AsiaPulse News articles from November 2006

AsiaPulse News archives from November 2006

SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: Vernacular dailies - N. Korea to return to six-way talks without conditions: China (KYUNGHYANG SHINMUN) - N. Korea to return to six-party talks (KUKMIN DAILY) - N....

FOREX - US DOLLAR ENDS STRONGER AGAINST RUPEE - OCT 31, 2006.
November 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Oct 31 Asia Pulse - The US Dollar ended dearer against the rupee at Rs 45.03 per dollar but the pound sterling finished lower at Rs 85.46 per pound at the close of the Interbank Foreign Exchange (FOREX) market here on Tuesday. The...

STOCKS - BOMBAY SHARES END LOWER - OCT 31, 2006.
November 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Oct 31 Asia Pulse - The Bombay market failed to stay above the 13,000 milestone on Tuesday with the benchmark Sensex closing at a loss of 62 points on the back of profit booking at higher levels while ending its three-day upward...

MELBOURNE SUPERMARKET REOPENS AFTER FOOD CONTAMINATION SCARE.
November 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - A Melbourne supermarket has reopened following a food contamination scare being investigated by police. Undisclosed "foreign objects" were discovered in the fresh food section of Safeway Bayswater, in the...

GROWTH IN AUSTRALIA'S MANUFACTURING OUTPUT SLOWS.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Growth in Australia's manufacturing activity slowed last month, reflecting mixed domestic demand, marginally weaker export growth and intense import competition, new figures show. The Australian Industry...

ENVIRONMENT LAWS MAY END AUSTRALIAN ALUMINIUM PROD'N: DEMOCRATS.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Aluminium smelters may become ancient history if a carbon trading scheme is introduced, the Australian Democrats say. Australia produces about 30 per cent of the world's aluminium via high polluting smelters,...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS SHARPLY HIGHER - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened nearly half a US cent higher today, supported by rate hike expectations, while the US dollar suffered as US consumer confidence unexpectedly declined. At 0700 AEDT the domestic...

TAIWAN'S WEALTH DIVIDE GROWING: SURVEY.
November 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The problem of widening wealth inequality in the country is reflected in the financial status of office workers in their 30s, with the gap expected to become increasingly wider in the future, according to the results...

INDONESIA'S ASTRA POSTS 33.3 PCT DROP IN NET PROFIT IN JAN-SEPT.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - PT Astra Internasional (JSX:ASII), Indonesia's largest publicly listed automotive distributor and manufacturer, saw a 33.3 per cent drop in its net profit to Rp2.992 trillion (US$328.88 million) in the first nine...

AUSTRALIA'S ST GEORGE BANK POSTS 17.9 PCT RISE IN YR NET PROFIT.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - St George Bank (ASX:SGB) chief financial officer Steve McKerihan says the bank has achieved growth in its key New South Wales (NSW) lending business despite broader weakness in the state economy. Australia's...

BEST ASSIGNS RATINGS TO MALAYSIAN REINSURANCE BERHAD.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 31, 2006--A.M. Best Co. has assigned a financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and an issuer credit rating (ICR) of "a-" to Malaysian Reinsurance...

POSCO ENGINEERING EYES US$10 BLN NIGERIAN RAILROAD CONTRACT.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's POSCO Engineering and Construction Co. is aiming to win a US$10 billion contract to modernize Nigeria's railroad system, industry sources said Wednesday. POSCO said it had a good chance to win the...

NEW FISHING LAW BRINGS FOREIGN INVESTORS BACK TO INDONESIA.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Oct 31 Asia Pulse - Foreign fishing companies are beginning to show interest in restarting ventures in Indonesia due to a new regulation banning exports of fresh fish. At least 11 foreign fishing companies have proposed to invest a...

HELIX RECEIVES LOI FOR RELIANCE PROJECT IN INDIA.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) HOUSTON, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. announced today that it has executed a letter of intent with Allseas Marine Contractors S.A. for the...

