shares edged higher on Wednesday, tracking firm Asian cues amid expectations that the Fed would stick to its $85 billion monthly bond-buying program until next year to bolster the economic recovery.Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan concluded its two-day policy meet with Governor Haruhiko Kuroda pledging to conduct money market operations so that the monetary base will increase at an annual pace ...

The June 7-8 Obama-Xi Summit Likely Start Of A New Asian Order

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:11:14 -0400

US President Barack Obama (2nd R) and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (2nd L) speak alongside translators during meetings in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 14, 2012. The White House on Tuesday welcomed China's likely next leader Xi Jinping, with President Barack Obama looking to push Beijing on a range of concerns yet also work for smoother future relations. ...

State media shows NKorea has new military chief

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:56:55 -0400

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- A North Korean state media dispatch shows that leader Kim Jong Un has named a hardline general as his new military ...

Asia Markets Japan stocks hold gains after central-bank meet

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:53:18 -0400

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks stayed on course for a fresh multiyear high Wednesday after the country's central bank raised its economic outlook, even as it left other elements of its monetary policy ...

Cannes Apsara Distribution Gets Asia Rights to Harrison Fords Paranoia

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:51:59 -0400

Cannes: While Theft Continues to Plague Fest, Charity Event Hits the Carlton (Column) The company has a deal with Buena Vista International in selected territories Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam and Cambodia. Titles secured by Apsara ...

China arrests 13 over intertnet posts that sparked protests

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:37:18 -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 ...

North Korea sends leaders special envoy to China

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:35:51 -0400

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dispatched a high-profile official and close confidant to travel to China on Wednesday as a special envoy while Beijing is under pressure to rein in its belligerent ...

All 28 bodies recovered from Indonesian mine room

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:10:01 -0400

JAKARTA, Indonesia -; Rescuers have recovered all 28 bodies from a collapsed underground room inside the giant U.S.-owned gold and copper mine in Indonesia's province of ...

Japans central bank says economy picking up

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:09:58 -0400

TOKYO -; Japan's central bank says the world's third-biggest economy is "picking up" as demand recovers in other countries and remains resilient at ...

Vietnam to co-operate with Asia-Pacific countries in managing scarce water

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:57:29 -0400

Vietnam is willing to co-operate with countries and exchange experiences in managing water resources and coping with natural disasters.Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan said this at the plenary session of the second Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS) in Chiang Mai, Thailand, yesterday.Nhan said Viet Nam, like other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, was facing great challenges in water ...

Oil down in Asian trade

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:36:43 -0400

AP PHOTO SINGAPORE – Oil was down in Asia on Wednesday as traders waited for the release of the latest energy inventory report from the United States, analysts said. Weak demand and surging crude stockpiles in the world’s biggest economy have put downward pressure on prices and limited gains. New York’s main contract, West Texas Intermediate light sweet crude for delivery in ...

Asia stocks rise as Fed official backs easy policy

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:26:21 -0400

Regional Fed chief James Bullard said in a speech Tuesday that the Fed should continue its monthly $85 billion in bond purchases, which drives down interest rates and thus encourages lending and spending, to help spur the U.S. economic ...

EM ASIA FX-Taiwan dollar firm most others stable

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:39:59 -0400

May 22 (Reuters) - The following table shows the position of Asian currencies against the dollar at 0135 GMT. CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR Change on the day at 0135 GMT Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move Japan yen 102.55 102.48 -0.07 Sing dlr 1.2587 1.2597 +0.08 Taiwan dlr 29.794 29.942 +0.50 Korean won 1111.10 1110.60 -0.05 Baht 29.78 29.79 +0.03 Peso ...

World Briefing | Asia China New Bird Flu Virus Is Controlled Officials Say

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:37:19 -0400

The H7N9 virus appears under control in China largely through restrictions at bird markets, but it caused some $6.5 billion in losses, United Nations experts said Tuesday. The virus infected at least 130 people in China since March, with 36 deaths, but no cases have been detected since early May, ...

RPT-India leads Asian cuts in Iran oil imports ahead of waiver review

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:55:42 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 9:55pm EDT (Repeats earlier story with no change in text) * India cuts Iranian crude imports 17 pct Dec-April vs previous 6 months * China may reduce Iranian imports 5-10 percent in 2013 * U.S. due to review Asia's waiver extensions on Iran sanctions 3rd time By Nidhi Verma and Meeyoung Cho NEW DELHI/SEOUL, May 21 (Reuters) - India has slashed Iranian oil imports by almost a ...

