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Kashmiris in London protest against the killing of their leader in Pakistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:50:02 -0400

Protesters from the Kashmir National Party (KNP) demonstrated in front of the Pakistan High Commission in London against the recent killing of their leader Arif Shahid in Pakistan. "It was a targeted killing and the purpose was to get rid of Arif Shahid because of the struggle he was pursuing. He was a thorough nationalist and many people admire his struggle. He becomes a martyr in the freedom ...

Did witty Li score brownie points over India

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:00:02 -0400

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Ex-PCB chairman Tauqir demands imposition of ad-hoc on board

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:03 -0400

Former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Lieutenant General (retired) Tauqir Zia, along a few former and current players and administrators, have serious reservations on the mechanism adopted by the PCB, and is demanding the imposition of ad-hoc on the board. The Daily Times quoted Tauqir as saying that ad-hoc for at least three months is the need of the hour to fix issues. Tauqir, ...

Talks with Taliban only option for Pakistan Nawaz Sharif

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:50:03 -0400

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif, has told newly elected lawmakers that Pakistan has no other option apart from negotiating with the Taliban in the interest of peace. The Express Tribune quoted Nawaz, as saying that the Taliban invitation for dialogue should be taken seriously. Nawaz said the bullet is not a solution, adding they want to use each and every option available ...

Nawaz Sharif promises positive change in Pakistan within 100 days

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:10:02 -0400

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has vowed his government would continue its work for the betterment of the people and would bring about positive change in the first 100 days of his government. The Daily Times quoted Nawaz, as saying that the PML-N was all set to rid the country of all sorts of problems and crises, including energy shortage and terrorism, despite meagre ...

Tamil Nadu wants Sri Lanka to return Katchatheevu

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:10:02 -0400

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has reiterated that Katchatheevu, the fishing islet has to be retrieved back by India in an endeavour to provide a permanent solution to the problem of Indian fishermen. In a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today, Jayalalithaa has recalled the various instances in which fishermen were harassed for fishing near Katchatheevu, which is often ...

Pakistanis defeated misguided minority in general elections says Kayani

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:40:04 -0400

Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said that the people of Pakistan have defied and defeated unfounded dictates of an insignificant and misguided minority in the general elections. The Daily Times quoted Kayani, as saying that in the recently conducted general elections, the nation has amply demonstrated that it can withstand any challenge. Kayani said that as a nation, their ...

Zardari holds national international conspiracies responsible for PPPs defeat in polls

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:40:02 -0400

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has claimed that "conspiracies" hatched by national and international institutions led to the Pakistan Peoples Party's defeat in the general elections. The News quoted Zardari, as saying that the PPP could have won 40-45 seats in the Punjab. He added that his party would play the role of opposition with full vigour. Zardari said he could not take part in ...

Banned Pak cricketer Mohd Asif yet to give consent to PCBs anti-corruption rehab program

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:30:02 -0400

Pakistan's banned fast-bowler, Mohammad Asif, is yet to give his consent with regards to taking part in the anti-corruption rehabilitation program of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Following the Court of Arbitration's (CAS) decision to reject appeals of Asif and Salman Butt against their bans, the International Cricket Council (ICC) urged them to take part in a rehabilitation process, and ...

British govt. contacted Imran Khan regarding security concerns

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:50:03 -0400

The British government has contacted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan with regards to his concerns for the safety of party workers in Karachi, his sister has said. Khan's sister, Aleema, said that her brother was concerned about the safety of the PTI supporters protesting in Karachi, since supporters and leaders were receiving threats, reports The Express Tribune. She further ...

Musharraf granted bail in Benazir Bhutto murder case

Tue, 21 May 2013 01:50:01 -0400

Former Pakistan military chief and president Pervez Musharraf has been granted bail in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. The court ordered Musharraf to submit two surety bonds of Rs 1 million each, reports The Express Tribune. Musharraf's lawyers argued that this was a political case and the responsibility of Benazir's security lay with the officers on duty, not Musharraf. Former premier Benazir ...

UN praises Bangladeshs preparedness response to tropical storm Mahasen

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:15:27 -0400

20 May 2013 150 The United Nations has commended the work carried out by the Bangladeshi Government ahead of tropical storm Mahasen, which hit the country last Thursday, noting it saved thousands of lives. "While tropical storm Mahasen reached the coastline of Bangladesh on Thursday weaker than anticipated, the preparedness work undertaken by the Government and humanitarian partners saved ...

Burmese Presidents White House Visit a Reward for Reforms

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:11 -0400

Burmese President Thein Sein is visiting the White House, becoming the first leader of his nation to do so in nearly half a century. It marks the latest U.S. effort to reward him for introducing reforms after decades of military rule. The White House meeting with President Barack Obama also represents a rapid diplomatic boost for Thein Sein, whom the United States removed from a blacklist of ...

Teen Dies of Cancer After Touching Millions With Song

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:07 -0400

Zach Sobiech, an 18-year-old whose battle with cancer became a global story, has died. The Minnesota native became famous when his song "Clouds,rdquo; which is about facing death, became a viral sensation on YouTube, topping 3 million views. The song was originally released in December of last year. The video was so popular that a group of celebrities were inspired to create a video ...

Past Differences Hamper US-Russian Efforts to Help Syria

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:06 -0400

Public diplomacy experts say a difference in perceptions dating back to the Cold War era could hamper U.S. and Russian efforts to deal with the ongoing civil war in Syria. Heritage Foundation senior fellow Helle Dale said there is a "love-hate" relationship between the United States and Russia that is "quite complicated." On VOA's Encounter program, Dale said she agrees with an ...

Obama Praises Burma Reforms Calls For End to Attacks on Muslims

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:04 -0400

U.S. President Barack Obama praised Burma's president on Monday for his leadership in pushing through political reforms, while warning that ethnic and communal violence targeting minority Muslims in Burma must stop. Mr. Obama spoke Monday at the White House, alongside Burmese President Thien Sein, the former general who in 2011 became president after Burma's first democratic polls in more than ...

Sharif Calls for Peace Talks With Pakistani Taliban

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

ISLAMABAD Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif, who is set to become prime minister for a third time after his party won recent parliamentary elections, on Monday called for peace talks with domestic Taliban extremists, saying "this is the best optionrdquo; to fight militancy. Addressing newly elected federal and provincial lawmakers of his Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party in Lahore, Sharif ...

President Obama To Visit Senegal South Africa Tanzania

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

The White House says U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Africa this summer, visiting three countries. In a statement Monday, the White House says President Obama along with his wife, Michelle, will travel to Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania in late June and early July. The administration says Obama will meet with government officials as well as leaders from business, civil ...

Kevin OBrien says no specific plans against Pak spinner Saeed Ajmal

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:00:04 -0400

Irish all-rounder Kevin O'Brien, whose team will face Pakistan in the upcoming two ODI series at home, has said that Saeed Ajmal is a "tricky customer" as well as "one of the best spinners in the world", but have admitted that they have no specific plans on how to tackle Ajmal in the upcoming matches. The 29 year-old, who was also part of the side that knocked Pakistan out of the 2007 World Cup ...

Iran Bars Election Candidacies of Rafsanjani Ahmadinejad Aide

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:17 -0400

Iran says a conservative body has barred two prominent figures from competing in next month's presidential election - moderate former president Hashemi Rafsanjani and a leading conservative allied to current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Iranian interior ministry said Tuesday the Guardian Council of clerics and jurists excluded the two politicians from a final list of eight ...

