AsiaPulse News articles from September 2005

AsiaPulse News archives from September 2005

FOREX - AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR OPENS HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian dollar opened almost one US cent stronger today as the US currency weakened on soft economic data and a rise in the price of gold. At 0700 AEST the local unit was trading at $US0.7548/52, well...

AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE DAILY TELEGRAPH - Shattered NSW Liberal MPS will regroup to elect Peter Debnam as leader. Gale force winds have whipped up a grass fire ahead of the bushfire season. ...

WOODSIDE ENERGY ACQUIRES GRYPHON EXPLORATION.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX:WPL) subsidiary Woodside Energy has expanded its Gulf of Mexico interests by acquiring the Gryphon Exploration Company. Woodside paid $US282.7 million ($A378.6 million) for Gryphon,...

AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY SHRINKS.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Activity in the domestic manufacturing sector has contracted for the second consecutive month, falling to its slowest growth rate in almost four and a half years. A plunge in new orders was one of the drivers...

CHALLENGER INFRASTRUCTURE FUND ACQUIRES UK FIRM FOR $US836MLN.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - A consortium led by the Challenger Infrastructure Fund (ASX:CGF) has acquired UK-Based gas transporter Inexus Group Holdings Ltd for an enterprise value of STG465 million ($US836.16 million). Challenger...

CALL FOR AUSTRALIA TO BE HQ FOR ASIA-PACIFIC COMPANIES.
September 1, 2005... MELBOURNE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Treasurer Peter Costello says Australia is the perfect location for global companies looking to establish a headquarters in the Asia Pacific. The federal treasurer spoke tonight at the opening of Vanguard...

WOODSIDE SHUTS DOWN LNG PROJECT TEMPORARILY.
September 1, 2005... PERTH, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL) may not be able to fulfill its supply contracts from the North West Shelf liquid natural gas project after an electrical fault forced the shutdown of the biggest processing train. The...

SOUTH AFRICA'S EDCON EYES AUSTRALIAN RETAILER MYER.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South African retailer Edgars Consolidated Stores (Edcon) has emerged as a potential buyer for Australia's largest department store chain Myer. With owner Coles Myer considering selling its iconic Myer stores,...

BURDEKIN PACIFIC TO ACQUIRE REDBANK PROJECT IN AUSTRALIA.
September 1, 2005... PERTH, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Gold explorer Burdekin Pacific (ASX:BKS) hopes to take advantage of strong copper prices when it becomes an instant copper producer with the acquisition of the Redbank project in the Northern Territory. Burdekin...

TAP OIL DOWNGRADES PROFIT FORECAST.
September 1, 2005... PERTH, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Tap Oil (ASX:TAP) has warned that its profit for the first half will not meet market expectations because of the change in accounting standards and a downgrade in reserves at one of its gas fields. The company's...

S. KOREA'S INFLATION RATE SLOWS IN AUGUST.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean consumer prices logged a slow growth in August as a fall in housing prices partially offset a rise in oil and food costs, a government report showed Thursday. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.3...

S. KOREA'S BUSINESS SENTIMENT IMPROVES SHARPLY IN SEPTEMBER.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Business sentiment among South Korean manufacturers improved sharply in September from a month earlier, the nation's central bank said Thursday, as Asia's fourth-largest economy is expected to emerge from a two-year...

WB APPOINTS CONSULTANT ON OPENING UP OF INDO-PAK TEXTILE TRADE.
September 1, 2005... ISLAMABAD, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The World Bank has appointed a consultant to prepare recommendations for the opening up of the two-way textile trade between India and Pakistan. Garry Pursell has been appointed by the World Bank as the...

STOCKS - BSE CLOSES UP - AUG 31, 2005.
September 1, 2005... MUMBAI, Aug 31 Asia Pulse - Led by top heavyweight Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), the Sensex today ended 60 points up, extending its gains to second straight day on fresh buying support from operators even as Foreign Institutional Investors...

FOREX - US DOLLAR FIRMS UP SHARPLY AGAINST RUPEE - AUG 31, 2005.
September 1, 2005... MUMBAI, Aug 31 Asia Pulse - The U.S. Dollar firmed up further sharply against the Rupee at Rs 44.15 per dollar and the Pound Sterling also turned higher at Rs 78.82 per pound at the close of the Interbank Foreign Exchange market. The Euro...