NO PAY HIKE FOR MOST TAIWAN OFFICE WORKERS OVER PAST 3 YEARS.
November 1, 2006... TAIPEI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The majority of office workers in Taiwan have received no pay hike over the past three years, forcing many of them to seek moonlighting opportunities, according to the results of a survey released Tuesday. The...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE AGE: - Fund managers say it is a matter of time before companies will have to come clean on their carbon emissions. - The Federal Government faces a backlash over the...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SINGAPORE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STRAITS TIMES: - Higher operating expenses and a fall in fee income have taken the shine off United Overseas Bank's (UOB's) third-quarter performance. -...

INDIA WANTS VENTURE WITH GAZPROM, SEEKS STAKE IN SAKHALIN-III.
November 1, 2006... MOSCOW, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - After getting a foothold in Russia's vast energy reserves, India has proposed an exploration venture with Russian gas major Gazprom and sought a stake in the Sakhalin-III oil and gas project in the far east. ...

BELGIAN PM TO VISIT INDIA TO DISCUSS TRADE AND INVESTMENT.
November 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - With an aim of enhancing the bilateral ties in diverse fields, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt will undertake a six-day visit here from Thursday during which the two sides will sign a number of pacts,...

INDIA'S SHARON BIO SIGNS DEAL WITH US MARKETING COMPANY.
November 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Sharon Bio Medicine Ltd (BSE:590034) on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with a US-based marketing company for developing and supplying generic formulations to the US and Canadian markets from its Dehradun...

IBM TO SET UP DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN PUNE, INDIA.
November 1, 2006... BANGALORE, Oct 31 Asia Pulse - IBM on Tuesday said it will set up a development centre in Pune, which will develop, manage and deliver industry-specific business services to its clients. The company also announced the opening of a similar...

AUSTRALIAN PM CALLS FOR WIDER GLOBAL EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Prime Minister John Howard says Australia will consider joining a global emissions trading scheme to tackle climate change, but only if all industrialised countries take part. Mr Howard's comments came after...

INDIA'S BHARTI INKS US$400 MLN NETWORK EXPANSION DEAL WITH NOKIA.
November 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Bharti Airtel (BSE:532454) on Tuesday said it has signed a US$400 million contract with Nokia to expand its network in eight circles and deploy a pan India WAP solution. The three-year-contract would expand...

AUSTRALIAN GOVT TO PAY HEAD OF FUTURE FUND US$384,500 A YEAR.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The man chosen to manage the federal government's superannuation bank account - the Future Fund - will be paid at least half a million Australian dollars (US$384,500) a year. The Future Fund was set up to cover...

EKAHAU SECURES $16 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SARATOGA, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire - AsiaNet/ -- Wi-Fi RTLS and Software Tools Maker Attracts New Funding for Worldwide Expansion from a Syndicate of International Investors ...

AUSTRALIA'S AEVUM TARGETS 10 TO 15 PCT SHARE GROWTH IN 2007 FY.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Retirement Village and aged care provider Aevum Ltd (ASX:AVE) has forecast earnings per share growth of 10 to 15 per cent in fiscal 2007. Aevum said it is likely dividends will grow at or above EPS growth,...

UNILEVER INDONESIA REPORTS 14.5% INCREASE IN 3Q NET PROFIT.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Publicly listed consumer goods company PT Unilever Indonesia (JSX:UNVR) reported a 14.5 per cent increase year-on-year in net profit to Rp1.37 trillion (US$152 million) in the first nine months of this year. ...

NEW SOUTH WALES GOVT PUSHES BACK JAMES HARDIE PAY-OUT DEADLINE.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The New South Wales (NSW) government has extended until November 14 the deadline for James Hardie to finalise the funding deal relating to its compensation obligations for victims of its asbestos products. The...