Iconic Clubs Team Up to Grow US Soccer League

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:17 -0400

Major League Baseball's New York Yankees and English Premier League football club Manchester City are joining together to enter an expansion team in U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS). The new team will be named New York City Football Club and expects to begin play in 2015 as MLS's 20th franchise. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said "this is a transformational development that will ...

Kerry Visits Oman Seeking Syria Peace Consensus

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:17 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has held talks in Oman on his latest stop in a campaign to help arrange an internationally-sponsored Syrian peace ...

UN Works to Contain Disease Epidemics in Two African Countries

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:16 -0400

A child from the Central African Republic receives a measles vaccine in a refugee camp set up by the UNHCR in Nangungue, eastern Cameroon, April 12, ...

Liberace Film Spotlights Gay Rights at Cannes

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:16 -0400

CANNES -- The relationship between the flamboyant pianist Liberace and his young lover dazzled at the Cannes film festival on Tuesday and threw the spotlight on gay rights at the movie industry's largest annual gathering. Director Steven Soderbergh said he struggled five years ago to secure funding for "Behind the Candelabra" because some financiers thought the film would only ...

Oklahoma Tornado Victims Share Stories of Survival

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:15 -0400

The deadly tornado that ripped through the midwestern state of Oklahoma on Monday left entire neighborhoods flattened, homes, businesses and schools destroyed. As emergency workers sift through the wreckage Tuesday, survivors are sharing their experiences. Among the countless buildings struck by the three-kilometer-wide tornado were two elementary schools - hit just as students were about to ...

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 ...

Pakistans new leader offers talks to Taliban

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:40:09 -0400

By Wajahat S. Khan, Producer, NBC News ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's prime minister designate Nawaz Sharif told a packed hall of his party stalwarts that talks with the Taliban -- who have been fighting the state for almost a decade -- are not off the table."All options should be tried, and guns and bullets are not a solution to all problems … Why shouldn't we sit and talk and ...

Indonesia- 2013 inflation may rise to 7 if fuel prices go up

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:39:45 -0400

(MENAFN) Indonesian finance minister, Muhamad Chatib Basri, announced that if local fuel prices rise, then the country's 2013 inflation level might grow to 7 percent, reported Reuters.Earlier this month, the Indonesian president stated that the government may raise fuel prices if only the parliament endorsed a financing program to protect the poor from the inflationary impact of high fuel ...

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-trained medical doctors doing fine in Nepal

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:37:09 -0400

Bhavuk Sharma Bajagain, 30, a medical doctor by profession, is often busy with his patients in the emergency ward of Kathmandu Model Hospital, one of the more reputable hospitals .In the morning, Bajagain also teaches and shares his medical experience with students in two different local medical institutions."I am very happy and satisfied when I see my patients relieved of pain after ...

Myanmar jails 7 Muslims for attacks on Buddhist monk

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:33:49 -0400

Burmese protest against intercommunal violence in their country outside the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington on May 20, 2013 before Myanmar President Thein Sein addresses the chamber. Earlier, Thein Sein urged an end to intercommunal violence and discrimination after hearing a call from US President Barack Obama to put a stop to anti-Muslim attacks. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM (Photo credit ...

US lawmakers meet Myanmar leader urge release of 250 political prisoners

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:12:31 -0400

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers are asking Myanmar President Thein Sein to free nearly 250 political prisoners. Thein Sein met Tuesday with members of the Senate and House, a day after he became the first Myanmar leader to visit the White House in five decades. As Myanmar has shifted from military rule in the past two years, it has freed hundreds of political detainees but others are still held. House ...

Li Keqiang hails Pakistan as Chinas iron brother

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:09:13 -0400

Candid’ is not a good word in the understated lexicon of diplomatese. Manmohan Singh and Li Keqiang seem to have had a lot of candid ...

China to face Indonesia again in badminton quarters

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:52 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Luck was not on Indonesia's side on Tuesday as hours after suffering a crushing 5-0 defeat to China, they were drawn to meet the eight-time Sudirman Cup champions again, this time in the quarter-finals.Germany, who stunned hosts Malaysia 3-2, were matched against South Korea, while Taiwan will meet Denmark, and Thailand will face Japan in the other quarter-finals on ...

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 ...

Freeport tunnel victims all evacuated

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:27:56 -0400

Thirty-eight workers buried in a collapsed tunnel at the Big Gossan underground training facility at the PT Freeport Indonesia mine have been all evacuated.A statement released by Freeport said that eight bodies were removed from the collapsed tunnel on the last day of rescue efforts on Tuesday.They were identified as Daniel Tedy Eramuri, David Gobay, Febry Tandungan, Ferry Edison Pangaribuan, ...

Lawmakers hand Myanmar leader prisoner list

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:59 -0400

Thein Sein met Tuesday with members of the Senate and House on Capitol Hill, a day after he became the first Myanmar leader to visit the White House in five ...

India leads Asian cuts in imports of Iranian oil ahead of waiver review

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:25:10 -0400

India has cut Iranian oil imports by almost one-fifth since December, the sharpest cut among Asian buyers, in a move that should increase its chances of winning a new US waiver next month on sanctions targeting oil trade with Iran.Sanctions imposed by the US and Europe to force a halt to a controversial nuclear program that Tehran says is for peaceful purposes saw Iran's oil exports more ...

Mine Collapse Kills 21 in Indonesia

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:24:31 -0400

Jakarta, May 21 (Prensa Latina) Authorities confirmed today that 21 miners were found dead after a mine collapse at the gold and copper deposit being exploited by the U.S. Freeport consortium in the Indonesian province of Papua. The Asian nation's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono asked Freeport and government agencies to thoroughly investigate the collapse that affected an underground ...

Fresh battle bubbling over whether to cut policy rate

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:54 -0400

A new battle is brewing between the government and the Bank of Thailand, with one camp pushing for an interest-rate cut to help the export sector and the other doubting the case for such a move. The government and the National Economic and Social Development Board are apparently upset ...

High-risk job with limited prospects

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:53 -0400

New man on the job expected to handle tough questions gently, tactfully After just two years in office, the Yingluck government has already changed its government spokesperson four times. Why? Well, perhaps it's not surprising, with politics heating up, the country's prevailing political conflicts and national division, the spokesperson's post has been a bit like a hot potato. ...

Bangkok set for 2014 Formula E Grand Prix

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:52 -0400

Bangkok was yesterday chosen to host a race in the inaugural season of the FIA Formula E Championship for electric cars next year. The announcement came during a special unveiling for the first time in Asia of the fully-electric-powered Formula E car, witnessed by Alejandro Agag, CEO of Championship promoter Formula E Holdings (FEH), advisor to the Minister of Energy Pol Maj-General Lattasanya ...

Health groups plan protest at PMs house

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:52 -0400

Rural doctors, kidney patients seeking dialysis want minister Pradit dumped The Rural Doctors Society and its allies will protest in front of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's residence from June 6 onward to press for the dismissal of Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong. They have accused Pradit of many wrongdoings, including an attempt to undermine the Government Pharmaceutical ...