SOLUTIA STARTS BUILDING NEW SAFLEX PLANT IN CHINA.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) ST. LOUIS, Mo. & SHANGHAI, Sep. 1 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Solutia Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SOLUQ), the world leader in the production and sale of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayers, today...

SOUTH KOREAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: KYUNGHYANG SHINMUN - Gov't to provide 420,000 medium- and large-sized apartments in capital area KUKMIN DAILY - Gov't says property speculation is over DONG-A...

COMPUWARE COVISINT TO OPEN CHINA OFFICE.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) DETROIT, Mich., Sept. 1 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Covisint, a subsidiary of Compuware Corporation (Nasdaq: CPWR), today announced that it plans to open an office in China to support its growing...

CHINA GAS OFFERS GAIL EQUITY IN INNER MONGOLIA PROJECT.
September 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - China Gas has offered state-run gas utility GAIL India Ltd (BSE:532155) particiaption in a petrochemical project in Inner Mongolia, GAIL said here Wednesday. "GAIL (has) received an offer from China Gas...

INDIAN CELL MKT EXPECTED TO REACH US$24 BLN BY 2009: GARTNER.
September 1, 2005... MUMBAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - India's cellular services market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35.6 per cent to reach US$24 billion by 2009, according to global research firm Gartner. The Indian cellular...

RG GLOBAL LIFESTYLES SECURES VIETNAMESE DISTRIBUTOR.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 31 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - RG Global Lifestyles, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: RGBL) today announced that its subsidiary, Aquair, Inc., ("Aquair") has signed distribution...

SK CORP TO HOLD INVESTOR RELATIONS FORUMS IN JAPAN, HONG KONG.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept. 1 Asia Pulse - SK Corp., South Korea's top refiner, said Thursday it will conduct overseas investor relations (IR) sessions in Japan and Hong Kong next week. The roadshow, to be held in Tokyo on Tuesday and Hong Kong on...

SATYAM FORMS ALLIANCE WITH POSC FOR DATA EXCHANGE SYSTEMS.
September 1, 2005... MUMBAI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Satyam Computer Services Ltd (NSI:SATYAMCOM) said it had formed a strategic alliance with Petrotechnical Open Standards Consortium (POSC), a global IT standards consortium in the energy sector, to deliver a data...

S KOREAN GOV'T WILLING TO INCREASE HOUSING SUPPLY: MINISTER.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's top economic policymaker said Thursday that the government is willing to increase housing supply, if necessary, in order to stem excessive gains in property prices. "We are to supply more homes if...

HONG KONG BROADBAND NETWORK SELECTS CISCO IP FOR UPGRADE.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) HONG KONG-(BUSINESS WIRE)-Aug. 31, 2005-Cisco Systems(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced that Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) is expanding its coverage and capacity with a Cisco IP Next...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX OPENS HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SYDNEY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market has opened higher this morning, following on from a rally across the board in US markets as crude oil eased off from recent record highs. Crude oil closed lower overnight for the first...

KOREA FIRST BANK TO HAVE NEW NAME IN MID-SEPTEMBER.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Korea First Bank, now controlled by Standard Chartered Bank in London, is to operate under a new name from mid-September, the bank said Thursday. According to the Seoul-based lender, the bank will be renamed...

S. KOREA TO OFFER U.S. INFO ON ITS FUNCTIONAL COSMETICS SYSTEM.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea will provide the United States with information on the overall treatment process of functional cosmetics, the country's food watchdog said Thursday. The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has...

STOCKS - TOKYO INDEX OPENS HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... TOKYO, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Tokyo shares opened higher today, with the benchmark Nikkei-225 index rising 134.43 points, or 1.08 per cent, to 12,548.03 in early trade. ASIA PULSE 01-09 1054

STOCKS - SEOUL SHARES START HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday as SK Corp. and other energy companies got off to a strong start on recent runaway oil prices. The broader Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 9.35 points, or...

CHINA TAIZHOU CATV USES FLEXLIGHT NETWORKS' GPON TECHNOLOGY.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) BEIJING & DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 1 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Taizhou CATV, a major service provider and CATV operator in China, and FlexLight Networks, Inc., a leading GPON (Gigabit Passive...

