2007 December 24 | The Wishful Thinker ( World News To You )

December 2007
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Asian News – - Asia's property prices likely to keep gaining momentum (EARTHtimes.org)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Asia's property prices likely to keep gaining momentum (EARTHtimes.org)
Singapore – Property prices in much of Asia are still undervalued compared with pre-crisis levels but are expected to keep gaining momentum, a report from a research house said Monday. Singapore's strong showing this year underscored a more general r…

`Should ABB`s head office shift to Asia in 20 years?` (Business Standard India)
Global engineering leader ABB, which has been on an upswing in recent years, owes some of that to the growth momentum in Asia. China and India lead the show with Chinese volumes two-and-a-half times India s, but the Indian growth rate exceeds China s. To underline the growing importance of India, the ABB Group held its board meeting for the first time here recently.

Amex To Go End To End, Bring Global Tools To Asia (Business Travel News)
DECEMBER 17, 2007 — American Express Business Travel is working to bring Asia/Pacific into its global plan to provide standard processes and service through new service centers, development of profile tools and implementing a quality-of-service scorecard measurement system now used for agents in North America and Europe.

Asia's Money Talked in 2007, Humbled West Walked: William Pesek (Bloomberg via Yahoo! News)
Dec. 24 (Bloomberg) — You would expect a year marking the 10th anniversary of the Asian crisis to be hectic, and 2007 didn't disappoint. Coup attempts, subprime fallout, terrorist attacks, scandals, volatile stocks, elections, you name it.

Bercham police station comes out tops in Asia (The New Straits Times)
KUALA LUMPUR: Police stations in Malaysia are the best in Asia in the community orientation, physical conditions, equal treatment, transparency and accountability and detention conditions categories.

Industry Group: Asia's Airline Sector Set For Slowdown – AFP (Nasdaq)
SINGAPORE (AFP)–After two good years Asia's airline sector is set for a possible steep slowdown in 2008 as the global credit crunch hits consumers, damping air travel demand, an industry group said Sunday.

FEATURE-Fun serious business as Asia elephants struggle (AlertNet)
Source: Reuters By Gillian Murdoch SURIN, Thailand, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Sucking up sugarcane with their trunks and circling busy traffic roundabouts, the elephants that roam Thai towns at festival time seem as much …

Asia century: China, India, Taiwan, Japan in world finance, trade, politics, outsourcing (cmi valpara so)
Watch out on a rising China and Asia of 4 billion people! Is a war coming between rising China, Asia and world? Is the 21st century world is to be dominated by China and Asia? How to bring peace and order to global development in the new century? What are the economic, political, business realities?

Youngsters queue at Asia Game Show in Hong Kong (People's Daily)
Over a thousand people, mostly youngsters, queued Saturday at Hong Kong's convention and exhibition center in order to have a try of the avant-guard high definition video games, of which some were yet to be released. The Asia Game …

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Asian News – - Industry body: Asia's airline sector set for slowdown (ABS-CBNNEWS.com)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Industry body: Asia's airline sector set for slowdown (ABS-CBNNEWS.com)
SINGAPORE – After two good years Asia's airline sector is set for a possibly steep slowdown in 2008 as the global credit crunch hits consumers, dampening air travel demand, an industry group said Sunday.

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Indonesian News – - Indonesia: Concerns with Right to Information Law (Scoop.co.nz)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Indonesia: Concerns with Right to Information Law (Scoop.co.nz)
ARTICLE 19 has written to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia calling on him to do all within his power to ensure that the draft right to information law currently being discussed by the Indonesian Parliament and government respects international standards.

Indonesia seeking opportunity to sell Natuna gas to Thailand (Antara News)
Indonesia is currently exploring the possibility of selling natural gas from its Natuna Block to Thailand because channeling the gas to domestic consumers will be too costly.

Japan to accept 1,000 nurses, care workers from Indonesia: report (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Japan will accept 1,000 nurses and health care workers from Indonesia from as early as next year under a free trade pact to help ease the country's shortage of such staff, a report said Saturday.

Strong quake hits Indonesia (TVNZ)
A strong earthquake rattled Indonesia's half of New Guinea island on Saturday and was felt in the provincial capital Jayapura, although there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Rice export to Indonesia: Cabinet allows ministry to sign MoU (Business Recorder)
ISLAMABAD (December 24 2007): The caretaker Cabinet has given a go-ahead signal to the Commerce Ministry for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indonesia for export of Irri-6 and Basmati rice in huge quantity, with the condition that no extra financial benefit would be given to Indonesia, official sources told Business Recorder.

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Indonesian News – - Strong quake hits Indonesia (TVNZ)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

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Brunei News – - 5-Star DPMM FC Thrash Sarawak (BruDirect.com)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

5-Star DPMM FC Thrash Sarawak (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei DPMM FC finally got their first win at home in the Malaysia Super League – by trouncing bottom of the league Sarawak 5-1 last night at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

Brunei Company To Export Drinking Water To UAE, Japan (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – A Bruneian firm is venturing into the export market early next year, hopeful its oxygenated drinking water product, marketed under the RainFresh brand, would find a ready market.

