Politic-Economic-Society-Tech

------------------------------------ 14/01/2001

Chinese PM promises to narrow trade gap with Bangladesh
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji on Saturday promised to narrow the trade gap between his country and Bangladesh during an official visit aimed at boosting economic ties, it was reported.

------------------------------------ 07/01/2001

India Rebuffs Pakistan Talks Offer
India's prime minister grudgingly shook hands with Pakistan's president Saturday - and later initiated a handshake himself - but he rebuffed an offer of talks until Pakistan cracks down harder on Islamic militants.

------------------------------------ 24/12/2001

Philippines Wants Muslim Leader for Trial
The Philippines has rejected a request by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to allow a Muslim leader detained in Malaysia sanctuary in a third country.

Concerned Tanaka relieved at end of Japan-China trade row
Foreign Minister Makiko Tanaka, who earlier this week expressed concern over how Japan is handling the trade row with China, said Friday she is relieved that the two sides were able to resolve the row over import curbs on agricultural products which mostly come from China.

India ups the ante, recalls envoy
HT Correspondent
New Delhi on Friday announced the recall of its High Commissioner in Islamabad saying Pakistan had failed to act against the terrorist groups behind the December 13 attacks. 

------------------------------------ 17/12/2001

Suspects held over parliament raid
Police in India say that at least 10 people, including some Pakistani nationals, are being held in connection with Thursday's attack on the parliament in Delhi.
India has blamed a Pakistan-based Kashmiri militant group for the suicide attack on its parliament which left 12 people dead.

------------------------------------ 10/12/2001

Sri Lanka: A victory of sorts
Reversing a string of defeats over the past seven years, the opposition United National Party (UNP) has surged ahead in Sri Lanka's 12th parliamentary elections. While the final tally is yet to be announced, computer projections of results indicate that the UNP will secure about 113 seats in the 225-member parliament - a simple majority enabling it form a government on its own.  

Harrison's Hare Krishna passion revealed
For former Beatle George Harrison, the East was never a passing fad of the '60s. An absorption with forms of Hinduism and with Indian music remained a part of his life to the very end.

------------------------------------ 03/12/2001

China deports Falun Gong supporters
Authorities in China have begun deporting dozens of foreign nationals caught protesting against an official ban on the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

------------------------------------ 26/11/2001

China gains appetite for euro in reserves
China confirmed on Tuesday it has bought euros in the past two months and would raise further the proportion of the European currency in its $200 billion foreign exchange reserves, the world's second largest.

Dismal outlook for Sri Lanka's president
The political crisis is Sri Lanka appears to be worsening, and in the latest government's call for a ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam -- fighting a long and bloody battle for the independence of the island's minority Tamil-speaking population -- one can sense a state of near panic, given the kind of terrorism that is now spreading the world over.

Revamping Nissan posts record H1 profit
Nissan Motor Co has posted record net and operating profits for the first half of its current business year, boosted by aggressive cost-cutting efforts and favourable currency rates.

------------------------------------ 19/11/2001

Japan files acceptance of U.N. terrorism pact
The Japanese government submitted a letter of acceptance of the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan at U.N. headquarters in New York at midnight Friday Japan time, government officials said.

Chan Asia-Pacific meet on cancer opens today
A traditional Chinese medicine believed to improve a person's immune system, combined with modern therapies, will be among the matters to be discussed at the 16th Asia-Pacific Conference on Cancer (APCC) which begins today,

------------------------------------ 05/11/2001

Germany's Schroeder lauds China, eyes mega-deals
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder wrapped up his whirlwind tour of China on Friday heaping praise on the country's eastern financial capital and lauding a slew of massive German industrial investments.

------------------------------------ 29/10/2001

Safe-birth ritual held for Japan's crown princess
Japanese Crown Princess Masako, pregnant with a possible heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne, has taken part in an ancient ritual to pray for a safe birth as the date of her delivery drew closer.

Dr M: Malaysia’s proposal on finance being accepted
Malaysia is happy that many of its earlier proposals on finance, world trade and politics are being accepted, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

------------------------------------ 15/10/2001

China rallies Apec to fight terrorism
Chinese President Jiang Zemin has told Asia-Pacific leaders that the world is fighting an international battle against terrorism, despite some doubts about US tactics.

------------------------------------ 15/10/2001

Bomb scare in Indonesia as protests grow
Indonesia yesterday expressed its deep concern about the US-led strikes on Afghanistan as anti-Western demonstrations continued to grow across the country and an attempt was made to bomb an Australian company office in the Sulawesi city of Makassar.

China bars many Mideasterners from its airlines
China has barred people from large parts of the Middle East from its airlines following the September 11 attacks on the United States, an airline official said on Saturday.