MASTERCARD ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW GOVERNANCE AND OWNERSHIP.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2005--MasterCard Incorporated today announced plans for a new corporate governance and open ownership structure that will include the appointment of...

IFA 2005: A DISPLAY OF EXCITING INNOVATIONS.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below) BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2005--This year's IFA (2-7 Sept.) continues to provide the impetus for the worldwide expansion of the consumer electronics industry. The 160,000 m(2) of...

NZ NEEDS MORE GENERAL PHYSICIANS TO ADDRESS AGEING POPULATION.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) NEW ZEALAND, Sep. 1 /MediaNet International-AsiaNet/ -- Embargoed to midnight Thursday 1 September 2005 *Physicians are often called medical specialists. They are doctors who have...

OTIS ELEVATOR TO SUPPLY ELEVATORS FOR BEIJING FORTUNE PLAZA.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement.) FARMINGTON, Conn., Aug. 31 PRNewswire-AsiaNet - Otis Elevator Company has won a contract to install 46 elevators and escalators, featuring the energy-efficient and environmentally friendly Gen2(TM) and...

MALAYSIAN NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: BUSINESS TIMES: - IOI Corp Bhd, Malaysia's largest oil palm plantations group, is believed to be interested in buying a smaller Sabah-based plantations company, NPC...

MALAYSIAN INVESTORS KEEN TO INVEST IN PAKISTAN.
September 1, 2005... ISLAMABAD, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Malaysians are keen to invest in Pakistan, member of Malaysian parliament and Telekom Malaysia Berhad chairman, Datuk Nur Nazlan Mohammad, said. He called on Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Amir Hussain at...

HONG KONG NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... HONG KONG, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE STANDARD: - Henderson Land Development's chairman Lee Shau-kee said he may invest in a stake in Guangdong Development Bank as the lender seeks foreign investors as...

ROYAL CANADIAN MINT SELECTED TO MINT NEW ZEALAND COINS.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below) OTTAWA, Aug. 31 /CNW-AsiaNet/ - The Royal Canadian Mint is pleased to announce that it has been selected to mint New Zealand's new low-value coins at its Winnipeg coin plating facility. ...

POSCO CREATES INDIAN SUBSIDIARY.
September 1, 2005... BHUBANESWAR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korean steel giant POSCO (KSE:005490), which has signed an agreement with the Orissa government to set up a Rs 510 billion (US$11.6 billion) steel project at Paradip, has set up its Indian subsidiary. ...

DATAMIRROR PARTNERS WITH IIONE TO EXPAND REACH IN SOUTH KOREA.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below) TORONTO & SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2005- DataMirror(R) (NASDAQ: DMCX) (TSX: DMC) today announced a partnership with IIONE, a Seoul-based enterprise solutions provider,...

FAST AND INTELLIREACH PARTNER ENTERPRISE SEARCH FOR EMAIL.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below.) OSLO, Norway and DEDHAM, Mass., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- - IntelliReach to Integrate the FAST InStream(TM) OEM Enterprise Search Solution With its Next-Generation Messaging...

TAIWANESE CABINET APPROVES DRAFT BILL ON MINIMUM TAX.
September 1, 2005... TAIPEI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Cabinet approved a draft bill on minimum tax system Wednesday, a move which forms part of the government's tax reform. Minister of Finance Lin Chuan said the new system will focus on people who did not have...

WYETH TO LAUNCH PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE CONJUGATE VACCINE IN INDIA.
September 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - US based pharma firm Wyeth Ltd said it was in the process of introducing its conjugate vaccine for pneumococcal disease in India. "Wyeth in India is working on making its international blockbuster vaccine for...

ROOM TO READ OPENS 2,000TH LIBRARY.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) THNAL, SIEM REAP PROVINCE, Cambodia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2005--Room to Read, an international nonprofit organization devoted to providing educational opportunities to poor children in...

INDIA'S TCS WINS CONSULTING PROJECT IN INDONESIA.
September 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) (NSI:TCS) has won a major business performance consulting project from Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Indonesia's oldest state-owned bank. TCS will be implementing the Malcolm...