Philippines says to finish probe on shooting Taiwan fishermen soon

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:20:54 -0400

The Philippine National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) is close to finishing its investigations on a Taiwan fisherman shot dead by Philippine coast guards, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said Tuesday.Except for the physical examination of the fishing vessel, the NBI has already completed its probe on the case, said Aquino in a chance interview after the 115th anniversary celebration of ...

Obama hails Myanmar leader warns on Muslims

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:17 -0400

US President Barack Obama on Monday threw his support behind Myanmar President Thein Sein in his drive to reform a former pariah state but warned that a wave of violence against Muslims must stop.As his guest became the first leader of his country in almost 50 years to visit the White House, Obama praised Myanmar's journey away from brutal junta rule and promised Washington would offer more ...

Court Seeks to Bar Factory Owner from Leaving Bangladesh

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

The High Court in Bangladesh’s capital has asked authorities to prevent the owner of a garment factory where 112 people died in a fire last year from leaving the country, a lawyer said. The High Court made the request in response to a petition seeking the arrest of Delwar Hossain, the owner of Tazreen Fashions Ltd. It also asked authorities to bring Hossain before the court on May 30. No ...

The HangOver Campaign - more on Indian hackers targeting Pakistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:04 -0400

Indian malware campaign targeting Pakistan uncovered A leading anti-malware company has uncovered a wide-ranging malware campaign that appears to originate in India and seems primarily to target Pakistan with data-stealing ...

Double Olympic champion to attend Taekwondo Youth Camp in Thailand

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:18:04 -0400

Frank Kugler won four Olympics medals in freestyle wrestling, weightlifting and tug of war at St Louis in 1904, making him the only competitor to win a medal in three different sports at the same Games. He claimed a silver medal in the heavyweight category in wrestling, bronze in the two hand lift and all-around dumbbell events in weightlifting and another bronze in the tug of war competition as ...

El Paso Nonprofits Aid Boston Bangladesh Victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:26 -0400

Limbs International, an El Paso not-for-profit organization which helps leg amputees in Third World countries, plans to provide prosthetics to victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and victims of a garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, it announced Monday. The organization is ready to provide its Limbs Relief Knee, a durable, plastic, low-cost, artificial knee used as part of a ...

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 ...

Myanmar public happy to see back of restrictive sanctions

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:09 -0400

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT The EU's decision to lift all Myanmar sanctions a year after they were initially suspended has reignited debates around whether the country has made enough progress to warrant such a reward. Activists have decried the move, insisting that human rights abuses continue and that the EU should have put benchmarks in place for the Myanmar government to meet before ...

HM leads efforts to improve factory safety in Bangladesh

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

announced plans to improve safety conditions in factories that supply its clothing, the New York Times reported. Although H&M was the first company to make this pledge, other major European retailers, including Carrefour, Marks & Spencer and Inditex, parent of the huge Zara brand, are following its lead. It's "setting the stage for an industry-wide collaboration to improve ...

Tunisia announces three cases of coronavirus one death

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

A 66-year-old Tunisian man has died from the new coronavirus following a visit to Saudi Arabia and two of his adult children were infected with it, the Tunisian Health Ministry reported. His sons were treated and have since recovered but the rest of the family remains under medical observation, the ...

Premier Li due in Pakistan on Wednesday

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:12:52 -0400

Li Keqiang will pay an official visit to Pakistan from May 22-23, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. It is the first visit of Premier Li Keqiang to Pakistan after he became premier of the People's Republic of China. "The visit takes place ...

Pakistan ambassador calls Lis visit milestone

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

/enpproperty--> BEIJING - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to Pakistan will prove to be a milestone in the relationship between the two "old friends," Pakistan's Ambassador to China Masood Khalid said in an interview. During his first overseas tour as the Chinese premier, Li's choice of Pakistan as one of his stops would "once again provide a great ...

REPORT Drones Alone Won’t Solve Militancy In Pakistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:09:10 -0400

Drones: Myths And Reality In Pakistan ,'; examining the ongoing war against militant groups located in Pakistan. The report calls on both the United States and Pakistan to come clean about ...

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 ...

Bugs for dinner Thailand raises ‘six-legged livestock’ for global food study

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:04:49 -0400

A new study says teens who had a schoolmate die by suicide are more likely to consider or attempt taking their own lives than those who haven't lost a peer to ...

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 ...

Myanmar extends state of emergency

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:45:45 -0400

Lawmakers in Myanmar voted Tuesday to extend a state of emergency over parts of the country gripped by fighting between Muslims and Buddhists. Lawmakers had a special session Tuesday to discuss anti-Muslim violence in Meiktila. A state of emergency was declared there in March after about 20 people were killed during the fighting. Myanmar authorities voted Tuesday to extend the state of ...

Diplomats Iran Acts to Expand Sensitive Nuclear Capacity

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:55 -0400

VIENNA, AUSTRIA -- A U.N. nuclear agency report due this week is expected to show Iran further increasing its capacity to produce material that its adversaries fear could eventually be used to develop atomic bombs, Western diplomats said on Tuesday. But they said it also is likely to indicate that growth in Iran's most sensitive nuclear stockpile has been held back because some of it has ...

Former US Tax Chief Dismayed at Conservative Targeting

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:55 -0400

The former head of the U.S. tax agency says he was "dismayed and saddened" to learn that conservative groups were targeted for special scrutiny under his watch, but told a congressional panel Tuesday he did not know about it as it was ...

Russia Says Senior Islamist Insurgent Killed

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

MOSCOW -- The right-hand man of Russia's most wanted insurgent was killed by security forces on Tuesday, officials said, as Moscow tries to contain militancy in its Caucasus region before it hosts the Winter Olympics near there next February. Dzhamaleil Mutaliyev, a senior figure in a group fighting to establish an Islamist state, was killed along with another militant in a shootout in ...

Rescuers Dig for Survivors After Deadly US Tornado

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

U.S. search and rescue crews are digging for survivors in miles of wreckage, after a massive tornado leveled neighborhoods Monday in the central U.S. state of Oklahoma, killing at least 24 ...

Seven Feared Trapped in Cambodian Gold Mine Collapse

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:53 -0400

PHNOM PENH -- A gold mine shaft has collapsed in the Preah Vihear province of Cambodia, trapping at least seven miners, officials said Monday. Police said late Monday they are trying to rescue the trapped miners, near Romtum village, Rovieng district, but the shaft is very deep and old, making rescue efforts difficult. "We don’t have the identities or the exact number of people, ...

Afghanistan Sees Sharp Rise in Women Imprisoned for Moral Crimes

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:52 -0400

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday, the highest number since the Taliban were toppled almost 12 years ago. Running away from home, usually from abuse and forced marriage, and alleged adultery, which often involves rape, have landed most of the 600 women in prison. That figure is an increase of 50 percent over the last 18 months. "That increase reflects a shameful lack and failure ...

Emergency Response Grows in Chad

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:52 -0400

Emergency water supplies are being rushed to southeastern Chad where about 50-thousand people have fled fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region. Several Arab tribes have been battling for control of mining operations there. to De Capua report on Darfur displaced The refugees and migrants have been gathering around the village of Tissi since January. Felix Leger is the country director ...