------------------------------------ 08/10/2001

Blair heads for India, supportive on Kashmir terror
Prime Minister Tony Blair will arrive here late tonight on the latest leg of a global dash to consolidate support for the war on terrorism.

Right­wing alliance set for landslide win in Bangladesh parliament
An alliance of rightist and fundamentalist Islamic parties headed by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia appeared set for a landslide win in parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, ending a campaign that killed more than 160 people.

Polls Close in Bangladesh
Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's coalition, which includes three Islamic fundamentalist parties, appeared headed for a landslide win in Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, according to unofficial vote counts Tuesday.

------------------------------------ 01/10/2001

Bush Effigy Burned in Indonesia Rally
More than 1,000 protesters burned U.S. flags and an effigy of President Bush outside the U.S. Embassy on Thursday as some of its diplomats prepared to leave the world's most populous Muslim nation.

Japan owes it to world to revive economy - Koizumi
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed determination to press ahead with his economic reforms on Thursday, saying Japan owed it to the world to revive its economy, particularly after attacks on the United States.

------------------------------------ 24/09/2001

Bush proposes lifting sanctions on Pakistan, India
The Bush administration this week told key members of Congress that it will lift sanctions imposed on Pakistan and India after their nuclear tests in 1998, according to sources close to the issue.  

China, U.S. ready to share intelligence
The United States and China agreed yesterday to share intelligence against terrorism, and the State Department announced that a bilateral expert group will meet on Tuesday in Washington.

Nimda computer virus still spreading in Asia
The Nimda computer virus spread at dizzying speed through parts of Asia on Thursday for a second day, but experts said the worldwide outbreak may be close to peaking for the powerful server machines that drive the Web.

US ignoring India’s concerns about terrorism: Vajpayee
India yesterday openly criticised the United States for ignoring its concerns on terrorism a week after offering Washington “unstinted support” in its campaign to fight the menace.

------------------------------------ 17/09/2001

US embassies tighten security in Asia
A shocked United States shut two of its key embassies in Asia and beefed up security at others on Wednesday, warning US citizens to be on high alert in the wake of the extraordinary airplane attacks on New York and Washington.

Russia and China to sign seven important agreements in the sphere of economics
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji began his tour of Russia by visiting St. Petersburg. On Friday (September 8), he will meet his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Kasyanov, in that city.

Global woes hammer China industrial output
The industrial production growth rate was the same as in July, when it was two percentage points down from June at its slowest rate in 18 months, the State Statistical Bureau said in a statement.

------------------------------------ 03/09/2001

Many lose jobs as Gateway exits Asia
Japan, Malaysia hit hard by firm's pull-out from region 

Nepal Government, Rebels to Hold Landmark Peace Talks
A Nepali government team is due to meet Maoist rebels in Kathmandu on Thursday for landmark peace talks aimed at ending the Himalayan kingdom's bloody insurgency which has claimed over 1,800 lives in five years.

------------------------------------ 20/08/2001

Koizumi's 'deep remorse' for war
Japan's prime minister Junichiro Koizumi has expressed "deep remorse and sincere condolence" to the victims of Japan's actions during the World War II. 

Koizumi vows lasting peace
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi marked the 56th anniversary of the end of World War II on Wednesday with a pledge that Japan would do its utmost to achieve a lasting peace. 

Shrine visit sparks bloodshed
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has fanned tensions across north-east Asia about his militarist leanings by visiting a Tokyo shrine that honours his nation's war dead.

------------------------------------ 14/08/2001

Law Paves Way for Khmer Rouge Tribunal
Cambodia took a big step toward obtaining justice for victims of the murderous Khmer Rouge as King Norodom Sihanouk signed a law Friday enabling the establishment of a U.N.-assisted genocide tribunal.

Taiwan, not NMD, is Jiang's concern
Chinese President Jiang Zemin appears more concerned about US arms sales to Taiwan than plans for a National Missile Defense (NMD) system, the head of a visiting US Congressional delegation said on Thursday.

Putin-Kim meeting should advance U.S.-N. Korea talks
Relations between the United States and North Korea affect the stability of the whole Asia-Pacific region.

Manila and MILF ink peace deal brokered in KL
The Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed a set of guidelines yesterday for the cessation of hostilities in Mindanao.

Indonesia debt to be reviewed
Australia said yesterday it was undertaking a joint study with the World Bank of the make up and management of IndonesiaХs foreign debt to see whether the international community could ease the massive burden. 

Memorial held in Hiroshima for Korean A-bomb victims
A memorial service for Koreans who died from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima was held in Peace Memorial Park here Sunday, a day ahead of the 56th anniversary of the bombing. 

Indian PM offers to resign
New Delhi — Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee offered to resign on Tuesday as charges flew over the crisis engulfing the country's largest mutual fund manager.