Afghan interpreters to get British visas

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:49:52 -0400

About 600 Afghan interpreters who served with British forces fighting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan will be allowed to stay in Britain, the government has revealed.Prime Minister David Cameron initially opposed calls to allow interpreters and their families to settle in Britain but backed down following a campaign.He is now preparing to offer five-year visas to those who served on the front ...

Asia Roundup Mixed ahead of Fed chief’s testimony

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

Asian shares were mixed yesterday, Tuesday May 21 2013 after a dip on Wall Street, ahead of a testimony from the US Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke and a policy meeting of the Japanese central bank. Tokyo stocks rose 0.13 per cent or 20.21 points to 15,381.02, Sydney fell 0.56 per cent or 28.9 points to 5,180.1 and Seoul slipped 0.07 per cent or 1.34 points to 1,981.09. In Shanghai shares ...

Twisters keep returning but Oklahoma still short on shelters

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:32:03 -0400

By Mary Wisniewski and David Bailey Tue May 21, 2013 9:32pm EDT May 21 (Reuters) - The people of central Oklahoma know all too well the destructive power of a tornado, but when a big one rolled toward the town of Moore again on Monday, residents had few basements and storm shelters to run to when the alarm sounded, officials said. Two elementary schools that were hit by the EF-5 tornado - the ...

Asia-Pacific Warehouse Rents Among World’s Highest CBRE Says

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:30:22 -0400

Six Asia-Pacific cities were among the 10 most expensive for warehouse rents, driven by demand from logistics companies and retailers amid limited space availability, according to CBRE Group Inc. The greater Tokyo area had the highest average rent in the first quarter of 2013, at $20.70 per square foot per year, and the strongest quarterly growth at 5.7 percent, ...

US approves immigration bill raises H-1B visa cap to 110k

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:09:15 -0400

Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses. The 13-5 vote cleared the way for an epic showdown on the Senate floor on the measure, which is one of President Barack Obama's top domestic priorities yet also gives the Republican Party a chance to recast itself as more appealing to ...

Three former Ford executives charged in Argentine torture cases

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:27:03 -0400

Argentine union workers for kidnapping and torture after the country's 1976 military coup. All three men are now in their 80s. Their case is part of a new wave of prosecutions focusing on corporate support for the dictators who ran Argentina in 1976-1983, and the 150-page indictment written by Judge Alicia Vence reads like a history lesson, going to considerable lengths to explain why their ...

Asia Set to Resume Risk-On Mode

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:21:26 -0400

Confidence is set to return to Asia's stock markets on Thursday, bolstered by gains on Wall Street as fears ease over the prospect of the Federal Reserve paring down its economic stimulus program. Japan's benchmark index may approach its next barrier at 15,500 ...

FBI names Benghazi suspects but no arrests yet

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:01:41 -0400

diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year, and has enough evidence to justify seizing them by military force as suspected terrorists, officials say. But there isn't enough proof to try them in a US civilian court as the Obama administration prefers. The men remain at large while the FBI gathers evidence. But the investigation has been slowed by the reduced US intelligence presence in ...

Anti-Muslim sentiments on rise in UK British minister

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:01:29 -0400

Sayeeda Warsi told TOI in an exclusive interview that "UK is witnessing a rising level of anti-Muslim sentiments" with hate crimes increasing by the ...

PM Li Keqiang faces litmus test in Pakistan Chinas iron brother

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:01:21 -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 ...

Los Angeles ranked worst US city for dog attacks on mail carriers

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:01:11 -0400

LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles has earned the dubious distinction for the second year in a row as the US city with the most dog attacks on mail carriers, the US Postal Service said. California's biggest city accounted for 69 such attacks in fiscal 2012, which ended in September, compared with 42 attacks each in Seattle, Washington, and San Antonio, Texas, which tied for second place. Chicago ...

Delicate diplomacy Deadly spat between the Philippines and

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:16 -0400

A contentious territorial dispute between Taiwan and the Philippines is having nasty repercussions – and the US is caught in the middle. The trouble started earlier this month during a confrontation between the Philippine coast guard and a Taiwanese fishing boat in disputed waters. Although the circumstances are disputed, the incident culminated in the Philippines vessel opening fire, ...

Taiwan sees second jet crash within a week

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:13 -0400

A Mirage 2000 jet fighter crashed into the sea yesterday morning, but its two crewmembers managed to eject to safety and were rescued. It was the second air force jet fighter to be lost in less than a week after an F-16 crashed into the sea on Wednesday. Its pilot was also rescued. All of the air force’s F-16s were grounded after the incident. The air force said contact with the ...