FLEER PUBLIC AUCTION SALE SCHEDULED.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below) MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire--AsiaNet/ - Continental Auction Group, a leading national auction firm specializing in commercial assets for lenders, insolvency professionals,...

KINETICS BIOPHARM TEAM PLAYS KEY ROLE IN NEW INDONESIAN FACILITY.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) SYDNEY, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Sanbe Farma has grown to be Indonesia's largest ethical pharmaceutical manufacturer. Their medicinal products include over 150 different...

PAKISTAN SUGAR MILLS SCUTTLING INDIAN SUGAR IMPORTS: ISMA.
September 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Accusing the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association of trying to "denigrate" the quality of Indian sugar in a bid to prevent its import, the Indian Sugar Mills Association has said charges levelled by its counterpart...

S. KOREA'S TRADE SURPLUS NARROWS TO US$1.68 BLN IN AUGUST.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - South Korea's trade surplus reached US$1.68 billion in August, down from $1.98 billion for the same month in 2004, a preliminary report by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy said Thursday. ...

JACK VAISMAN RENEWS JOB CONTRACT WITH ADVANCED MEDICAL INSTITUTE SUBSIDIARY.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 29, 2005--It was announced today by the Board of Directors of Advanced Medical Institute Inc. (Pink Sheets:AVMD), a leading provider of treatment for...

TAEUS ENTERS AGREEMENT WITH TAIPEI LAW FIRM.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- Relationship Offers Suite of Intellectual Property Services for Taiwan TAEUS International Corporation, the premiere provider...

MALAYSIAN CO LAUNCHES $100 MLN FIBRE OPTIC NETWORK IN PAKISTAN.
September 1, 2005... ISLAMABAD, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Multinet Pakistan, a subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia Bhd, on August 30 launched the second phase of a $100-million 4,500-kilometer long fiber optic network that will link 77 cities across the country. "We have...

GRANDPARENTS DON'T DESERVE CREDIT.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of a statement. Contact details below) CANBERRA, Sept. 1 /MediaNet International-AsiaNet/ - An invisible genome inherited from grandparents and credited with the ability to reverse the effects of a mutated plant gene sparked...

EXXONMOBIL CELEBRATES 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOBIL DELVAC ENGINE OIL.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 31, 2005--ExxonMobil is commemorating eight decades of protecting and helping extend the lives of heavy duty diesel engines around the world with the 80th...

CHINA'S YILI GROUP POSTS US$698 MLN BUSINESS REVENUE IN H1.
September 1, 2005... HOHHOT, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Yili Group (SSX:600887) in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the country's No. 1 dairy enterprise, registered 5.659 billion yuan (US$698 million) of main business revenue in the first half of this year,...

PECHINEY ROLLED PRODUCTS EXTENDS LABOUR CONTRACT OFFER UNTIL SEPT 3.
September 1, 2005... (Full text of statement. Contact details below.) MONTREAL, Canada, Aug. 29 /CNW-AsiaNet/ -- Pechiney Rolled Products, LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alcan Inc. (NYSE, TSX: AL), announced today that it will extend its current labour...

S. KOREA'S KOOKMIN BANK TO GO ALL-OUT EXPANDING BUSINESS.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The head of Kookmin Bank, South Korea's largest bank, said Thursday that it will go all-out in expanding its market share this year. In a monthly address to employees, Kang Chung-won said the bank "saw its...

GAIL INDIA, EIL TO JOINTLY BID FOR GAS PROJECTS ABROAD.
September 1, 2005... NEW DELHI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - State-run GAIL India Ltd (BSE:532155) Wednesday said it had signed a pact with Engineers India Ltd (BSE:532178) for bidding for natural gas business overseas. "The Memorandum of Cooperation between GAIL and...

COST SURGE PULLS DOWN PROFITABILITY OF CHINESE LISTED FIRMS.
September 1, 2005... BEIJING, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Much slower growth in profits than in turnover was the main feature reflecting the performance of Chinese listed companies in the first half of this year, according to a summary of the half-year reports released by...

AUSTRALIAN COUPLES WITH KIDS GAIN MOST FROM TAX, WELFARE REFORMS.
September 1, 2005... CANBERRA, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Double income couples with children are big winners from the government's tax reforms and revamped family payment system - but not as big as childless couples. An analysis by the Treasury Department has found...

