In Friday's Asia Papers
18 January 2008 01:31 [Source: ICIS news]
SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--These were the top stories at 1:00 GMT in the following Northeast Asia/ Southeast Asia newspapers on Friday.
These stories have been taken from the Internet editions of the papers. ICIS has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
Front page
Kobe marks 13th anniversary of quake that killed 6,000-plus
Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday ordered the Maritime Self-Defense Force to resume refueling operations in the Indian Ocean in the U.S.-led fight against terror in Afghanistan.
Business & Industry
No new updates.
Front page
Taiwan's referendum plan provocative: US
US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said that Taiwan's referendum on UN seat is a "mistake" and "provocative".
Wall Street plunges; Dow down 306
Wall Street extended its 2008 plunge, tumbling after a regional Federal Reserve report showed a sharp decline in manufacturing activity.
Business & Industry
China to open second board market in 1st half
Securities regulators hope to open a new stock market in the first half of the year aimed at growth enterprises, Shang Fulin, chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission said Thursday.
Net piracy still poses a challenge
Despite repeated crackdowns on online piracy, it is still a challenge to protect intellectual property rights, a top official said yesterday.
Front page
Hsieh welcomes power-sharing idea
One day after saying he would appoint a CEO as premier if elected, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh said yesterday he would "seriously consider" asking his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival to lead the Cabinet.
Eight legislators charged with accepting bribes
Eight former and incumbent lawmakers from across party lines were indicted yesterday on charges of corruption after allegedly accepting bribes from the National Chinese Herbal Apothecary Asso-ciation in return for their endorsement of amendments to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act in 1998.
Business & Industry
THSRC aims to double revenues
By improving shuttle bus services and adding variety to the ticket, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp aims to double both its number of passengers and revenue this year.
Board opposes nomination of bank president
A majority of the 15 board members at the Agricultural Bank of Taiwan expressed strong opposition yesterday to the Cabinet's nomination of Chen Ming-jen as bank president -- an appointment planned for Jan. 2 that had been put on hold until now.
Front page
Overhaul plan faces obstacles
President-elect Lee Myung-bak's radical plans to rearrange the government will have to overcome a myriad of hurdles, including a major revision of related rules, budget distribution and the management of surplus public officials.
Party battle looms over reorganization plan
The nation's two major parties are on a collision course over Lee Myung-bak's new government blueprint. The transition committee is poised to put the plan to a vote in the next parliamentary session on Jan. 28.
Business & Industry
Media convergence put on fast track
The next central government plans to fold the broadcasting and telecommunication regulators into one agency in an effort to accelerate the convergence of the two sectors.
Public enterprises face major shake-up
The country's nearly 300 public enterprises are bracing for a major overhaul under the incoming government of President-elect Lee Myung-bak, who pledged to streamline the country's public sector.
Front page
No sarcasm, caustic wit in Dr M's 90-min testimony
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was not influenced by anyone when deciding whether to approve or reject judicial candidates, but took into account the views of a variety of people.
Dr M: Final decision was mine
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was the ninth witness when he took the stand at 10.05am yesterday.
Business & Industry
Sheldon G. Adelson, the casino mogul, may well be the richest American that most people have never heard of. One reason is that he is a newcomer to the highest altitudes of the fabulously wealthy.
China's booming budget hotels profit from no frills
The number of budget hotel rooms has mushroomed in the past eight years from practically zero to over 100,000 with mor than 100 brands competing for a bite of China’s rapidly expanding domestic tourism market.
Front page
Exports lurch to worst showing in five years
(SINGAPORE) Even the economists were caught off-guard. They had expected Singapore's key non-oil domestic exports (NODX) in December to grow at a healthy clip, compared to a year ago. Instead, they fell 4.5 per cent on the heels of a 3.4 per cent drop in November.
NYSE Euronext to acquire American Stock Exchange
NEW YORK - NYSE Euronext said on Thursday it agreed to acquire the American Stock Exchange (Amex) for US$260 million in stock to boost its business in options, exchange traded funds and cash products.
Business & Industry
Housing starts plunge 14% in December
(WASHINGTON) Builders in the US broke ground in December on fewer houses than forecast, making 2007's decline in homebuilding the worst in almost three decades.
S'pore still top pick in Asean for Credit Suisse
SINGAPORE is still an overweight call for Credit Suisse Private Banking, where it remains the Asian equity research team's top pick within Asean, team director Fan Cheuk Wan said on a conference call with journalists yesterday.
Front page
Tortured in Thailand
Washington - Destroyed Tortured in Thailand CIA videotapes show the water-boarding of two suspected al-Qaeda leaders at secret CIA interrogations in Thailand during 2002, a US congressional hearing has heard.
PPP, allies win re-votes party candidates
Matchimathipataya won all three seats in a re-run of the election in Buri Ram's constituency 1 on Thursday, while People Power party (PPP) candidates clinched victory in Chaiyaphum's constituency 2. The Election Commission, working to beat a deadline so parliament can convene, has endorsed three more winning PPP candidates.
Business & Industry
Stocks up on politics
Thai stocks rebounded 2.26% yesterday on improved confidence that a new government could be formed.The Stock Exchange of Thailand index closed at 791.25, up 17.45, in trade worth 21 billion baht, a sharp rebound from Wednesday's 5.99-point loss. Adisak Kammool, an analyst at KGI Securities, said short-term speculation and a technical rebound led the market.
Energy fund to benefit communities
The Energy Ministry yesterday held an official launch of the Energy Tax Fund, to which about 100 power plants have contributed to since last June in a government effort to help local communities, said Minister Piyasvasti Amranand.
Front page
Activists lament lack of action post-Bali
Environmental campaigners expressed regret Wednesday about the absence of concrete government action to follow up on the UN-sponsored Bali conference on climate change.
New book queries amended constitution
The current constitution is not ideal to nurture democracy in Indonesia since it was the product of horse trading practices between political factions during its amendment process, a newly-launched book says.
Business & Industry
Container terminal set for expansion
The Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) will expand its 72-hectare container yard by 12.4 hectares to increase its storage capacity by 57 percent to 55,000 ton equivalent units (TEUs).
Car sales bounced back in 2007, rose by 36.2% from 2006
After a gloomy 2006, car sales rebounded in 2007 with a total sale of 434,449 units or up by 36.2 percent from the 318,904 units sold in the previous year.
($1= S$1.44)
By: Staff Reporter
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