Tensions rise between China N Korea over boat held hostage

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:10 -0400

A Chinese fishing boat was seized by armed North Koreans who are demanding a ransom of nearly $100,000 for the release of the ship and 16 Chinese crew members. The Chinese Communist Party’s Global Times newspaper suggested in Monday’s editions that the capture of the boat might have been in retaliation for Chinese support of UN sanctions on North Korea. The ship, known as Liaoning ...

A rare peek into a Justice Department leak probe

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:06 -0400

When the Justice Department began investigating possible leaks of classified information about North Korea in 2009, investigators did more than obtain telephone records of a working journalist suspected of receiving the secret material. They used security badge access records to track the reporter’s comings and goings from the State Department, according to a newly obtained court ...

Korea’s GS EC wins $1 billion refinery deal from Turkey

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:05 -0400

South Korea’s GS Engineering & Construction said on Tuesday it had received an order worth 1.16 trillion won ($1.04 billion) from Turkey to build a refinery plant. It said in a regulatory filing that Italian firm Saipem, Spanish oil engineering firm Tecnicas Reunidas and Japanese company Itochu were also part of the joint construction ...

Mother of China rape victim turns rights crusader

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:02 -0400

The kidnap, rape and forced prostitution of her daughter set Tang Hui on a mission to seek justice. But it was Chinese authorities’ repeated obstructions, even detaining her, that made her a die-hard activist. For seven years she has fought against the men who violated her child, and the system that blocked her, becoming a cause celebre in 2012 after her efforts landed her in a labour ...

China’s Li to pay tribute to heroic Indian doctor

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:59 -0400

China’s premier will pay his respects Tuesday to the family of an Indian doctor who died treating Chinese troops more than 70 years ago, becoming a rare symbol of friendship between the two nations. Li Keqiang, like Chinese leaders before him, will take time out of his busy India visit to meet relatives of Dwarkanath Kotnis, who provided emergency medical aid for four years during the ...

China Trade Surplus Seen by BofA at One-Tenth Customs Figure

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:55 -0400

China’s trade surplus is one-tenth the official $61 billion reported so far this year after accounting for fake transactions used to disguise hot-money inflows, Bank of America Corp. says. The true surplus is about $6 billion, according to Lu Ting, Bank of America’s head of Greater China economics in Hong Kong. That would be the smallest for January-April since the nation posted a ...

China insurer PICC PC plans $938 million rights offer

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:53 -0400

Chinese state-controlled insurer PICC Property and Casualty Co Ltd (PICC P&C) is raising 5.76 billion yuan ($938 million) to bolster capital, expecting strong growth and amid signs that profitability of Chinese insurers are coming under pressure. China’s property and casualty insurance market is expanding between 10-15 percent annually, making it the fastest growing in the world. That ...

In China Weighing Economic and Political Freedoms

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:50 -0400

As discussed in last week’s column, China’s leadership is said to be making plans to unveil reforms at the next meeting of all members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, likely to be held in October. Yet any policy changes may satisfy calls for deeper economic reforms but disappoint hopes for broader political reforms. Last week Reuters reported that President ...

China ‘cannot be free rider on trade’

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:47 -0400

China cannot be a ';free rider'; in global trade, the EU’s trade commissioner has warned. Karel De Gucht said that China had to take responsibility for the global trading system, just as the EU did. De Gucht’s comments come just days after the EU said it may investigate claims that Chinese telecom firms have been paid subsidies, allowing them to flood markets with cheap ...

Goldman sells final stake in China’s ICBC

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:45 -0400

Goldman Sachs is selling the rest of its Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) stake, worth around $1.1 billion, in a move to exit an investment it made into the bank seven years ago. Goldman is selling the shares of China’s largest commercial banking group in the range of HK$5.47 to HK$5.50 each ($0.70 to $0.71), a discount of 2.5 percent to 3.0 percent compared to ...

3 NYU Scientists Accepted Bribes From China US Says

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:44 -0400

It was, the chief federal prosecutor in Manhattan said on Monday, ';a case of inviting and paying for foxes in the henhouse.'; Three researchers at the New York University School of Medicine who specialised in magnetic resonance imaging technology had been working on research sponsored by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. But, prosecutors charged on Monday, the three ...

