In Friday's Asia papers

29 August 2008 02:00  [Source: ICIS news]

ASAHI SHIMBUN, Japan

Front page

 

Japan set to back U.S.-India N-deal

Japan plans to give its approval to Washington's decision to provide civilian nuclear cooperation to India--even though that country possesses nuclear weapons but refuses to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), sources said.

 

Business & Industry

 

Nippon Oil to reduce wholesale prices of gas by 5.1 yen per liter

Nippon Oil Corp. said Wednesday it will reduce wholesale prices of its oil products--including gasoline--by 5.1 yen per liter starting Monday, the first cut by Japan's largest oil refiner since November 2006.

 

CHINA DAILY, China

Front page

 

SCO: Solve problems by dialogue

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders Thursday agreed that attempts to solve a problem through use of force would never work, and instead it would hinder a comprehensive settlement.

 

Premier Wen lights Beijing Paralympic flame at Temple of Heaven

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao lit the Beijing Paralympic flame at the ancient Temple of Heaven in Beijing on Thursday, kicking off the torch relay across China before the 13th Paralympics opens on September 6.

 

Business & Industry

 

Chinese economy where to go post-Olympics

As the 2008 Beijing Olympics ended in a splendor of fireworks, concerns over a post-Games downturn for the Chinese economy re-emerged

 

TAIPEI TIMES, Taiwan

Front page

 

Ex-investigator indicted in Chen case

Yeh Sheng-mao, former head of the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau, was indicted yesterday for withholding information about former president Chen Shui-bian’s possible involvement in money laundering.

 

Ibrahim Anwar returns to parliament, leads walkout

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in to parliament yesterday, only to stage a walkout hours later in a dispute over a controversial bill on forced DNA sampling.

 

Business & Industry

 

China Steel raises prices 3.92%

China Steel Corp, the nation’s largest and only integrated steelmaker, yesterday announced it would raise domestic steel prices by an average of 3.92 percent for the fourth quarter, following a 17.8 percent increase in the third quarter and a rise of 19 percent in the second quarter, to reflect rising raw material costs and shipping fees.

 

Investment risks in China rising, association says

The investment environment in China deteriorated while investment risks increased for the first time this year, and nearly 10 percent of Taiwanese manufacturers in China expressed a willingness to return if the government would provide sufficient incentives, a report released yesterday said.

 

KOREA HERALD, South Korea

 

Front page

 

Support for small firms fine-tuned

The government will exclude about 2,000 companies from the category of small and medium- sized enterprises in an effort to more efficiently support smaller firms.

 

LCD technology leaked to China

Prosecutors have indicted two executives of a flat-panel display maker who allegedly passed key technology to a Chinese firm.

 

Business & Industry

 

Lee's financial reform bills face political test

President Lee Myung-bak's pledge to ease regulations on the financial sector and help its competitiveness will undergo its first major test in the National Asssembly.

 

Ban on cross shareholding to stay

Fair Trade Commission Chairman Baek Yong-ho said yesterday that the prohibition on cross shareholding among the affiliates of conglomerates would remain in place.

 

NEW STRAITS TIMES, Malaysia

Front page

 

Graft in Puspakom: Puspakom deploys more men but queues build up

Puspakom yesterday deployed additional officers nationwide to ensure smooth operations after 36 officers were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Agency for taking bribes.

 

Umno to study why voters turned their backs on BN

Umno will conduct an in-depth study on why the Permatang Pauh electorate voted against Barisan Nasional in the by-election.

 

Business & Industry

 

AirAsia Q2 net profit plummets

A forex loss of RM76.9 million and record high jet fuel prices hurt the budget airline, leading to a 95 per cent drop in net profit to RM9.4 million

 

'Amount owed to MAHB settled'

The airline can't provide the amount as it has a non-disclosure agreement, but it has settled the old debts, says its group chief executive officer

 

BUSINESS TIMES, Singapore

Front page

 

India FTA in the bag; Aussie, NZ talks wrapped up

After nearly six long years of back-and-forth negotiations and missed deadlines, Asean has finally come to an agreement over a deal for free trade in goods with India.

 

BCA taps China as costs go through the roof

With the cost of construction escalating to new highs, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has flown missions to China in the hope of attracting construction companies to set up business here.

 

Business & Industry

 

US banks, securities firms face massive refinance bill

Merrill Lynch, Wachovia Corp, Lehman Brothers and the rest of the US finance industry are about to find out how expensive credit has become.

 

US thrifts in record Q2 provisions for bad debt

The US savings and loan industry has set aside a record US$14 billion for bad debt provisions for the second quarter, amid predictions from its regulator that thrifts are only halfway through the credit crisis.

 

BANGKOK POST, Thailand

Front page

 

Shoving match     

Protesters armed with clubs pushed and forced police off the grounds of Government House early on Friday morning as a senior PAD member threatened to make demonstrations "more aggressive".

 

PAD appeal denied

The Civil Court refused on Thursday to lift its order for protesters to leave Government House immediately - but said it could appeal the order later.

 

Business & Industry

 

B200m project to build shops under expressways

Dhanarak Asset Development plans to invest 200 million baht in a pilot project to develop property for commercial use under expressways in Bangkok

 

Political skirmishes damage fragile investor sentiment

Political uncertainties and social infighting represented a direct opportunity loss for the Thai economy, according to Pannee Stawarodom, the director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office.

 

JAKARTA POST, Indonesia

Front page

 

Party list ranking best for women candidates

The preference of some political parties to use the majority vote as the basis for the selection of legislative candidates will prejudice the chances of female legislative candidates to win seats in the 2009 elections, a women's activist warned here Wednesday

 

Food, drugs safety now high priority: Agency

The Drug and Food Monitoring Agency (BPOM) and the Attorney General's Office (AGO) have said violations against food and drugs safety standards are "high-priority cases" that demand special treatment.

 

Business & Industry

 

Govt eyes water transportation system 

The government is inviting the private sector to assist it in developing an integrated system of river and railway-based transportation systems across the archipelago.

By: Staff Reporter
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