IV. International
(05-16-05)
.
The Yangtze, the
third largest river after the
Nile and the Amazon, is
seriously polluted and the damage is almost
irreversible, the state-run China Daily reported.
.
The total number of
overseas Filipino remittance (OFW) was officially
recorded at $12.8 billion, just above 10% of the GDP. RP
is now the world’s 3rd highest remittance
recipient country after
India and
Mexico,
and the highest where remittances are measured as ratios
to population, GDP and exports.
. Developing
nations that are fast industrializing, such as China and
India, have braked their rising greenhouse gas emissions
by more than the total cuts demanded or rich nations by
the UN, Kyoto
Protocol.
. China
may overtake the US as the world’s biggest source of
greenhouse gases within months, one the world’s leading
energy analysts predict.
. Fake DVDs
and the undervalued renmimbi have been the main
points of discussion in the US about the rise of the
Chinese economy. But another issue is gathering steam in
the US – a new law that seeks to boost the employment
rights of Chinese workers and give trade unions more
influence.
.
The top family official has warned that China could face
a “population rebound” because the newly rich are
ignoring laws and because of early marriages.
. The Chinese
government has relocated some 250k Tibetans from
scattered rural hamlets to new “socialist villages,”
ordering them to build new housing largely at their own
expense and without their consent.
.
P.M. Shinzo Abe made an
offering to a war shrine that many in
Asia consider a symbol
of Japan’s
past militarism, but he had not attended in person that
would have damaged
Tokyo’s
rapprochement with Beijing.
.
The Justice Ministry issues a notice to address
public discontent over a controversial Civil Code
provision that regards a baby born within 300 days
after the mother’s divorce as a child born to her and
her former spouse even if the father is another one.
.
The Health Ministry “turned negative” is 2006 on
the possibility of a causal relationship between the
influenza drug Tamiflu and abnormal behavior, despite
reports from at least 2 doctors who said such links
could not be denied in the deaths of 2 teenagers.
.
Scores of
Taiwan
legislators sprayed water, threw sacks of paper
and exchanged punches in Parliament because of
disagreements over a bill, again delaying passage of the
long-overdue 2007 annual budget.
.
Taiwan signed a free
trade agreement with Honduras & El Salvador to
trade sugar and coffee for plastic.
.
Chi Mei Optoelectronics
Corp, the
nation’s second-biggest maker of LCD panels, filed a
lawsuit in the US against LG Philips LCD Co. for patent
infringement.
. South Korea
multinational conglomerate Daewoo International Corp,
which has the bid for 2 of the blocks in Roskhine
offshore in
Myanmar,
has objected to the Burmese decision to sell gas to
China at $4 per million British thermal units (mBtu).
.
Nearly 40% of freshmen at
Seoul National
University
came from families in the high-income bracket, according
to a survey of the university. The results indicate that
student with sufficient financial support have
advantages when applying to the nation’s top university.
.
The 2007 presidential election is expected to become a
multi-person race of the pro-government and main
opposition parties face internal discords that could
lead to party breakup or desertion by major presidential
hopefuls.
. Singapore,
striving to cast its staid image and overhaul its
economy, might have to legalize homosexuality to
become more cosmopolitan, and will preserve its core
values, the city-state’s founder Lee Yuan Kew said.
.
The conservative Southeast Asian state aims to be Asia’s
most vibrant center, with glitzy casinos and lively arts
scene to attract more terrorists and increase its
population of 4.5 million. “They tell me that
homosexuals are creative writers, dancers. If we want
creative people, then we have to put up with their
idiosyncrasies,” said Lee.
. Singapore
wants to attract 2 million educated and wealthy
immigrants to boost its population to 6.5 million and
transform its economy from a low-cost manufacturing base
into a center for science, technology and financial
services.
.
The Commission on
Elections (Comelec) in the
Philippines
said advance voting is
designed to prevent the disenfranchisement of thousands
of military, police and civilian personnel whose poll
duties on Election Day take them far away from where
they are registered voters.
.
The House of Representatives honored US Peace Corps
volunteer Julia Campbell with the Congressional
Medal of Achievement,
its highest decoration, in recognition of her invaluable
services and personal sacrifices for the Filipino
people, especially the poor.