Japan Plans Low-Interest Loans for Rooftop Solar Nikkei Says

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:41 -0400

Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to provide low-interest loans to companies that borrow residential rooftop space for solar power generation, the Nikkei newspaper reported today. The ministry plans to make loans available through government financial institutions such as Development Bank of Japan Inc., the newspaper cited Trade minister Toshimitsu Motegi as saying. ...

Singapore exports to Europe dropped by 13.4pct

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:40 -0400

No thanks to lower pharmaceuticals shipments. According to Maybank Kim Eng, EU, South Korea and Malaysia were the major disappointments. Goods headed for the EU registered its fifth straight declines as it fell by -13.4 percent YoY (March 2013: -16.2 percent YoY) mainly on lower shipments of pharmaceuticals, IC’s and parts of PC’s. It reported that exports to South Korea (April ...

Caroline Herrera has designs on Singapore’s passion for fashion

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:39 -0400

Singapore recently played host to a showcase of fashion for one of the best known luxury brands in the world. Boasting the most millionaire households per capita in the world, designers are taking this once staid city far more seriously. And designer Carolina Herrera is also hoping to cash in on South East Asian interest in high fashion. She opened this year’s Audi Fashion Festival ...

Philippines Further Limits Access to Special Deposit Accounts

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:38 -0400

The Philippine central bank will further limit access to special deposit accounts, stepping up efforts to curb inflows and reduce costs of managing liquidity. Starting 2014, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will ban so-called investment management activities, a type of account in banks’ trust departments, from SDAs, according to a memorandum posted on its website today. The central bank will ...

Thailand’s $12b water management programme faces criticisms

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:34 -0400

Critics at the Second Asia Pacific Water Summit in Chiang Mai have taken aim at the Thai government’s $12 billion water management plan. Academics and policy makers said the flood programme was expensive and unsound. They said the plan does not factor in environmental or health impact assessments on flood prone areas, violating Thailand’s constitution. Thailand’s Science ...

Amnesty bill to reignite tensions in Thailand

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:32 -0400

Thailand’s deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, plans to introduce a contentious amnesty bill into parliament on Thursday that will stoke new political tensions three years after bloody street protests and a military crackdown exposed Thailand’s deep divisions. The so-called reconciliation bill would absolve all political offenders involved in protests since a 2006 coup and ...

In Thailand Anniversary of ‘Savage May’ Passes with Little Incident

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:31 -0400

Sunday marked the third anniversary of the culmination, with 89 deaths, of what has become known in Bangkok as ';savage May.'; Although an estimated 26,000 people assembled at a rally Sunday in Bangkok to mark the occasion, Thailand has calmed down from the long stint of political turmoil and violence. ';We all have little things that fill the Bangkok Post, but the country is ...

Indonesia lifts arrests of people smugglers – Sydney Morning Herald

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:27 -0400

Another people smuggler has been arrested by Indonesian police in the most concerted effort in years to catch and lock up those who transport refugees by boat to Australia. Alleged Iranian smuggling kingpin Mohammad Hadi, also known as Sayed Ali, was arrested with two accomplices at 2am on Monday in an apartment building in West Jakarta. His operation was exposed by a tip-off two weeks ...

Death Toll Mounts From Indonesia Mine Accident

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:26 -0400

The confirmed death toll from an underground mining accident at a big mine run by PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua has risen to 17 people, with authorities saying the tally likely will rise to 28 in the coming days, making this one of the country’s worst mining disasters. Nine more bodies were pulled from the collapsed training site 500 meters below the surface at Freeport’s remote ...

Indonesia’s Basri Sees Fuel Subsidies Infrastructure as Key

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:25 -0400

Indonesia’s new Finance minister Chatib Basri said cutting fuel subsidies and building more infrastructure will be his two main priorities. Reducing subsidies will strengthen the rupiah, Asia’s worst performer in the past 12 months excluding the yen, Basri said in a Bloomberg TV interview today with Rishaad Salamat. The land acquisition law, signed by President Susilo Bambang ...

UBS predicts Malaysia’s 2013 GDP at below 5pct – The Star Online

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:26:19 -0400

Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) is unlikely to surpass 5 percent in 2013, given the weaker 4.1 percent growth achieved in the first quarter of the year, according to UBS Investment Bank. ';GDP grew 4.1 percent in the first quarter. You need a pretty strong bounce-back to reach 5 percent in 2013,'; said UBS senior Asean economist Edward Teather via a tele-conference call ...

US looking to end Myanmar sanctions after landmark visit

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:21:45 -0400

A key US senator on Tuesday backed an end to US sanctions on Myanmar after a landmark visit by the country's reformist leader, signalling a new normalisation in relations despite rights ...