Brunei Ad Agency Puts Cards On Tabletops (BruDirect.com)
Brunei-Muara – Small and medium enterprises are warming up to the idea of reaching out to customers through out-of-the box advertising mediums, prompting local ad agency EasyOrange to offer clients so-called tabletop ads where adverts will be displayed on coffee and dining tables of select restaurants and cafes.

S Korea To Scrap Import Tax On Philippine,Brunei Crude, Gas (Nasdaq)
SEOUL -(Dow Jones)- South Korea's Ministry of Finance and Economy said Sunday that taxes on crude oil, natural gas and more than 11,000 other goods imported from the Philippines and Brunei will be scrapped with effect Jan. 1.

Local Shuttlebugs Hold Annual General Meeting (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei Photographic Society yesterday held their 31st Annual General Meeting at the Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah Conference Hall.

IBA signs two new deals over $4m in New Zealand and Brunei (Australasian Investment Review via Yahoo!7 Finance)
Health IT business, IBA Health Group said on Friday it has signed two new agreements with a combined value of over $4 million with Otago District Health Board in New Zealand and JSY Systems, Brunei. IBA's hospital information technology will be used by the Otago District Health Board in its Dunedin and Wakari hospitals and rural health centres throughout Otago in New Zealand's South Island. …

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Brunei News – - Brunei Company To Export Drinking Water To UAE, Japan (BruDirect.com)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

No Tax For Brunei's Exports To S Korea (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – South Korea's Ministry of Finance and Economy said yesterday that taxes on crude oil, natural gas and more than 11,000 other goods imported from Brunei and the Philippines will be scrapped starting January 1 next year.

Minister Of Religious Affairs Presents Sacrificial Meat O Less Fortunate (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Over 80 people comprising the less fortunate from the Brunei-Muara District received the korban or sacrificial meat yesterday at the Ministry of Religious Affairs building.

Royal Brunei Police Force Holds Aidiladha Gathering (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – The Royal Brunei Police Force yesterday afternoon held a Hari Raya Aidiladha gathering at the surau belonging to its headquarters.

Kinky Products Sneak Their Way Into Brunei (BruDirect.com)
Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei Darussalam has seen a precarious increase in the illegal importation of sexual paraphernalia and medicines used to enhance sexual desire and pleasure over the years.

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Europian News – - Russia: No arms increase in Europe (UPI)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Russia: No arms increase in Europe (UPI)
Russia's foreign minister says his country does not plan to expand its military power in Europe.

Iran, Italy's Edison close to gas deal: minister (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Iran and Italian power company Edison are nearing agreement on a deal to pump more than a billion cubic feet of Iranian gas to Europe per day, the Iranian oil minister said on Sunday.

Former Cold War borders fall away in new Europe (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Frontiers in east Europe once guarded by machineguns and barbed wire in the Cold War fell away on Friday as nine mostly former communist states joined the EU's border-free zone amid fireworks, cheers and music.

Japan Plans 147M Yen to Spread Anime, Manga in Europe (Anime News Network)
The Japanese government has decided on December 21 and 22 to allocate 147 million yen (about US$1.3 million) to spread anime, manga, and other elements of Japanese popular culture in Eastern Europe.

Europe remiss in dealing with Russia (The Japan Times)
BRUSSELS Friend or foe, or something uneasily in between? That's the question Europe is asking about Russia, and Russia about a newly aggressive Europe. President Vladimir Putin's choice of Dmitri… Read more …

IMF to cut US, Europe growth estimates (The New Zealand Herald)
FRANKFURT – The International Monetary Fund will cut its estimates for economic growth in 2008 in the United States and Europe again because of the credit crisis, its chief economist told Boersen-Zeitung newspaper.

Europe, Africa summit closes with no progress on trade issue (AG Weekly)
LISBON, Portugal The first summit between Europe and Africa in seven years came to an acrimonious end Sunday with leaders squabbling over human rights and no progress on a looming trade pact deadline.

EUROPE'S CAPITALS OF CULTURE FOR 2008 (Chicago Tribune)
The home of the Beatles shares the honor with a city of 'Norwegian Wood' Every year since 1985, Europe has chosen a city to showcase its cultural life and cultural development.

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Europian News – - Japan Plans 147M Yen to Spread Anime, Manga in Europe (Anime News Network)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

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Philippines News – - Philippines a Xmas terrorism risk: DFAT (Nyngan Observer)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Philippines a Xmas terrorism risk: DFAT (Nyngan Observer)
Australia has warned there could be terrorist attacks in the Philippines over Christmas, although the Asian nation's police chief said security officials had not uncovered a specific threat.

Australia warns of possible terror attacks during Christmas in Philippines (AP via Yahoo! Malaysia News)
Australia has warned there could be terrorist attacks in the Philippines over Christmas, although the Asian nation's police chief said Sunday security officials had not uncovered a specific threat.