Indonesia approves DBS purchase of Danamon stake

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:16:48 -0400

JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesia on Tuesday approved the purchase by Singapore's DBS of a 40 percent stake in Bank Danamon, but demanded the city-state open up its financial sector before any full takeover.More than a year after DBS launched its bid to make the biggest ever bank acquisition in Indonesia, central bank governor Darmin Nasution said it could acquire part of Danamon but could not yet ...

Man missing in Batanghari River boat accident

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

Muhammad Iqbal Saleh, a member of a tugboat crew, went missing in Batanghari River, Jambi after a barge cable snapped and knocked him into the water.Harbormaster tower chief at the Jambi port, Elman Inik, said on Tuesday that he had ordered his staff to call the police and contact Iqbal's family."We have been searching, but have to stop now due to nightfall," he said.Muhammad ...

Cebongan case files will be soon given to military prosecutors

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

Military Police investigators display evidence, including two AK-47 replicas, taken in the Kopassus prison case, at a press conference at Denpom IV Diponegoro headquarters in Semarang, Central Java, on ...

Colorado Indonesia Schools Win Schlumberger Scholarships

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

Schlumberger Ltd. announced Tuesday its contribution of five scholarships to the American Association of Petroleum Geologists' (AAPG) Outstanding Student Chapter Awards. Two universities were selected as the 2013 chapter winners and four additional universities were awarded honorable mention student chapter scholarships. Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado was the top award ...

Socks Are Optional As Pakistan Grapples With Power Cuts

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:10:02 -0400

Protesters march against the prolonged power outages in Faisalabad, Pakistan, on April 11. The country faces power outages of more than 18 hours a day in some parts of the ...

Brief blackout in the South causes confusion

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:08:59 -0400

Most of the South was engulfed in darkness for 35 minutes from about 7.45pm Tuesday night following malfunctions at the main power station in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Kui Buri district. The distribution of electricity resumes, first after around 35 minutes at certain locations, but most of the region are still in the dark even after two hours. Initial reports quoting the Provincial Electricity ...

Record Burmese python caught in Florida

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:56:44 -0400

Florida .It's a new record for the longest Burmese python caught in the wild in Florida. The previous record was a 17ft 7in python caught in August in Everglades national park.According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the 18ft 8in snake was caught May 11 alongside a road in rural Miami-Dade County.Wildlife officials said Monday that a Miami man spotted about 3ft of ...

Do Corporations Owe Anything To Bangladeshi Victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:05 -0400

trends to task. He posits that it is the job of domestic governments to regulate safety and that corporations muddle their goals by worrying about the environment, sustainability and community. But there are several capitalistic arguments in favor of business enterprises voluntarily adopting many of the principles entailed in Corporate Social Responsibility (hiring the best people for the job ...

UPDATE 2-Indonesia says DBS can buy 40 pct of Bank Danamon rest may follow

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:59:55 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 10:59am EDT * Indonesia approves 40 pct stake purchase by DBS * Seeks more reciprocity for its banks in Singapore * Full DBS takeover of Danamon may take 18 months (Adds MAS statement, analyst quotes, background) By Adriana Nina Kusuma and Saeed Azhar JAKARTA/SINGAPORE, May 21 (Reuters) - Indonesia gave its approval for DBS Group to buy a $2.7 billion stake in PT Bank Danamon, ...

Nepal slams climbers illegal call from Mount Everest- Montana hiker dies in Yosemite rock climbing accident

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:45:54 -0400

May 19, 2010: Clouds hover above the world's highest peak Mount Everest, as seen from Syangboche, about 125 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Katmandu, ...

Myanmar army continues to live in denial over abuses

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:33:57 -0400

Myanmar's rapidly evolving political landscape produced another symbolic event at the recent Armed Forces Day parade. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi attended for the first time, sitting alongside generals in the viewing stands as thousands of troops, tanks, and missiles passed by. An open question is who needed who more -- a deeply unpopular military seeking the aura of an ...

SBY asks D-8 to enhance cooperation

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:25 -0400

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (right) welcomes Developing 8 (D-8) Secretary General, Seyed Ali-Mohammad Mousavi (left), to the Presidential Office in Jakarta, on Tuesday. The D-8 secretary general is consult with his Indonesian counterparts to improve cooperation between D-8 ...

Speedy endorsement demanded for nursing bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:24 -0400

At least 150 nurses with the West-Nusa Tenggara (NTB) chapter of the Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI) staged a rally in front of the province's Legislative Council (DPRD) and NTB governor's offices in Mataram, on Tuesday, asking for approval of a draft bill on nursing."Nurses have been treated differently from doctors and midwives, although in terms of capacity and the quality ...

Thai police seize record 4.49 million meth tablets

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:03:22 -0400

Thai police have seized 4.49 million methamphetamine pills found in an apartment in the largest meth bust ever in Bangkok.Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said Tuesday the tablets and 60 kilograms (132 pounds) of crystal meth were smuggled from Myanmar.He said they were destined for sales in the capital city and nearby provinces.The value of the drugs, hidden in dozens of pieces of ...

Chinese premiers Pakistan trip expected to deepen all-weather partnership

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:56:46 -0400

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's first visit to Pakistan since he took office in March is expected to cement the all-weather partnership between the two countries.Li is due to arrive in Islamabad Wednesday after he concludes an official visit to India in a four-country tour which will also take him to Switzerland and Germany.Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao said earlier that China hopes ...

Interior Minister receives British and Thai Ambassadors

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:47:12 -0400

Manama, May 21 (BNA) -- Interior Minister Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa today received British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Iain Lindsay, to review bilateral relations and issues of joint interests between both kingdoms. The Interior Minister also received Thai Ambassador to Bahrain, Vichai Varasirikul, to explore bilateral relations and issues of joint ...

Thailand urged to explore edible insect market to cope with global food demands

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:40:42 -0400

BANGKOK - Researchers say Thailand is showing the world how to respond to the global food crisis: by raising bugs for eating. The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization released a study and handbook Tuesday on what they call 'six-legged livestock' -- edible bugs and worms that can help meet global food demand that is expected to grow 60 per cent by 2050. The agency ...

Pakistan college offers tribute to Rabindranath Tagore

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:36:34 -0400

A leading college in Pakistan has organised a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore to mark the centenary of his winning the Nobel Prize for literature, with participants offering renditions of his poetry in song and recitation.The tribute was organised by the Department of History at Forman Christian College and the Ewing Literary Society on Monday.Tagore was the first non-European and first South ...

Philippines protests Chinese warship’s presence

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:35:38 -0400

Members of the Philippine Navy SEALS display their gear during a ceremony celebrating the 115th anniversary of the Philippine navy at Fort San Felipe, Cavite city southwest of Manila, Philippines Tuesday, May 21, 2013. The Philippine government is planning to spend $1.8 billion dollars to modernize the Philippine navy with acquisition of additional ships and anti-submarine helicopters. AP ...

Pakistans new government must put development before debt repayment | Nick Dearden

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:30:39 -0400

Pakistan's people had voted for last week , the debt payments the country is scheduled to make in the next two years will largely decide that government's economic policy. That is, unless the government decides to put its people ahead of those repayments. Given the scale of ...

Saudi Arabia detains 10 more in Iran spying case

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:29:31 -0400

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has detained 10 more people in a spying case it announced in March that it said was linked to Iran, state television reported on ...