Global factors are strong drivers of Asia hotels revenues.

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:19:39 -0400

A study of global and local factors that drive changes in hotels' revenue per available room (RevPAR) in eight major Asian cities found that the revenues for the hotels in these cities are strongly subject to global forces. "When we initially interviewed the hotel managers, they listed many local events and factors as potential drivers of their revenue, and they were not focused on ...

Horses flying... it was like movie Twister

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:18:50 -0400

tornado that hit Oklahoma by taking refuge in a horse stall, said the storm was just like the Hollywood movie "Twister" as he saw "horses and stuff flying around everywhere". Lando Hite was on a family farm when the massive tornado hit Moore area, when he noticed the wind pick up and walked outside to see debris flying. Hite was shirtless and muddy all over as he described ...

Macau hosts Asia’s largest gaming expo

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:13 -0400

Gambling machines are displayed at the Global Gaming Expo Asia, a three-day fair of gambling innovations at the glitzy Venetian hotel in Macau on May 21, 2013. The largest gaming event in Asia, showcasing the industry’s latest products, services and technologies, is taking place amid a decline in growth rates in the former Portugese colony’s gaming industry as China’s economic ...

Search nearly complete after Oklahoma tornado

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:25:01 -0400

Justin Stehan salvages photographs from his tornado-ravaged home Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Moore, Okla. A huge tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburb Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods and destroying an elementary school with a direct blow as children and teachers huddled against winds. (AP Photo/Charlie ...

Former President Rafsanjani Ahmadinejad ally barred from Iran election

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:39:54 -0400

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani , a relative moderate, from running in the June 14 election, along with a protege of the current president, leaving mainly hardliners left to contest the vote. Rafsanjani and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, a close aide to current ...

Gay marriage bill clears British House of Commons

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:13:13 -0400

LONDON (AP) — Britain's House of Commons has passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in England and Wales.The legislation, backed by Prime Minister David Cameron, passed by a vote of 366 to 161 on Tuesday.The bill will now move to the House of Lords, whose approval is also required. Members there are expected to hold their first debate in July.If approved, the law is expected to ...

Polar Air Cargo to Upgrade Intra-Asia Trans-Pacific Services

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:03:23 -0400

Boeing 767-300 freighter will operate between Tokyo; Sydney; and Incheon, South Korea, while a second 767-300 will operate between Taipei, Taiwan; Nagoya, Japan; and Incheon. With other previously announced routes, this will allow connections to and from the U.S.Polar will also add two weekly flights between Hong Kong and Cincinnati."We are continuing to enhance our network to ensure that we ...

US Congress grills former IRS chief over tax scandal

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:54:24 -0400

WASHINGTON: The political appointee who headed the IRS during the US tax agency's abusive treatment of conservative groups insisted on Tuesday that he was not involved in the scandal. US senators grilled retired IRS ...

Members of Congress want to prevent reduction in US missile defence in East Asia

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:06 -0400

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers are seeking to prohibit the U.S. from removing missile defence equipment from East Asia, even if the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea is eliminated. The legislative proposal is a response to remarks last month by Secretary of State John Kerry that the U.S. could reduce its heightened defence posture in the region if North Korea abandoned its nuclear weapons. ...

Bangladesh’s other workplace catastrophes

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:31:09 -0400

collapse of the Rana Plaza building on more than 1,000 workers, which made it the deadliest ever catastrophe in the history of the garment industry. Last November, a garment factory fire killed more than 100 people. So the tannery worker’s assessment sounds like a sick joke. But the truth is it was a realistic assessment of the deplorable health and safety conditions in Bangladesh. Indeed, ...

Obama against prosecuting reporters for doing their jobs White House

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:28:21 -0400

President Obama believes in the need for balance between national security concerns and the ability of reporters to work freely, White House has ...

Deal on Osama bin Laden evidence made in WikiLeaks case

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:28:20 -0400

Bradley Manning . It involves evidence that the slain al-Qaida leader saw some of the classified information that Manning has admitted he caused to be published on the WikiLeaks website. If the judge approves the deal and allows the evidence at Manning's trial starting on June 3, a member of ...

Search for US tornado survivors nearing end death toll lowered to 24

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:28:20 -0400

Oklahoma City suburb where massive tornado flattened homes and demolished an elementary school. Authorities lowered the death toll to 24, down from 51. Fire Chief Gary Bird said that he's "98 percent sure" there are no more survivors or bodies to recover under the rubble in Moore. He said every damaged home had been searched at least once and that he's hopeful the work could ...