S KOREA'S LOTTE TO OPEN DEPARTMENT STORE IN CHINA: SOURCES.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's Lotte Department Store plans to open its first store in China at the beginning of 2008, industry sources said Tuesday. Lotte is negotiating with China's real-estate and building company Silvertie...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES OPEN HIGHER - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Australian stocks have started the day on a high note, bucking a fall in the US overnight as disappointing consumer confidence overshadowed positive corporate earnings. At 1015 AEDT the benchmark S&P/ASX200...

SAMSUNG TECHWIN TO JOINTLY DEVELOP GE JET ENGINES.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Samsung Techwin Co. (KSE:012450) said Tuesday it plans to take part in a joint development project to make GE's next-generation passenger jet engines. The South Korean company said it has acquired a 2 per cent...

INDIA'S BHARAT FRITZ WERNER PLANS SUBSIDIARY IN GERMANY.
November 1, 2006... BANGALORE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - City-based Rs 2 billion (US$44.4 million) machine tool manufacturer Bharat Fritz Werner (BFW) on Tuesday said it planned to register a subsidiary in Germany within a month. BFW has already supplied more than...

PRINCE ANDREW TO OPEN CAPARO INDIA'S COMPLEX IN TAMIL NADU.
November 1, 2006... LONDON, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Duke of York, Prince Andrew will launch Caparo India's multi-million industrial complex at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on Friday. Caparo Engineering India Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caparo...

AVIVA INDIA TO INFUSE ADDITIONAL CAPITAL FOR EXPANSION NEXT YEAR.
November 1, 2006... CAIRO, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Private life insurer Aviva India will infuse additional capital next year to fund its expansion plans, which will include setting up of 91 additional branches in the subcontinent nation. "Shareholders have agreed...

STOCKS - TOKYO SHARES OPEN LOWER - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... TOKYO, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Japanese shares opened 0.37 per cent lower Wednesday with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index dropping 60.67 points to 16,338.72 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 01-11 1108

LUFTHANSA TO LAUNCH BUSAN-MUNICH ROUTE.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Lufthansa, Europe's second-largest airline, said today it will begin servicing a new route connecting South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan and Munich, Germany, next year. Lufthansa, the first Europe-based...

TAICHUNG PORT MAINTAINS STEADY GROWTH IN CARGO HANDLING.
November 1, 2006... TAICHUNG COUNTY, central Taiwan, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Taichung Port has maintained a steady growth in cargo handling since beginning operations in 1976, Taichung Harbor Bureau officials said Tuesday. At a ceremony celebrating the bureau's...

AUSTRALIA'S CRANE GROUP TARGETS 5 PCT RISE IN OPERATING EARNINGS.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Building materials company Crane Group Ltd (ASX:CRG) has forecast operating earnings in fiscal 2007 to be approximately five per cent higher than in the previous year. In August Crane announced a 2005/06 net...

INDONESIA'S KIMIA FARMA REPORTS SHARP FALL IN NET PROFIT.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - State-owned pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma posted Rp18.198 billion (US$2 million) in net profit in the first nine months of this year down from Rp27.124 billion in the same period last year despite an increase...

MICROSOFT RESERVES US$100 MLN FOR EQUITY IN CHINESE SOFTWARE COS.
November 1, 2006... BEIJING, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Software giant Microsoft has reserved US$100 million for equity participation in Chinese software companies over the next five years, said Chen Yongzheng, vice present of Microsoft and CEO of the company's Greater...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... HONG KONG, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: - A new strain of H5N1 bird flu virus has emerged in southern China and may have sparked a third wave of outbreaks in Southeast Asia, said Hong...

AUSTRALIA'S CSIRO TO SPEND LESS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY RESEARCH.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) will spend $A1 million ($US773,050) less on renewable energy research this year than it did last year, a Senate estimates committee has been...

DATACARD GROUP EXPANDS MANUFACTURING CAPABILITY TO CHINA.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) New facility will provide regional customers with increased responsiveness, high quality products and outstanding delivery SUZHOU, China--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2006--Datacard Group,...