Iranians face internet curbs before prez election

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:43 -0400

Internet speeds and limited access ahead of an unpredictable presidential election that has put hardline Islamist authorities on alert for possible unrest. Experts and web users say they believe the Internet obstacles are related to the June 14 presidential vote, the first since 2009 polls in which accusations of fraud - denied by the government - kindled months of protests organised in part via ...

Myanmar commits to energy transparency

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:19:58 -0400

The U.S. government said it was committed to helping Myanmar improve transparency in the management of its natural resources. U.S. special envoy for international energy affairs Carlos Pascual met with Myanmar Energy Minister Than Htay, who was part of a visiting delegation from Naypyitaw. Both officials signed a joint declaration committed to transparency in the management of natural ...

Lubna Al Qasimi and Singaporean FM discuss joint efforts in International Development

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:16:32 -0400

WAM ABU DHABI, May 21st, 2013 -- Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, has held extensive talks with the Singaporean Minister for Foreign Affairs, K. Shanmugam and his delegation, on ways to support efforts in international development, stimulating the response to crises and providing emergency humanitarian support to those affected, in ...

President Karzai to Discuss Enhancing Defense Ties with India

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:52:35 -0400

Afghan President Hamid Karzai receives an honorary degree from his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, second right, at the Lovely Professional University in Jalandhar, India, May 20, ...

South Korea See Norths Threats at Unprecedented Levels

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:52:34 -0400

SEOUL -- South Korea says it will never accept rival North Korea as a nuclear-weapons state. But there appears to be no international consensus on how to prevent that. Speaking Tuesday in Seoul, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se characterized Pyongyang's recent belligerent threats as more diverse, frequent and intense than previously seen. He told a forum organized by ...

Jusuf Kalla re-elected to lead CAPDI

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:50:01 -0400

Former vice president Jusuf Kalla was re-elected as chairman of the Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International (CAPDI) for a third time at the second CAPDI International Conference in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Tuesday.CAPDI members re-elected Kalla as the 2013-2017 chairman by acclamation as he is considered to have extensive experience and commitment in peace building both in Indonesia and ...

Philippines protests to China over illegal sea presence

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:48:51 -0400

MANILA (AFP) - The Philippines said on Tuesday that it had filed a protest with China over the "illegal" presence of a Chinese warship and two other vessels at a Filipino-claimed shoal in the disputed South China Sea. The incident is the latest in an escalating dispute between the two countries over rival claims to parts of the sea, and comes after the Philippines said China occupied ...

New rice contamination reported in China

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:48:18 -0400

BEIJING -; Authorities are investigating rice mills in southern China following tests that found almost half of the staple grain in one of the country's largest cities was contaminated with a toxic ...

6 Pakistani fighter jets to escort Chinese PM’s aircraft

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:45:04 -0400

In order to ensure safety of visiting Chinese Prime Minister , six JF-17 fighter jets of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) will escort Chinese Premier Li Keqiang aircraft after it enters Pakistan air space on ...

Singapore may give Indonesian banks more access in boost to DBS

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:42:16 -0400

SINGAPORE | Tue May 21, 2013 8:42am EDT SINGAPORE May 21 (Reuters) - Singapore's central bank said on Tuesday it is exploring the possibility of giving Indonesian banks greater access to the city-state's market, in a move that may help Southeast Asia's largest bank DBS Group get majority control of Bank Danamon. Its announcement follows Indonesia's central bank's ...

Catholic Church takes on reproductive rights in Philippines risks further alienation

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:39:05 -0400

And for the 1.2 billion adherents to the faith worldwide, it is a decisive moment. The faithful are looking to a new pope to bring a time of healing - and better governance - to a church tarnished by scandal and deeply ...

Bangladesh panel to recommend life in prison over building collapse

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:27:07 -0400

Bangladesh will recommend that nine people detained in connection with the disaster be sentenced to life in prison, the panel's chief said on Tuesday. The six-member committee, due to submit its conclusions to the government on Thursday, has singled out shoddy construction and the improper issue of building permits as the main reasons for the accident which killed more than 1,100 people. ...

CIMB cautious on outlook after asset sale boosts Q1 profit

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:26:56 -0400

(Adds detail, comments from CEO) KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Reuters) - CIMB Group, southeast Asia's fifth-largest bank by assets, posted a 37 percent jump in first-quarter net profit, boosted by the sale of an insurance business, and warned of slowing demand for the region's exports. CIMB has a string of banking assets in almost every country in southeast Asia, which is relying ...

Philippines boosts military by $A1.8bn

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:21:19 -0400

PHILIPPINE President Benigno Aquino has announced a $A1.84 billion military upgrade to help defend his country's maritime territory against "bullies", amid an ever-worsening dispute with China. The announcement came on the same day that the Philippines filed a protest with China over the "illegal and provocative" presence of a Chinese warship and two other vessels at a ...

Nearly 19 feet Longest Burmese python captured in Florida

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:20:19 -0400

Florida has a long list of problematic invasive species, from the vervet monkey to the lionfish, but the Burmese python might be the state's public enemy No. 1 so much so that residents will hop out of their cars at night to catch one double the normal size. A Miami man wrangled and killed the ...

Brazils CSN could see Asian partners exit Namisa unit -report

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:06:20 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 8:06am EDT * Asian partners could exercise put option this July * JFE, Kobe, Posco-led group paid $3.1 bln for stake * CSN declines to comment on Valor report on Namisa SAO PAULO, May 21 (Reuters) - A group of Asian steelmakers that owns 40 percent of Brazilian iron ore producer Namisa could exercise an option to sell their stake to majority shareholder CSN as early as July, ...

US scientists family walks out of Singapore inquest

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:41:33 -0400

SINGAPORE (AFP) - The family of a US scientist found hanged last year in Singapore walked out of a coroner's inquiry into his death Tuesday, saying they had "lost faith" in the proceedings.The move came after their star witness, a US pathologist who never examined the body, came under intense questioning for saying Shane Todd may have been killed by assassins after quitting a ...

RPT-Vietnam gives green light for bad debt bank

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:41:21 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 7:41am EDT (Repeats to more subscribers) * Asset firm aimed at boosting banks' lending * Experts say Vietnam's real NPL ratio far higher HANOI, May 21 (Reuters) - Vietnam's government approved on Tuesday the formation of an asset management firm to buy bad debt from its troubled banks, an official said, a move that could help stimulate an ailing economy growing at its ...

RI and PNG consider joint investments in energy and mineral resources

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:40:54 -0400

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are sounding out the possibility of joint investments on energy and mineral resources in the border of the two countries."The joint investments could bring benefits to both countries," said Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik after a meeting with Papua New Guinea's State Owned Enterprises and Investment Minister Ben Micah in Jakarta on ...

ANA airlines to introduce ramen noodles on board

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:40:53 -0400

Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) will start serving ramen noodles to its passengers starting June 1, 2013.Ramen noodles will be available as a light meal choice for first- and business-class passengers on ANA international flights.The dishes will be prepared exclusively by Hakata Ippudo, the ramen noodle chain based in Kyushu, Japan.Ippudo is one of Japan's most popular restaurants ...

OBEC to meet public over small schools

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:35:55 -0400

The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) Tuesday established a joint committee to handle small schools in collaboration with local communities. The committee comprises academics, representatives from government agencies, small schools, the Council of Alternative Education, community organisations, and local administrative bodies. Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana has agreed to set ...