Burberry reports sales growth on strength of Asian market

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:59:58 -0400

A customer walks in front of a Burberry store in central London in 2008. Burberry is reporting 8 per cent sales growth in 2013, driven by the Asian ...

Greenback gains ground in Asia trade

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:45:41 -0400

TOKYO--The dollar turned higher against the yen in Asia on Tuesday as investors waited for testimony by the U.S. central bank chief and the outcome of a policy meeting of the Japanese central ...

Asian Champions League Al Shababs priorities are all in order

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:46:24 -0400

Adel Abdulla, front, and his Al Shabab teammates dropped their Asian Champions League first leg match at home to Esteghlal 4-2, making the second leg at Tehran, Iran all the more difficult for the UAE ...

Report Asian Workers Around the World Remit $ 260 Billion to Their Home-Countries

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:39:37 -0400

(MENAFN - Saudi Press Agency) The United Nations Organization and the World Bank said in a report issued today that the remittances of 60 Asian countries' laborers working abroad amounted to about 260 billion last year, equivalent to 63% of total remittances in the world amounting to 410 billion. The report noted that about 70 million Asian families benefited from these money ...

Philippines approves three new wind farms

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:39:09 -0400

(MENAFN - Arab News) The Philippines has approved three wind farm projects that will generate 208 megawatts, enough to power more than 40,000 middle-class homes, an energy official said. The wind projects will be the first to benefit from an incentive scheme which aims to ensure half the country's energy comes from renewable sources by 2030, compared with about 39 percent currently, the ...

China agrees to impose carbon targets by 2016

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:35:38 -0400

The battle against global warming has received a transformational boost after China, the world's biggest producer of carbon dioxide, proposed to set a cap on its greenhouse gas emissions for the first ...

UK government plans to boost British fund industry

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:27:36 -0400

LONDON: Britain has launched a campaign to attract more investment fund money to the country, with plans for tax breaks, cutting red tape and marketing campaigns in Asia and the Americas. In speeches to fund management executives on Tuesday afternoon, Treasury ministers Sajid Javid and Greg Clark said they aim to reverse a weakening of the UK's dominance as a centre for the funds industry. ...

Oklahoma tornado Many children among 91 feared dead

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:15 -0400

Todd Lamb told CNN. There was an outpouring of grief on the school's Facebook page, with messages from around the country including one pleading simply: "Please find those little children." Another elementary school, homes and a hospital were among the buildings leveled, leaving residents of the town of about 50,000 people stunned at the devastation and loss of life. The Oklahoma ...

US lawmakers seek Asia missile defense safeguard

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:58:32 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lawmakers are seeking to prohibit the U.S. from removing missile defense equipment from East Asia, even if the threat posed by a nuclear-armed North Korea is ...

Buriram FC Seoul into Asian quarter-finals

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:48 -0400

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Thai qualifiers Buriram United held off Uzbek giants Bunyodkor to reach the AFC Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday as FC Seoul beat nine-man Beijing Guoan 3-1.Buriram weathered waves of attack in Tashkent for a 0-0 draw and 2-1 aggregate win over two legs, extending the unfancied club's fairytale run which started with their qualifying victory over Brisbane Roar in ...

After relegation from Asian Five Nations what lies ahead for UAE rugby

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:46 -0400

The UAE drives up the pitch during the first half of their 24-8 loss to the Philippines last weekend. The UAE finished without a win in the Asian Five Nations. Mike Young for The ...

India offers more aid for rebuilding Afghanistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:57 -0400

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, right, listens to Afghan President Hamid Karzai during a meeting at the Indian Presidential Palace in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Karzai is meeting with Indian leaders and is expected to seek increased military aid from India. India has invested more than $2 billion in Afghan infrastructure, including highways and hospitals and rural electricity ...

Kyrgyzstan bent on evicting US air base in 2014

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:53 -0400

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan -; Kyrgyzstan's president has reaffirmed that next year the Central Asian nation will evict the U.S. air base that supports military operations in nearby ...

Vatican denies video footage shows pope exorcism

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:06 -0400

In this image made from video provided by APTN, Pope Francis lays his hands on the head of a young man on Sunday, May 19, 2013, after celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Square. The young man heaved deeply a half-dozen times, convulsed and shook, and then slumped in his wheelchair as Francis prayed over him. The television station of the Italian bishops' conference said it had surveyed ...