AUSTRALIA'S DOWNER EDI SEES US$120 MLN PROFIT IN FY2006-07.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Downer EDI (ASX:DOW) says it is expecting a net profit of $A155 million ($US119.82 million) for 2006/07. The company expects growth in revenue to $A5.2 billion ($US4.02 billion) and earnings before interest and...

AUSTRALIA'S SIGMA DISCUSSES OPTION DEALS WITH API SHAREHOLDERS.
November 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Drugs maker and distributor Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:SIP) says it is discussing possible option agreements with two of the major shareholders of rival Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX:API) (API)...

UBIQUISYS, SONY INK DEAL FOR ZONEGATE 3G ACCESS POINT.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SWINDON, England & PENCOED, Wales--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2006--UbiquiSys Ltd, the developer of mass-market wireless femto access points for the residential market, and Sony UK...

GULF INTERNATIONAL BANK POSTS 18 PCT RISE IN Q3 PROFITS.
November 1, 2006... MUSCAT, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Gulf International Bank (GIB) reported consolidated net income after tax of US$193.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, representing a .9 million or 18 per cent increase over the prior year period....

OMAN AVIATION PROFIT UP 7PCT IN THIRD QUARTER.
November 1, 2006... MUSCAT, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Oman Aviation Services Company (OASC), parent company of national carrier Oman Air, has reported a third quarter net profit of RO 1.452 million (US$3.77 million) compared to RO 1.351 million during the same period...

INDIA'S RIL RAISES US$300 MLN VIA DEBT SECURITIES PLACEMENT.
November 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) (BSE:500325) has raised US$300 million through private placement of debt securities in the US, marking the first such issue by an Indian company. Bank of America Securities, which...

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES OPEN HIGHER - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks started on a strong note Wednesday on hopes that North Korea's decision to come back to nuclear disarmament talks may help reduce regional tensions. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price...

ICICI VOTED INDIA'S BEST BANK BY HK MAGAZINE POLL.
November 1, 2006... MUMBAI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Domestic private sector banking major ICICI Bank (BSE:532174) has been named as India's best borrower in a poll conducted by Hong Kong-based business and investment magazine FinanceAsia. According to the latest...

INDIA'S ONGC TO SHIP FIRST SAKHALIN-I OIL TO MANGALORE IN DEC.
November 1, 2006... NEW DELHI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - State-run Oil and Natural Gas orporation (ONGC) (BSE:500312) will ship its first ever crude oil from Russia's Sakhalin-I project to Mangalore in the first week of December and will sell two other cargoes to...

AUSTRALIA TO INVEST US$46 MLN IN CUTTING GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Prime Minister John Howard has announced $A60 million ($US46.38 million) in funding on projects to help cut greenhouse emissions, including almost million for clean coal technology and $A11 million for coal mining....

TOLL HOLDINGS SELLS RAIL OPERATOR LEASE TO VICTORIAN GOVT.
November 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Transport group Toll Holdings Ltd's (ASX:TOL) rail operator, Pacific National, has sold back its lease of the Victorian regional rail network to the Victorian government for $A133.8 million ($US103.43 million). ...

AUSTRALIA'S BIS CLEANAWAY FINALISES PRICE FOR NOTES ISSUE.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - BIS Cleanaway Holding Ltd has finalised pricing for its issue of $A160 million ($US123.69 million) worth of subordinated exchangeable notes, which are expected to be listed on the Australian Stock Exchange tomorrow....

S.KOREAN NONLIFE INSURERS HIT BY SHARP INCREASE IN CAR ACCIDENTS.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Major South Korean nonlife insurers posted hefty losses in their insurance businesses in the first half of fiscal 2006 as the result of a soaring number of car accidents, industry sources said Wednesday. Leading...