Philippines 'bomb plotter' Islamic envoy (Straits Times)
CAIRO – AN Egyptian man held in the Philippines for allegedly plotting a Christmas bomb attack is an envoy of Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning who was arrested by mistake, the institution's grand imam said on Sunday.

Philippines 'bomb plotter' is Al-Azhar envoy – cleric (The Daily Star Lebannon)
An Egyptian man held in the Philippines for allegedly plotting a Christmas bomb attack is an envoy of Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning who was arrested by mistake, the institution's grand imam said on Sunday. Al-Azhar's Sheikh Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi told Egypt's official MENA news agency.

Philippines a Xmas terrorism risk: DFAT (AAP via Yahoo!Xtra News)
Australia has warned of terror attacks in the Philippines over Christmas, although the Asian nation's police chief said a specific threat hadn't been uncovered.

John Lloyd Cruz nervous about hosting Miss Philippines-Earth (PEP)
"Magkahalong nerbiyos at excitement," ang mga salitang isinagot ni John Lloyd Cruz sa PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) nang tanungin siya kung ano ang nararamdaman niya sa hosting job niya sa 2007 Miss Philippines-Earth.

Philippines 'bomb plotter' Islamic envoy: Egypt cleric (AFP via Yahoo! News)
An Egyptian man held in the Philippines for allegedly plotting a Christmas bomb attack is an envoy of Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning who was arrested by mistake, the insitution's grand imam said on Sunday.

Philippines 'bomb plotter' Islamic envoy: Egypt cleric (TODAYonline)
An Egyptian man held in the Philippines for allegedly plotting a Christmas bomb attack is an envoy of Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning who was arrested by mistake, the insitution's grand imam Sheikh Mohammed Sayyid Tantawi, seen here in March 2007, said on Sunday.

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Philippines News – - Philippines 'bomb plotter' Islamic envoy: Egypt cleric (AFP via Yahoo! News)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

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Philippines News – - Philippines 'bomb plotter' Islamic envoy: Egypt cleric (AFP via Yahoo! News)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

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Singapore News – - Singapore Hot Stocks-DBS, ST Engineering in focus (Reuters via Yahoo! Malaysia News)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Singapore Hot Stocks-DBS, ST Engineering in focus (Reuters via Yahoo! Malaysia News)
SINGAPORE, Dec 24 – DBS Group Holdings may be in focus on Monday after the bank said it did not subscribe to the rights shares offered by Thailand's TMB Bank .

Singapore Stocks Likely To Continue Rise (Nasdaq)
(RTTNews) – After days of choppy trade, the Singapore stock market appears ready to regain 3,400 points when the Straits Times Index opens for business on Monday. The market will be closed Tuesday for the Christmas holiday before re-opening on Wednesday.

Merrill May Turn to Singapore Fund for Cash Help (Washington Post)
NEW YORK — Singapore's state-owned investment fund is considering a $5 billion investment in Merrill Lynch, according to a report Friday, potentially providing the nation's biggest brokerage firm with much-needed cash as it deals with billions of dollars in credit losses.

Singapore increases port handling (Calcutta News)
Singapore intends spending about two billion dollars to increase its port's annual capacity by about 40 percent.

(AFX UK Focus) 2007-12-24 01:30 GMT: Singapore shares open higher on Wall Street's gains, window dressing (Interactive Investor)
SINGAPORE (Thomson Financial) – Singapore shares opened firmer Monday as fund managers picked up blue chips to boost their their portfolios during the last trading week of 2007, taking their cue from Wall Street's gains Friday.

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Singapore News – - Singapore fund may sink $5 billion into Merrill Lynch (El Paso Times)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

Singapore fund may sink $5 billion into Merrill Lynch (El Paso Times)
NEW YORK — Singapore's state-owned investment fund is mulling over a $5 billion investment in Merrill Lynch & Co., according to a report Friday, potentially providing the nation's biggest brokerage with much-needed cash amid billions of dollars in credit losses.

Singapore recruiting foreign workers for neighbourhood patrols (EARTHtimes.org)
Singapore – Foreign workers are joining neighbourhood patrols in Singapore following complaints of rowdy and drunken behaviour by newly arrived counterparts, police said Monday. The new programme followed the conversion of old residential blocks into…

Singapore to spend 1.4 billion US dollars to expand port (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Singapore is set to spend two billion dollars (1.41 billion US) to increase its port's annual capacity by about 40 percent, a newspaper reported Saturday.

(AFX UK Focus) 2007-12-24 01:35 GMT: Strong tourist arrival targets expected to buoy Singapore's hotel sector (Interactive Investor)
SINGAPORE (Thomson Financial) – Hotels in Singapore have enjoyed brisk business this year and are expected to continue to perform strongly as the government lines up a series of developments to meet its target of attracting 17 million tourist arrivals by 2015, up from 9.7 million in 2006.

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Singapore News – - (AFX UK Focus) 2007-12-24 01:30 GMT: Singapore shares open higher on Wall Street's gains, window dressing (Interactive Investor)

24 Dec, 2007 No Comments

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