IV. International
(07-02-07)
.
India and China,
countries where the FDA rarely conducts quality-control
inspectors, have become major suppliers of low-cost
drugs and drug ingredients to American consumers. Their
products are becoming pervasive in the generic
and over-the-counter marketplace.
.
Asian regulators should think twice about
following the US lead one net neutrality, or risk
undermining the economic incentive for Asian carriers to
build and maintain faster networks, according to
speakers at the CommunicAsia Summit in
Singapore.
. The
sprawling Akshardham temple in E. New Delhi is an
impressive sight. Its stone pillars are decorated with
ornately calf relief. It has several massive domes, and
its polished marble floors are cool to the touch of bare
feet.
. China
will leapfrog the US by the end of next year to become
the leading market for AMD, said a report in Taipei
Times. A Bloomberg report says it has grown 7x
between 2002 and 2006.
.
Pres. Hu Jintao arrived
in Hong Kong
last Friday to attend celebrations marking the 10th
anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China and the
swearing-in ceremony of the third-term government in
Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
.
China’s state auditors named 3 large banks (Bank
of
China, Bank of Communications, and China Merchants
Bank) for “illegal or irregular” loans to the
real estate sector and for problems in their settlement
operations involving $2.36 billion, highlighting the
massive governance problems that exist in the financial
system.
. Taiwan
personal computer vendor Acer Inc expects its
computer shipments to increase 30% to 40% this year, a
reduction from previous sales forecasts. Its 2006
personal computer shipments totaled about 14 million
units, up 39% from the previous year.
. The
Executive Yuan’s Referendum Review Committee turned
down a proposal from Dem. Progressive Party (DPP)
Chairman Yu Shyi-kun on whether Taiwan should try to
gain entry to UN under name “Taiwan.”
.
The Taipei District Court said that majority of
hearings on Pres. Chen Shui-bian’s “state affairs fund”
case would be held behind closed doors.
. Japan
is known for a high reliance on low-fat fish and seaweed
dishes. But meat and high-fat foods feature ever more
prominently on Japan’s tables, while per capita intake
is stable, animal fat and protein consumption has grown
fourfold over the last 50 years.
.
Japan’s civil servants, whose average age is 34.7,
received 624,800 yen on average, an amount in line with
the Natl. Personnel Authority’s recommendation in
FY’06 to have both monthly salaries & bonuses unchanged.
.
Former Peruvian president
Alberto Fujimori, fighting extradition to Peru on
human rights ad corruption charges, will run for a seat
in Japan’s legislature this month, his spokesman said.
. South Korea
and the United States had more talks on free trade
agreement (FTA) aimed at reflecting Washington’s new
trade policy guidelines, said a South Korean senior
negotiator.
.
More than 5k government officials, military leaders and
veterans gathered at a gym in Seoul to market the 57th
anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, which
P.M. Han Duck-soo called an “Unforgotten War.”
.
Pres. Roh Moo-hyun suggested that 6-party talks
on North Korea’s disarmament be
transformed into a permanent regional security body to
enhance peace & cooperation in NE Asia after the north’s denuclearization.
.
North Korea
announced that it has invited UN inspectors t return for
discussions on closing down its main nuclear reactor,
suggesting the end of a long stalemate.
.
Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) issued public warnings on
pawnshop fraud and other deceptive financial market
transactions, e.g., no business permit, not registered
with BSP, lack of terms & conditions of loan, etc.
.
Filinvest Development Corp (FDC) will acquire
Pacific Sugar Holdings Corp (PSHC) from ALG
Holdings Corp (ALG), its parent company, in
exchange for 1,500,000,000 of its shares.
.
TeaM Energy Corp, the joint venture of Japanese
firms Marubeni Corp and Tokyo Electric Power
Co. (TEPCO) that acquired the Philippine assets of
Mirant Corp, will pour in fresh investments in
the domestic power industry for expansion of Pagbilao
coal-fired and Ilijian natural gas-fired
power facilities.
. Thailand’s
Foreign Minister and his Malaysian counterpart signed an
MOU in Bagkok to boost cooperation between the two
countries in ending the unrest in Thailand’s 3 southern
border provinces.
.
P.M. Surayud Chulanont said he was not worried
about a major rally against his government and the
Council for National Security (CNS) planned by
members of the Dem. Alliance against Dictatorship in
Bangkok.
.
On a visit to the south,
the secretary general of the Muslim World League
called on Muslims in the restive region to reject all
forms of violence, and any kind of anti-government or
anti-social behavior.
. Indonesia’s
security services
announced that they arrested leaders (Zarkasih and Abu
Dujama) of the terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah
(JI) earlier last month. The group is believed t be
responsible for a series of attacks inside the country
during the first half of the decade. Indonesian security
services are now receiving praise for appearing to get
the upper hand on domestic militants.
.
The hunt for other terrorist suspects was continuing on
Java and
Sulawesi islands,
where the network was trying to rebuild. JI continues to
collect guns, ammunitions and explosives. They are still
recruiting people and holding military training in S.
Philippines.
. All
Indonesian airlines (and several from Russia,
Ukraine and Angola) will be banned from flying to the
European Union due to safety concerns, the European
Commission said.
.
Aung San Suu Kyi
of Burma
celebrated her 62nd birthday last month –
alone and away from her children. She is separated from
her children abroad. When her husband was dying of
cancer, he was forbidden to be near her. Her only
well-wishers were armed guards, who hide her from the
rest of the world.
.
Since 1990, Burma’s military junta has held the nation’s
democratically elected leader as a captive in her home –
and in May, Gen. Than Shewe extended the house
arrest by another year. For Burmese who are less well
known, their treatment can be even worse.
.
The regime’s abuses have spawned more than 500k
internally displaced persons and sent hundreds of
thousands fleeing the country. Children are pressed into
service as laborers, and reports indicate that the rape
of girls is commonplace.
. India
has formally launched negotiations with the European
Union for an ambitious and comprehensive free trade
agreement (FTA). The talks were held in Brussels between
high-level delegations from both countries.
.
India floats $10 billion requisition on 126 medium
multi-role combat aircraft – Russian & American
aerospace competes to grab the deal. The P.M. believes
it is a way to provide Americans $10 billion to
facilitate
American outsourcing from
India. But the defense ministry is keen on tested on
familiar Russian technologies.
.
A double whammy of rising
real estate prices and increasing interest rates is
threatening to put houses out of reach of most
first-time buyers.
. Pakistan’s
authorities recently picked up 3 foreign jihadis,
including 2 carrying German passports, carrying
sophisticated satellite phones and traveling through a
lawless region which touched off an investigation ito
the backgrounds and prior travel of the suspects.
.
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) will surpass
tax collection target of Rs 835 billion by the end of
current FY ’06-07, said Chair Abdullah Yousef at a
recently held charter presentation ceremony in Karachi.
.
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority
(Nepra) has allowed the Water and Power Development
Authority (Wapda) to increase hydro-electric tariff
by 36.55 per unit for 2007-2008.