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS KEEPS NO. 3 STATUS IN GLOBAL MOBILE MARKET.(Industry overview)
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Samsung Electronics Co. (KSE:005930) shipped 30 million mobile phones during the third quarter of this year, retaining its No. 3 status in the global market, a report showed Wednesday. LG Electronics Inc....

MOTOR MUSIC: MOTOROLA BRINGS STREAMING STEREO TO THE AUTOMOBILE.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LAS VEGAS, Nevada, Oct 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - New Motorola Automotive Music & Hands-free System T605 keeps users entertained and connected Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) adds mobile...

BMO CAPITAL MARKETS OPENS INVESTMENT BANKING OFFICE IN BEIJING.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) BEIJING, Nov 1 /CNW-AsiaNet/ - BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO), today officially opened its Investment Banking...

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING APPROVALS RISE 6 PCT IN SEPTEMBER.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The case for another interest rate rise grew today as Australia's appetite for housing showed no bounds, with building approvals rising six per cent in September despite two previous hikes this year. The...

NEW AUSTRALIAN LAWS ENABLE EASIER TRACKING OF TERRORIST FUNDS.
November 1, 2006... CANBERRA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Tracking money used to finance terror activities will be easier after new laws were passed by federal parliament today. Money laundering is also targeted in the Financial Transaction Reports Amendment Bill...

NAURU TO BEGIN SECONDARY PHOSPHATE MINING NEXT YEAR: MINISTER.
November 1, 2006... NADI, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Nauru is expected to begin secondary phosphate mining as early as the second quarter of 2007, according to a progress report presented to Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Nadi this week. The report was presented by...

STALLED SIX-PARTY TALKS TO RESUME SOON, SAYS CHINA.
November 1, 2006... BEIJING, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Stalled talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue will resume soon, China's Foreign Ministry said yesterday. At China's initiative, heads of delegations to the Six-Party Talks from China, North Korea and the...

FOREX - US DOLLAR OPENS WEAKER VS WON - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The US dollar opened at 940.50 won Wednesday, down from yesterday's close of 942.30 won. (Yonhap) 01-11 1229

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN SHARES HIGHER AT NOON - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... MELBOURNE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Banks and mining companies were shoring up the Australian share market at noon, spurred on by the banks' annual results season and a rebound in commodity prices. St George (ASX:SGB) reported a $A1 ($US.77)...

S. KOREA'S LARGE FIRMS ROSIER ABOUT NOVEMBER BIZ CONDITIONS.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's large companies are a little more optimistic about business conditions in November, the nation's top business lobby said Wednesday. The monthly business survey index, a key indicator for corporate...

NORTH KOREA CONFIRMS RESUMPTION OF SIX-PARTY TALKS.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - North Korea confirmed Wednesday its intention to return to international negotiations over its nuclear weapons program, adding that U.S. financial sanctions which have kept it away from the negotiating table will be...

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR SHARPLY STRONGER AT NOON - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SYDNEY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar was sharply stronger at noon today, with interest rate support and renewed US dollar weakness sending the local unit to its highest level in over five months. At 1200 AEDT the domestic...

FRENCH POLYNESIA'S FIRST CHINESE CONSUL TAKES UP POST.
November 1, 2006... PAPE'ETE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - China's first Consul General in French Polynesia Zhang Dongyue took up his post last week in the French Pacific territory, Oceania Flash reports. Mr Zhang presented his credentials to the central French...

S. KOREA'S EXPORTS RISE 11.5 PCT TO US$28.28 BLN IN OCTOBER.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's exports rose 11.5 per cent from a year ago to US$28.28 billion in October, fueled by strong overseas demand for LCD panels, semiconductors, ships and steel, a government report said Wednesday. ...

AUSTRALIA'S XSTRATA CLOSER TO SECURING SHARE IN PHILIPPINES MINE.
November 1, 2006... PERTH, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Major mining house Xstrata Copper has moved a step closer to securing an interest in the Tampakan copper and gold project in the Philippines held by Melbourne-based Indophil Resources NL (ASX:IRN). Xstrata has...