Voice on how to handle differences among Asian nations and fulfill the dream of the Asian Century

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:25 -0400

"'Asian divergences' may become an obstacle to realizing the 'Asian Century.'"Jia Xiudong, a researcher with the China Institute of International Studies,on how to handle differences among Asian nations and fulfill the dream of the "Asian Century," quoted by the People's Daily Overseas Edition on ...

Singapore Asia’s Politically Incorrect Success Story

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:17 -0400

A city-state located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula with a population of 5.2 million, Singapore is arguably the most successful among the four "Asian Tigers" — a group that also includes Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. When this former British colony became a fully independent country in 1965, its per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was a lowly $511. Today, that figure ...

BlackRock acquires MGPA boosts Asia-Pacific and European operations

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:12:50 -0400

/enpproperty--> BlackRock Inc announced on Tuesday that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MGPA, a private equity real estate investment advisory company in Asia-Pacific and Europe, significantly extending its real estate investment capabilities in these regions. MGPA owns a retail mall in Chengdu and a grade A office building in Shanghai, while in Hong Kong it has a ...

Sadorra posts 3rd win shares Asian lead

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:08:44 -0400

STREAKING Filipino Grandmaster Julio Catalino Sadorra trounced Chinese International Master Wang Chen Monday night to share the top with Qatari GM Mohammed Al-Sayed in the $100,000 Manny Pacquiao Cup Asian Continental Chess Championships at Midas Hotel in Pasay City. Showing proficiency with black, the United States-based Sadorra won in 30 moves of a French Defense (King's Indian Attack ...

EU set to brand Lebanons Hezbollah as terrorists

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:03:24 -0400

View Photo AFP/AFP/File - Hezbollah militants ride on a vehicle carrying a Fajr 5 missile during the annual parade in the southern Lebanese town of Nabatiyeh, on November 28, 2012, to mark the 13th day of Muharram ...

Asia Digital Camera Industry Examined by Ken Research in Insightful Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:02:08 -0400

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asia is the fastest growing regional digital camera market, with its growth spurred mainly by low penetration of digital cameras and the large number of the first time buyers in China and India. The regional market development is driven by the price-sensitive consumers with middle income. However, enhancing consumer interest in interchangeable lens cameras is ...

Chinese escape Karachi bomb ahead of Premier Lis arrival in Pakistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:40 -0400

1 of 3. Security officials collects the evidence at the site of a bomb blast in Karachi May 21, 2013. A roadside bomb exploded near the seafront in Karachi on Tuesday likely targeting a van full of Chinese port workers, police said, a day before Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in the capital, ...

Clock is running out for some key Asian reformers

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:54:15 -0400

A sit-in by visa violators and their families entered its second day Tuesday in front of the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau with protesters seeking government good will. The action at the bureau in Minato Ward is being organized by the Asian People’s Friendship Society, ...

Massive power failure strikes southern Thailand affecting popular resorts

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:53:05 -0400

BANGKOK - A massive power failure has affected more than 8 million people in Thailand's 14 southern provinces, including popular tourist areas such as Koh Samui and Phuket, in one of the country's biggest blackouts in recent memory. Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand official Thatri Rewcharoen says the blackout was triggered Tuesday evening by the failure of the main high ...

The Real Costs of CIA Cash

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:44:38 -0400

reported recently that the CIA routinely provides cash payments to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, totaling in the tens of millions of dollars, many were surprised. I wasn't among them. The Karzai scandal cycle has developed a certain amount of redundancy: his odd outbursts, his family's endless corruption, the vacillating positions on peace negotiations and about faces on the Taliban ...

Female Saudi Everest climber happy to change views

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:33 -0400

Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi Arabian woman to scale the world's highest peak Mount Everest, talks to the media at Yak and Yeti Hotel in Katmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. According to mountaineering officials, Moharrak was among 64 climbers who successfully scaled Mount Everest from Nepal's side of the mountain. May is the most popular month for Everest climbs because of more ...

Afghanistan Deadly 24 hours leave 14 police dead

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:31 -0400

KABUL, Afghanistan -; A coordinated Taliban assault on checkpoints in southern Afghanistan killed four police before a counterattack drove the insurgents back, Afghan officials said Tuesday. Also, at least 10 other police died in two attacks in the country's ...

Karzai expected to seek Indian military aid

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:28 -0400

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, is greeted by his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee after he received an honorary degree at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India, Monday, May 20, 2013. Karzai will seek increased military aid from India during a three-day visit starting Monday and will discuss recent cross-border clashes with Pakistan, India's archrival, an aide said. ...