Pornthip loses director job at forensic-science agency

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:35:54 -0400

Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunan was Tuesday removed as the director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science and transferred to the post of inspector-general for the Justice Ministry. Her transfer was approved by the Cabinet during its weekly meeting yesterday. The Cabinet also approved her appointment as an adviser to the committee in charge of implementing policies to tackle the southern ...

Lebanese farmland firm to invest up to $800 million in Sudan

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:32:09 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 7:32am EDT * Arab firms lease farmland in Sudan to secure food for Gulf * Lebanon's GLB to invest up to $800 million in Sudan By Ulf Laessing KHARTOUM, May 21 (Reuters) - Lebanese farmland investor GLB Invest plans to invest up to $800 million in Sudan to produce animal feed to be sold to Saudi Arabia, its president said on Tuesday. Arab investors have launched farmland and ...

China sweeps Indonesia to reach quarterfinals at Sudirman Cup

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:31:44 -0400

Defending champion China beat Indonesia 5-0 in their second and last group match on Tuesday at the 13th Sudirman Cup team badminton tournament.London Olympics champion Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng replaced their young fellows Liu Xiaolong/Qiu Zihan to play against Hendra Setiawan/Angga Pratama. The Indonesian pair took the first game 21- 16 but still failed to handle Cai and Fu. Though absent frommatches ...

Voices in Danger In Pakistan state brutality makes journalism a dangerous business

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:20:52 -0400

Umar, a 32-year-old reporter for the Pakistani paper The News, had been on his way home in Islamabad at 3am during Ramadan in September 2010 when two unmarked cars nearly drove him off the road. A dozen men in commando fatigues grabbed him, accused him of running over a pedestrian and forced him into one of the vehicles. They covered his face, handcuffed him and drove him around for an ...

Tepid Thai growth deepens Asian slowdown fears

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:20:19 -0400

Thailand's economy grew more slowly than expected in the first three months of this year Adds to a slew of recent disappointing data from other Asian economies Thai economy contracted by 2.2 per cent seasonally adjusted from the previous quarter Result of faltering Chinese, eurozone, and US demand as well as a strong ...

DBS Gets Indonesia Nod for Smaller Danamon Stake Than It Sought

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:18:02 -0400

Indonesia 's central bank to acquire a smaller stake in PT Bank Danamon Indonesia than it had sought more than a year ago. DBS, which in April 2012 proposed buying all of Danamon, will be allowed to buy 40 percent, Bank Indonesia Governor Darmin Nasution said in parliament today in Jakarta. DBS spokeswoman Edna Koh declined to immediately comment on the Singapore-based bank's ...

China beat Indonesia to top group

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:54 -0400

(5 mins ago) Defending champions China trounced arch rivals Indonesia 5-0 to top Group A of the Sudirman Cup on Tuesday, declaring they are ready to face anyone in Thursday's quarter-finals. The Chinese have won the biennial tournament eight times and are chasing their fifth consecutive title, AFP reports. After Tuesday's matches, Chinese coach Li Yongbo said his team is ready to ...

Volvo Philippines launches luxury 5-door 5-seater hatchback

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:05:33 -0400

The All-New Volvo V40, a modern expressive car, with characteristics from larger Volvos wrapped in a sleek, compact package, is now in the Philippines. This 5-door, 5-seater luxury hatchback combines trendsetting design with class-leading driving ...

Oil production starts offshore Vietnam

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:02:08 -0400

Canadian company Talisman Energy said it expects to produce 15,000 barrels of oil per day from its newly launched development offshore Vietnam. Talisman said it started oil production at the offshore Hai Su Trang and Hai Su Den development ahead of schedule. Once the facilities are commissioned, the company expects gross production to reach 15,000 bpd. "We are delighted to have achieved ...

Two women injured in Myanmar Airways aircraft accident

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:54:52 -0400

Two women were injured in an accident when a Myanmar Airways aircraft carrying 55 passengers was landing at the Monghsat Airport in Myanmar's eastern Shan state Thursday due to the malfunction of the breaking system, official sources ...

Seven Muslims Charged for Killing Buddhist Monk in Burma

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:34:31 -0400

A court in Burma has convicted seven Muslims for the killing of a Buddhist monk during deadly sectarian riots in a central town earlier this ...

Wave of Violence Continues in Iraq

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:34:31 -0400

New attacks in three Iraqi cities have killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60 others. Officials say a suicide bombing followed by clashes between militants and Iraqi troops left three soldiers dead Tuesday in Tarmiyah, north of the capital, Baghdad. Farther north, two car bombs exploded in Tuz Khormato, killing three people, while car bombs in Kirkuk killed at least one ...

Brits buy lease to Broadways biggest theater

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:32:02 -0400

Britain's biggest theater group has reached across the Atlantic Ocean and bought the lease to Broadway's largest theater from Live Nation Entertainment for about $60 million.Ambassador Theatre Group said Monday it has acquired rights to The Foxwoods Theatre, the 2,000-seat current home of "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." The New 42nd Street, a nonprofit organization, approved ...

Ma urges greater Taipei-Manila legal cooperation

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:31:27 -0400

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou meets Philip J. Crowley, former U.S. assistant secretary of state for public affairs, May 20 at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. ...

22 ROC boats held by Philippines in past decade

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:31:25 -0400

China Times A total of 22 ROC-registered fishing boats and their crews have been detained by the Philippine government over the past 10 years, according to the Fisheries Agency under the Council of Agriculture May 20."Most of them were operating in the overlapping 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zones of Taiwan and the Philippines, which is the main point of fishing disputes between ...

Philippines boosts military to resist bullies amid China dispute

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:57 -0400

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III addresses the media shortly after leading the 115th Philippine Navy anniversary celebration at Fort San Felipe, Cavite city, south-west of Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Mr Aquino on Tuesday announced a US$1.8 billion (S$2.26 billion) military upgrade to help defend his country's maritime territory against "bullies", amid an ...

MCAs Tee Siew Kiong on leave from party after appointment as executive councillor

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:30:55 -0400

Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) assemblyman Tee Siew Kiong is on leave from the party with immediate effect following his controversial appointment as a Johor executive councillor, said MCA president Chua Soi Lek. -- FILE PHOTO: THE STAR ...

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 ...

SE Asia Stocks-Mixed ahead of Fed Thai realty up on low rate outlook

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:28:43 -0400

BANGKOK, May 21 (Reuters) - Thai stocks ended flat on Tuesday as property shares outperformed amid a low interest rate outlook, with sentiment broadly weak in line with Asia ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve head Ben Bernanke's testimony on Wednesday. Bangkok's SET index closed at 1,643.43, still hovering at its highest in 19 years and four months. The Thai property sub-index gained 0.2 ...

Singapores First Home-Grown Influenza Vaccine In Phase 1 Clinical Trial

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:26:23 -0400

The vaccine based on Cytos' Virus-Like Particle technology may open the door to accelerated production of influenza vaccines in Singapore Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and Switzerland's Cytos Biotechnology AG today announced that the first healthy volunteer has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial with ...

Philippines to acquire warfare equipment for Navy

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:23:25 -0400

Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III disclosed Tuesday the warfare equipment to be purchased by his administration that will help boost the capability of the Navy.The country's second class cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, which came from the United States, is expected to arrive in Manila in August."We are planning to buy three multi-purpose attack craft, eight amphibious assault ...

