In Wednesday's Asia Papers
02 April 2008 02:00 [Source: ICIS news]
ASAHI SHIMBUN, JapanFront page
Wilderness area makes eco-tourism its priority
A typical overnight trip here goes like this: a long soak in a hot spring followed by a seafood feast and then bed before going on to the next tourist spot.
Business & Industry
Cover Story: Game plan
Domestic toy makers large and small face a growing problem: The nation's falling birthrate could put them out of business.
Front page
Police: Separatists 'planning suicide hits'
Tibetan separatists may use suicide attacks to escalate violence after the recent riots in Lhasa, officials warned.
New minister, deputy secretary named
Wang Chen, former publisher of People's Daily - a leading newspaper of China - has been appointed minister of the Information Office of the State Council.
Business & Industry
Tax revenues rise 23.8% annually in past 5 years
Qian Guanlin, deputy head of the State Administration for Taxation, said on Tuesday that China's tax revenue had increased 23.8 percent annually from 2003 to 2007.
Shares dive 4.13% on worries about tight monetary policy
Chinese shares nosedive 4.13 percent on Tuesday after central bank vowed to continue tightening monetary policies.
Front page
Chen, Ma meet at Taipei Guest House
President Chen Shui-bian met president-elect Ma Ying-jeou yesterday and the two crossed swords over the legitimacy of the "1992 consensus."
China warns of threat of Tibetan `suicide squads'
China yesterday accused Tibetan independence forces of planning to use suicide squads to trigger bloody attacks.
Business & Industry
CPC may buy oil products if necessary
The state-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC) said yesterday that it may purchase gasoline and diesel oil products from the spot market when necessary, as demand for the company's relatively cheaper oil products compared to those from its rivals was surging.
Digimax hopes to compete globally
Digimax Inc, the nation's leading 3D animation production house, plans to raise new capital of between US$40 million and US$50 million next quarter from domestic and foreign investors while vowing to become the world's fourth-largest player, a company executive said yesterday.
Front page
N.K. slams Lee, rebuffs his overture
In its strongest attack yet against the new Seoul administration, North Korea yesterday directly denounced President Lee Myung-bak for the first time, blasting his key North Korean policies.
Child sex offenders face harsher punishment
The government plans to establish a special law to crack down on child sex offenders this year in the wake of a series of assault, kidnapping and murder cases involving elementary school girls.
Business & Industry
'Business-friendly' policies take shape
President's Lee Myung-bak's much-touted "business-friendly" policies are taking shape, with a clear emphasis on the dismantling or easing of some controversial investment restrictions currently imposed on the country's top business groups.
Regulator presses for phone rate cut
The head of the Broadcasting and Communications Commission yesterday vowed to push ahead with the 20 percent reduction in phone charges that President Lee Myung-bak promised during his election campaign.
Front page
It's now called Pakatan Rakyat
The tripartite Pas-DAP-PKR grouping, which made significant gains in last month's general election, has agreed to a formal coalition called Pakatan Rakyat.
Flying high on big demand
Commercial helicopter services in Malaysia, particularly in the offshore air transportation, is expected to fly high as oil companies beef up exploration activities. Anna Maria Samsudin examines the outlook for this lucrative business.
Front page
Fed approves JPMorgan purchase of Bear Stearns bank
The Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday formally gave its approval to JPMorgan Chase to purchase a banking unit of Bear Stearns.
More red ink at UBS, but GIC stands by investment
The Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) is standing by its 11 billion Swiss franc (S$15.1 billion) investment in UBS, despite the Swiss bank's announcement yesterday of a second straight quarterly loss - and an additional US$19 billion writedown - from the US sub- prime market meltdown.
Business & Industry
Shell warns against pump-price tinkering
The Shell Company of Thailand has warned the Energy Ministry to avoid intervening in retail oil prices through the majority state-owned oil companies, PTT and Bangchak Petroleum Plc, saying that it could lead foreign oil companies to divest in Thailand.
Charoen's insurance arm to tap huge employee base
The Southeast business group, owned by liquor billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, aims to tap the diverse businesses of Mr Charoen's TCC Group to help its insurance businesses become major players over the next five years.
Front page
A shot of Vitamin M
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved measures to inject more than half a trillion baht directly into grassroots finance schemes, starting almost immediately.
Ready, set, amend
People Power party (PPP) officials on Tuesday said they are ready to begin a fast-track process which will amend five important articles of the constitution within 90 days. The Democrat Party will fight them at every step.
Business & Industry
Lehman Brothers to raise US$3b in capital
Lehman Brothers, an investment bank beset by rumours of not having enough funding, plans to raise US$3 billion of capital to quash questions about its stability.
Indonesia's palm oil boom takes toll on environment
Marto Wijoyo and his family left the overcrowded Indonesian island of Java 27 years ago in search of a better life on neighbouring Sumatra.
Front page
Inflation rate feared to surpass target
Soaring prices for food, energy and clothes caused inflation to rise at its fastest pace in 18 months in March, making it more difficult for the central bank to cut interest rates to spur economic growth.
Parties praise Boediono nomination to lead BI
Most major political parties have praised President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's nomination of Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono to be the next governor of the troubled central bank.
By: Staff Reporter
+44 20 8652 3214
For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.
Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.
| ICIS news FREE TRIAL |
| Get access to breaking chemical news as it happens. |
| ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX) |
| ICIS Global Petrochemical Index (IPEX). Download the free tabular data and a chart of the historical index |
Related Articles
- 03 Apr 08 02:00 In Thursday's Asia Papers
- 03 Apr 08 04:30 In Thursday's South Asia papers
- 02 Apr 08 13:34 In Wednesday's Americas papers
- 02 Apr 08 06:00 In Wednesday's Europe papers
- 02 Apr 08 04:30 In Wednesday's Middle East papers
- 02 Apr 08 04:30 In Wednesday's South Asia papers
- 01 Apr 08 12:00 In Tuesday's Americas papers
- 01 Apr 08 06:00 In Tuesday's Europe papers
- 01 Apr 08 04:30 In Tuesday's Middle East papers
- 01 Apr 08 04:30 In Tuesday's South Asia papers
- 01 Apr 08 02:00 In Tuesday's Asia Papers
Latest News
- 18 May 13 00:01 Indiana pulls nitrogen plant funding over fears about explosives
- 17 May 13 23:59 Europe May EO contracts fall in line with ethylene decrease
- 17 May 13 23:59 Europe May DMT reference prices roll over in line with feedstocks
- 17 May 13 23:59 Europe May purified terephthalic acid contract prices roll over
- 17 May 13 23:59 Europe May MMA contract prices dip on softer market fundamentals