Senators agree to expansion of high-tech visas

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:25 -0400

WASHINGTON -; Officials say leading senators trying to resolve a key issue on immigration legislation have agreed to a compromise covering expansion of a high-tech visa ...

Experts Japan nuke plant needs more fault data

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:23 -0400

TOKYO -; Experts commissioned by the operator of a Japanese nuclear plant that faces possible closure because of a suspected active seismic fault say a decision should wait, citing insufficient ...

Colombia Opening Gates to Asia Pacific Summit

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:11:33 -0400

Bogota, May 21 (Prensa Latina) The Summit of the member countries of the Asia Pacific Alliance, whose opening will be on Thursday, have an anteroom today in the southern city of Cali, with the meeting of the High Level Group comprising ministers Trade and Foreign Affairs. The ministers, who have been working for several months in the agreements to be sealed on the 23rd, developed technical ...

Hundreds seek compensation in Japan nuclear crisis

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:07:51 -0400

Koji Otani, a lawyer representing hundreds of residents and evacuees from just outside Fukushima, points at the Hippo district of Miyagi prefecture as he speaks during a press conference in Tokyo, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The residents said Tuesday they have been unfairly denied full compensation despite high radiation levels in their area caused by Japans 2011 nuclear disaster. Nearly 700 ...

Closed-End Funds Offer Emerging Asia at a Discount

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:53:27 -0400

TheStreet ) -- Global stock markets continue to push ahead to new all-time highs in many of the most commonly traded indices. In Asia specifically, stock market rallies have come largely as a result of policy actions like ...

Saudi debates access to stadiums for women

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:31:00 -0400

Football Federation chief Ahmed Eid. Eid raised the possibility of allocating 15 per cent of the capacity of a stadium being built in a sports complex in the western city of Jeddah to family booths where women could attend football matches. The stadium is due to be completed in 2014. His remarks have triggered a wide debate, mostly opposing the idea, in Saudi media forcing Eid to clarify that ...

Carriers Maintain Asia-Med Capacity Despite Euro Crisis

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:55:29 -0400

Ocean carriers are paying a heavy price for failing to rein in capacity on the Asia-Mediterranean route despite the deepening economic crisis across southern Europe, according to shipping consultant Drewry.Traffic is stalling, freight rates have tumbled more than 40 percent since the beginning of the year and ships are sailing half full on the eastbound leg to the Far East."Unsustainable ...

Asia Society Appoints Josette Sheeran As New President

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:38:34 -0400

- Sheeran to Bring World Leadership and Diplomatic Experience To Broaden Asia Society's Global Initiatives NEW YORK, May 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Asia Society announced the appointment of Josette Sheeran, the Vice Chair of The World Economic Forum, as the seventh President and CEO of the institution. Ms. Sheeran will assume the office on June 10. "Josette Sheeran is a proven ...

BlackRock to Buy Real Estate Firm MGPA for Asia Expansion

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:38:33 -0400

MGPA for an undisclosed amount to expand real-estate business in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. MGPA manages about $12 billion, focusing on real estate funds management, co-investments and separate-account mandates for institutional investors, BlackRock said today in a statement. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter and won't materially affect ...

Hong Kong hails return of the duck

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:37:13 -0400

Rubber Duck by Dutch conceptual artist Florentijn Hofman floats near Ocean Terminal at Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour May 2, 2013. The 16.5-meter-high inflatable sculpture, which made its first public appearance in the territory on Thursday, will be shown at the Ocean Terminal for a ...

Keyboardist Ray Manzarek of Doors dies at age 74Ray Manzarek a founding member and keyboardist of 1960s rock group The Doors died on Monday at a medical clinic in Germany at age 74 following a battle with cancer the groups manager Tom Vitorino sa

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:15:53 -0400

rock group The Doors, died on Monday at a medical clinic in Germany at age 74 following a battle with cancer, the group's manager Tom Vitorino said. Manzarek, who lived in Northern California's Napa Valley wine country for the past decade, had been seeking treatment in Germany for bile duct cancer, Vitorino said. He died in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his wife and brothers. ...

London Mayor Boris Johnson fathered lovechild in 2009

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:15:49 -0400

Boris Johnson who is presently married to an Indian, is in the midst of a saucy scandal. It has now been revealed that Johnson fathered a lovechild in 2009. His identity as the father of the child had been kept secret from the public until now as per the wishes of the child's mother and art critic Helen Macintyre. But in a blow to Johnson, the appeal court on Tuesday ruled that the public ...