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. ...

SAS Regional Director for Southeast Asia to lead Singapore market

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:09:44 -0400

SAS Singapore has appointed Sudipta Sen, regional director of Southeast Asia and chief executive officer of SAS Institute India, the leader for the Singapore market. Sen will succeed Bill Lee, former country manager of SAS Singapore, until a new country lead is appointed. The analytics company said this is a role expansion for Sen who will lead SAS' business in Singapore, adding to his ...

Malaysia CIMBs Q1 net profit jumps 37.2 pct

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:05:10 -0400

KUALA LUMPUR | Tue May 21, 2013 6:05am EDT KUALA LUMPUR May 21 (Reuters) - CIMB Group Holdings Bhd , Southeast Asia's fifth largest lender by assets, posted a 37.2 percent jump in first-quarter net profits. Malaysia's second largest bank said in a filing to the stock exchange that net profit for the quarter ended March 31 stood at 1.39 billion ringgit ($461.18 million) compared ...

Fitch Rates Sri Lankas Melsta Regal Finance A+Stable

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:03:06 -0400

Slow Progress on GAAP and IFRS Convergence; Optionality for Impairments Increases Significant differences will remain between the GAAP and IFRS accounting standards in 2013, although cooperation and progress continues on some remaining joint projects, according to Fitch Ratings. The pipeline of new standards promises increasing commonality between the two platforms over coming years. Progress ...

Indonesias Freeport mine risks prolonged closure over disaster

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:49:26 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 5:49am EDT * Death toll rises to 21, hopes fade for survivors * Unions demand thorough investigation * Mine has been closed for a week By Michael Taylor JAKARTA, May 21 (Reuters) - Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc's Indonesian mine could face a prolonged closure and scrutiny over its underground mining plans after one of the country's worst-ever mining disasters, ...

Burmese President to Meet with US Lawmakers Sign Trade Deal

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:28:34 -0400

In front of a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr., Burma's President Thein Sein meets with President Barack Obama, not pictured, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, May 20, ...

Pakistans Imran Khan to leave hospital

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:26:51 -0400

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistani politician Imran Khan is to leave hospital on Wednesday, his party and medics said Tuesday, two weeks after breaking bones in his back in a fall at an election rally.The 60-year-old was ordered by doctors to remain immobile in a hospital bed with fractured vertebrae and a broken rib after falling from a hoist raising him to the stage at a rally just days before the May ...

Myanmar Muslims jailed for killing during religious riots

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:26:26 -0400

YANGON // Myanmar sentenced seven Muslims to prison terms ranging from two to 28 years in connection with religious violence in March that left dozens dead, a justice official said. The defendants, who were spared the death penalty, were accused of the murder of a Buddhist monk in the central town of Meiktila that sparked unrest across the region, mostly targeting Muslims. The suspects were ...

Auspicious day sparks Taiwan wedding bonanza

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:25:40 -0400

United Daily News More than 1,500 couples married in Taipei and New Taipei cities May 20, because it is an auspicious date in the Chinese farmer's almanac and also sounds like the words "I will love you for a lifetime, I love you" in Chinese, the Taipei City Government Department of Civil Affairs said. A total of 524 and 991 couples tied the knot in Taipei and New Taipei, 50 and ...

ROC Cabinet ups economic stimulus efforts

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:25:38 -0400

Commercial Times A raft of stimulus packages aimed at spurring Taiwan's economy to hit the target growth rate of 3 percent for 2013 is being mulled by the ROC Cabinet. The packages include boosting private consumption and stock markets, fast-tracking government procurements and public infrastructure projects, and implementing innovation promotion programs, sources familiar with the matter ...

Taiwan targets Muslim markets for export growth

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:25:36 -0400

Commercial Times Majority-Muslim countries will be the focus of Taiwan export promotion campaigns as the ROC government looks to give the local economy a shot in the arm and chalk up stronger shipment numbers in the second half of the year. According to an unnamed Cabinet official, the global population comprises 1.6 billion Muslims, or 23.4 percent, representing tremendous business ...

STOCKS NEWS INDONESIA-Index down consumer sector weighs

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:22:06 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 5:22am EDT Indonesian shares fell 0.5 percent to 5,188.76 on Tuesday, led by a decline in consumer sector stocks. Drug distributor Kalbe Farma and cigarette maker Gudang Garam dropped more than 2 percent each. Jakarta's blue chip index slid 0.58 percent. "We note that the consumer companies' first-quarter 2013 results have been lacking positive surprises, with margin ...

Police asked to remove protesters in Sanam Luang

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

Police in Bangkok have been asked to remove hundreds of government opponents staging a protest in Sanam Luang. Julanop Nuchanart, director of the Phra Nakhon District Office, Tuesday filed a complaint with Chana Songkhram Police seeking the removal of the protesters. The protesters have defied an order from the city to vacate the park adjacent to the Grand Palace and vowed to continue camping ...

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- ...

STOCKS NEWS THAILAND-CIMB ups SET index target after banks telecoms earnings beat

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:20:00 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 5:20am EDT CIMB Securities (Thailand) raised its 2013 target for the benchmark SET index to 1,810 from 1,700, reflecting better-than-expected first-quarter earnings of banks, telecoms and construction contractors, and good earnings outlook for the year. The first-quarter core net profit for the companies in its universe rose 8 percent year-on-year and 32 percent ...

TABLE-Indonesia sells 9.35 trln rupiah of bonds yields up

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:19:28 -0400

JAKARTA, May 21 (Reuters) - Indonesian government raised 9.35 trillion rupiah ($958.24 million) at an auction on Tuesday, above an initial target of 8 trillion rupiah with most yields rising from the previous auction, the finance ministry's debt office said. Yields of 1-year T-bill, 15-year bond and 20-year bond were higher than the May 6 auction. The highest bid-to-cover ratio was 1.67 for ...

Analysis How to avoid a fourth year of serious flooding in Pakistan

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:18:23 -0400

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Hosting Burma’s Leader Obama Repeatedly Calls the Country ‘Myanmar’

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:12:18 -0400

President Obama meets with Burmese President Thein Sein in the Oval Office on Monday, May 20, 2013 (Image: White House) (CNSNews.com) - Setting aside a long-held U.S. policy, President Obama -- when hosting the president of Burma in the Oval Office on Monday -- used the military-backed regime's preferred term for the country, Myanmar - and not just once or twice, but a total of 16 times in ...

Vietnam Again Escapes Blacklisting As State Dep’t. Cites ‘Positive’ Moves on Religious Freedom

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:12:17 -0400

Ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom Suzan Johnson Cook cited Vietnam as an example of a country where "positive developments" have taken place in the area of religoius freedom. (Image: State Department) (CNSNews.com) - At a time when Vietnam's communist authorities have introduced new regulations placing burdensome bureaucratic restrictions on religious worship, ...

Taiwan tourists cancel Philippines plans

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:12:07 -0400

/enpproperty--> BORACAY, Philippines - Taiwan tourists to Boracay, a world-renowned resort in central Philippines, have started canceling hotel reservations since Taiwan issued an advisory against traveling to the country after Philippine Coast Guards killed a Taiwan fisherman. Percy Malonesio, head of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to Kalibo International Airport ...