PNG'S PETROLEUM MINISTER SUSPENDED AMID MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS.
November 1, 2006... PORT MORESBY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Papua New Guinea's Minister for Petroleum Sir Moi Avei has been suspended from duties with full pay, pending a Leadership Tribunal enquiry into misconduct allegations. The national broadcaster NBC reports...

NEW CALEDONIAN COURT UPHOLDS JAIL TERM FOR UNIONIST.
November 1, 2006... NOUMEA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - An appeal court in New Caledonia has upheld a three-month prison sentence given to the CSTNC union leader, Sylvain Nea for his role in last year's protest action against the SLN nickel company. The ruling was...

STRADLING YOCCA CARLSON & RAUTH JOINS GARTNER CONSULTING.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LOS ANGELES & SAN FRANCISCO & CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2006--Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, a leading law firm headquarted in Southern California, today announced it has joined...

PNG PM SAYS GOOD GOVERNANCE WILL TAKE TIME.
November 1, 2006... PORT MORESBY, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Papua New Guinea Government has done a lot to ensure good governance in the public sector since coming into office in 2002, Treasurer Sir Rabbie Namaliu said yesterday, Post Courier reports. But, he...

JAPAN'S HACHIOJI MAYOR VISITS KAOHSIUNG ACTING MAYOR.
November 1, 2006... KAOHSIUNG, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Ryuichi Kurosu, the mayor of Hachioji, Japan, paid a visit to acting Kaohsiung Mayor Yeh Chu-lan Monday to exchange opinions on a wide range of civic affairs Monday, in advance of signing a friendship agreement...

COMARCO LAUNCHES PRIZM SCANNER FOR TD-SCDMA.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) LAKE FOREST, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 31, 2006--Comarco (NASDAQ:CMRO) Wireless Test Solutions today announced that it is extending its popular Prizm Scanning Receiver System to...

AUTONOMY'S COO TO CHAIR KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT ASIA CONFERENCE.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) SINGAPORE, Nov.1 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Andrew Kanter To Outline Autonomy's Vision For Meaning-Based Computing And How It Enables Global Organizations To Maximize The Value Of...

INDONESIA'S BANK NISP TO RECEIVE US$50 MLN IN IFC CREDIT.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Indonesia's publicly-listed Bank NISP (JSX:NISP) won approval of Bank Indonesia for a credit facility totaling US$50 million from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) at an interest rate of less than 12 per...

STOCKS - SINGAPORE SHARES UP IN EARLY TRADE - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... SINGAPORE, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade, with the Straits Times Index up 13.58 points at 2,715.33 at 10:00 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-11 1303

INDONESIA'S INDOFOOD POSTS 18.5 PCT HIKE IN SALES TO SEPTEMBER.
November 1, 2006... JAKARTA, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Publicly listed food giant PT Indofood Sukses Makmur (JSX:INDF) reported sales valued at Rp16.03 trillion (US$1.77 billion) in the first nine months of this year, an 18.5 per cent increase from the same period last...

COUNCIL RECOMMENDS MEASURES TO IMPROVE S.KOREA'S QUALITY OF LIFE.
November 1, 2006... SEOUL, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - A presidential council on science and technology on Wednesday recommended a series of policy measures to improve the quality of life for South Koreans by 2030. The Presidential Advisory Council on Science and...

STOCKS - MALAYSIAN SHARES HIGHER IN EARLY TRADE - NOV 1, 2006.
November 1, 2006... KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was up 0.08 per cent in early trade, with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index rising 0.77 points at 989.07 at 10:00 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-11 1307

VWR INTERNATIONAL, INC. OPENS WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY IN INDIA.
November 1, 2006... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania, Nov 1 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ - VWR International, Inc., a leader in the global research laboratory industry, announced today the establishment of a...