.
Petron Corp introduced its new Petron XCS,
the first gasoline powered by premium organic combustion
enhancers that gives the engine a cleaner burn and
optimized power.
.
Many exports from
Thailand
lost tariff privileges when Washington placed the
kingdom on its intellectual property Priority
Watch list. The downgrade came with stiff trade
retaliations.
. State
telecom firms blocked satellite links and Internet
connections of People’s Television (PTV) because
it had not been granted a license to broadcast, Public
Relations Department Chief Ptamoj Rathavinji told
Reuters.
.
The 30% reserve
requirement imposed by the Bank of
Thailand (BoT)
last December to stem speculation in the Thai
bath should now be waived because it is ineffective
in slowing currency appreciation in the long-term,
senior executives of Phatra Securities said.
.
Maybank (Malaysia)
Q3 profit jumped 18%, helped by better net interest
income and expansion of the insurance & credit card
businesses. The improved results are attributed to more
than 15% rise in net income interest for a 9-month
period as well as lower loan loss & positioning.
.
Magnum Corp Bhd, a gaming firm, will consider a
proposal to return between 70 sen and 80 sen
a share to shareholders via a special dividend,
bankers say.
.
Berjaya Corp Bhd (BCorp) says it is contemplating
delisting its 65.22%-owned subsidiary, Berjaya
Capital Bhd. Berjaya Capital is involved mainly in
general insurance. Other activities include stock and
futures broking, hire purchase, lease & loan financing
and property investment.
. Vietnam
and
China’s
Guangxi Province will work together to develop roads and
a railway linking the two countries., P.M. Nguyen Tan
Dung said at a reception for Party Secretary of Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region Liu Qibao in Ha Noi.
.
Non-State enterprises will get equal treatment as State
enterprises in forest development as the Vietnamese
government is committed to encouraging all kinds of
investment in the industry, said Hun Duc Nhi, Deputy
Minister of Agriculture & General Development.
.
A new regulation is expected to tightly control the
formation and operation of securities brokerages and
increase their responsibility to investors. It will
ensure the financial solvency of new brokerages by
requiring the founding shareholders of a securities
company to contribute at least 20% of the initial
charter capital of the company.
.
One of the highlights of
the recent visit to
India by Russia’s top
leaders (Putin and First Dep. P.M. Sergei Ivanov) was a
discussion on the prospects for the delivery and
licensed production of the latest Russian Mig-35
Fulcrum-F fighter jets in India.
.
Women harassed for dowry may soon be able to seek
redress at any time during their marriage. The Centre is
considering removing the existing limit of seven years
after the wedding for registration of cases under the
Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961.
.
The BJP is in no mood to apologize as directed by the
Election Commission t do so before May 15 for
circulation of a controversial anti-Muslim CD during the
UP polls. BJP leaders asked why the party should
apologize for a CD is had not released.
. Pakistan
People’s Party Chair Benazir Bhutto showered
praise to Pres Musharraf for his policies to protect
women & minorities. But she said it will difficult to
work with Musharraf if she becomes prime minister.
.
Musharraf has hit out at Afghan P.M. Karzai for
criticizing Pakistan in fighting cross-border terrorism.
He called it absolute nonsense that Taliban leader
Mullah Omar was hiding in Pakistan.
.
P.M. Shaukat Aziz visited China at the request of his
Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao to hold wide-ranging
talks on bilateral, regional and international issues.
. Bangladesh
has 140 million packed into an area a little smaller
than IL, is one of the most vulnerable places as climate
changes. As the sea level slowly rises, this nation is
seeing saltwater creep into its coastal soils and
drinking water. Scientists say that in many ways it
represents climate change’s “perfect storm” of
challenges because the country is extremely poor,
extremely populated and extremely susceptible.
.
Army-led security forces
arrested the younger son (Arafat Rahman) of former P.M.
Khaleda Zia, in Dhaka on corruption allegations. Last
month, the authorities arrested her other son (Tarique
Rahman) also on corruption charges.
.
Bangladesh Bank has projected continuous
inflation in the domestic economy due to constant
external pressure on prices and demand side.