SPEAKING FREELY Russia leads the way in post-Fukushima world

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:10:09 -0400

if you are interested in contributing. Reconstructing nuclear confidence in the world following the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster will be a long and painful process. But real-life energy demands, especially in developing countries, predetermines a significant share of nuclear energy in their national energy consumption structure. Russian experience in this field can offer some interesting ...

US-IRAN TIES A SPORTING CHANCE The basketball bridge

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:10:09 -0400

By Garrett Nada For more than a decade, Iran has looked to the United States to improve its caliber of basketball. In 2000, the national team hired American coach Gary LeMoine. Since then, dozens of Americans - reportedly 37 during one season - have played in Iranian teams. Jonas Lalehzadeh is among the best-known. Since 2011, the six-foot-five-inch point guard from California has played ...

Biggest Burmese Python Ever Caught In Florida

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:04:03 -0400

A Burmese python measuring nearly 19ft has been captured in South Florida. About 3ft of the 18ft 8in (569cm) snake was spotted sticking out of some roadside brush on May 11 by Jason Leon and some friends, as they drove late at night through a rural area of southeast Miami-Dade County. The 23-year-old got out of his car, grabbed the snake behind its head and dragged it into the open. When ...

Anger as Barack Obama rewards Burmese President Thein Sein with White House visit despite recent claims of violence

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:02:19 -0400

Welcoming the first Burmese head of state to visit the White House in nearly 50 years yesterday, President Obama said "the leadership of President [Thein] Sein" had "allowed this shift" in the ...

Justin Biebers monkey Mally to become German property

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:56:49 -0400

March 28, 2013: In this file photo, Canadian singer Justin Bieber performs on stage during the "I Believe Tour " in Munich, southern ...

Indonesia sells 9.35 trln in debt auction above target

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:49:08 -0400

JAKARTA | Tue May 21, 2013 4:49am EDT JAKARTA May 21 (Reuters) - Indonesia's finance ministry sold 9.35 trillion rupiah ($958.24 million) of conventional government bonds at an auction on Tuesday, above the target of 8 trillion rupiah, the debt office at the ministry said. The ministry sold all of the offered series to help finance its budget deficit this year. The ministry sees this ...

Video Families of Bangladesh factory workers wait for compensation

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:12:26 -0400

An ITV News investigation has found there's still no compensation for the victims of the Bangladeshi factory collapse, from the Western clothes companies that promised help.More than eleven hundred workers were killed nearly a month ago. But survivors in Dhaka claim no money has yet reached them. ITV's Business Editor Laura Kuenssberg has this exclusive ...

Migrant Workers Face Tough Times in Thailand

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:09:51 -0400

- On the outskirts of the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, a group of twelve migrant families lives in a makeshift camp comprised of houses constructed from scrap ...

Myanmar’s President Makes Historic Divisive Visit to White House

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:09:50 -0400

- Myanmar's President Thein Sein on Monday became the first leader of that country in almost a half-century to pay a call on the White House, a visit that has simultaneously highlighted a series of monumental changes seen in Myanmar in recent years as well as a reforms process that many are warning may have ...

Pakistan PM-elect calls for Taliban talks

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:04:09 -0400

Pakistan's prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif Monday called for peace talks with Pakistani Taliban militants at war with the government, potentially charting a course that could put him at odds with the country's powerful army. Speaking to the newly elected members of national and provincial assemblies belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he said that Taliban offers to ...

Family of dead American condemns Singapore inquiry

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:55:27 -0400

(16 mins ago) The family of a US scientist found hanged in Singapore last year walked out of a coroner's inquiry into their son's death today, saying they had ';lost faith'' in the proceedings. ';The prosecution brings forth witnesses at the last minute and we have no chance to question it. Basically we actually have lost faith in the process,'' Rick ...

Myanmar Buddhist monks killers jailed

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:55:15 -0400

(1 hr 4 mins ago) 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 Myanmar. Thein Than Oo, a lawyer defending the men, said one of his clients was given life in prison for murder. Myat Ko Ko was also sentenced to an additional two years for unlawful ...

Its Time to Step Up and Help the Workers of Bangladesh

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:49:10 -0400

The Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in April, the world's worst garment industry catastrophe which killed over 1,000 people, has sparked intensive debate over who is to blame for the ...

STOCKS NEWS SINGAPORE-ComfortDelGro near 6-yr highs lifts index

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:36:16 -0400

stock index , after it announced plans to expand its bus operations in Australia. The company's shares rose as much as 2.4 percent to S$2.14, the highest since July 2007, after it said its subsidiary CDC Victoria Pty Ltd plans to buy privately-held Driver Group Pty Ltd for A$22 million ($21.54 million), to expand its fleet in Australia. "While the deal is relatively smaller ...

Massive Tornado Hits Oklahoma Again

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:16:21 -0400

A huge tornado with 320 kilometers-per-hour winds has torn through the central U.S. state of Oklahoma, destroying homes for the second day in a row ...

Musharrafs UAE supporters prepare to fly to Pakistan for protests

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:14:06 -0400

Pervez Musharraf 's supporters in the UAE are preparing to fly to Pakistan to hold protests backing the former president. Talks between senior members of Mr Musharraf's All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) have taken place this weekend in Pakistan and included some based in the UAE. "We are currently trying to lay the groundwork to allow for Mr Musharraf's supporters in the UAE ...

Emergency Door falls off aircraft

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:13:47 -0400

An emergency door of Sriwijaya Air flight number SJ 039 broke off as passengers were boarding at Raja Haji Fisabilillah airport in Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands, on Tuesday.The aircraft, scheduled to depart for Soekarno-Hatta airport, Jakarta, at 7 a.m. local time, had to delay take off until the damaged door was replaced."Shortly after I took my seat, an emergency exit door in the right side ...

Chatib Basri installed as new Finance Minister

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:13:45 -0400

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono installed Chatib Basri as the new Finance Minister at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.Chatib replaces Agus Martowardojo, following the appointment of Agus as the governor of Bank Indonesia.The new Finance Minister was sworn in under Presidential Decree No.60/2013 signed on May 20, 2013.The ceremony was attended by the Vice President Boediono, First ...

Myanmar president urges end to violence

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:12:18 -0400

Myanmar President Thein Sein has told an audience in the US he wants a national identity which embraces people of all faiths, including ...

Thai Sports Authority Sets Mid-July Deadline for FA Polls

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:08:37 -0400

(Reuters) - Thailand's sports authority has threatened to intervene if the country's football association fails to hold its presidential elections by the middle of July, local media reported on Tuesday. Last week, the Football Association of Thailand (FAT) postponed its June 15 polls to align itself with a new FIFA charter which will be ratified at a general meeting of the world governing ...

Crackdown nets 800 suspects in Mekong region drugs smuggling

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:08:11 -0400

Police from four nations have so far detained more than 800 suspects and shut down several drug rings in a crackdown on gangs operating along the Mekong River, Chinese state media said Tuesday. The month-long operation by police from China, Thailand, Myanmar and Laos led to the arrest of 812 suspects from the four nations and Vietnam, Xinhua news agency quoted Chinese police as saying. Police ...

Update-MoodysDevelopers to benefit from demand in Greater Jakarta

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:07:00 -0400

Tue May 21, 2013 3:07am EDT Lippo Karawaci, Alam Sutera Realty and Pakuwon Jati For the full text of this story please click the following ...

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 ...