BUSINESS WIRE DAILY SUMMARY - AUG 31, 2005.
September 1, 2005... A summary of news releases for Aug. 31, 2005, compiled by Business Wire, the global leader in news distribution. To view any of these news release on Business Wire's website, please go to www.businesswire.com. 1) Category Code:...

PETRONAS AWARDED FIRST OFFSHORE BLOCK IN SUDAN.
September 1, 2005... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas) has been awarded Sudan's exploration Block 15, marking the Malaysian state-owned oil giant's entry into the offshore operation in the country. Petronas, which has been...

JAPAN GOVT TENDER - CRAWLER TRACTORS.
September 1, 2005... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES KUMAMOTOTO PROCURE CRAWLER TRACTORS The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on Aug 29: SUMMARY (1)...

JAPAN GOVT TENDER - AIRPORT CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
September 1, 2005... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** MINISTRY OF LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT TOKYO TO PROCURE AIRPORT CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MODEL ACMS-05 The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on...

GERMAN INVESTORS SHOW KEEN INTEREST IN AFGHAN POWER SECTOR.
September 1, 2005... KABUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - German investors have evinced an interest in the power sector of Afghanistan and agreed to initiate projects for generating electricity by using cheaper sources like windmills and solar energy. This expressing of...

SINGAPORE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SINGAPORE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: THE BUSINESS TIMES SINGAPORE - SINGAPORE - Oil prices fell further in Asian trading on Thursday following the US government's decision to open its emergency oil reserves...

MALAYSIA'S PROTON SINKS INTO THE RED IN Q1.
September 1, 2005... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Proton Holdings Berhad (KLSE:5304) has booked first quarter group pre-tax loss of RM4.297 million against a pre-tax profit of RM198.262 million a year earlier due to higher provisions for doubtful debts and...

AFGHAN TRADERS, FOREIGNERS DISCUSS INVESTMENT CLIMATE.
September 1, 2005... KABUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Afghanistan's International Chamber of Commerce (AICC) Wednesday arranged a meeting between Afghan traders and foreign entrepreneurs to encourage investment in the war-crippled country. AICC Director Hamidullah...

S KOREAN GOVT RECEIVES BIDS FOR NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY.
September 1, 2005... SEOUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The South Korean government has received bids from four local administrations to build a repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, Commerce and Industry Minister Lee Hee-beom said Thursday. ...

FOREIGN OBSERVERS TO HELP ENSURE AFGHAN POLL TRANSPARENCY.
September 1, 2005... KABUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - National and international observers would be allowed to scrutinise the September 18 legislative polls to ensure their transparency, organisers announced on Wednesday. Mohammad Nazari, commissioner of the Joint...

JAPAN GOVT TENDER - NET ACCESS SERVICE, HOSTING SERVICE.
September 1, 2005... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** CABINET OFFICE, TOKYO TO PROCURE INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE AND HOSTING SERVICE OF OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT BULLETIN The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on August...

JAPAN GOVT TENDER - ID CARD, GATE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM.
September 1, 2005... *** ASIA PULSE TENDER *** MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, TOKYO TO PROCURE MOFA ID CARD AND GATE ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM The following is a procurement notice published in the Kanpo Japanese government gazette on August 29: SUMMARY ...

ADB STOPPED FROM BUILDING HYDROELECTRIC PLANT IN AFGHANISTAN.
September 1, 2005... BAMYAN CITY, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Authorities in the central Bamyan province stopped an Asian Development Bank (ADB) team from the unauthorised building a hydroelectricity plant at the famous Band-i-Amir (Amir Lake). Bamyan deputy governor...

AFGHAN TRADERS, FOREIGN ENTREPRENEURS DISCUSS INVESTMENT CLIMATE.
September 1, 2005... KABUL, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Afghanistan's International Chamber of Commerce (AICC) Wednesday arranged a meeting between Afghan traders and foreign entrepreneurs to encourage investment in the war-crippled country. AICC Director Hamidullah...

VIETNAMESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... HANOI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Following are highlights of Vietnam's major newspapers today: NHAN DAN, HA NOI MOI: - Vietnam and South Africa should explore measures to boost comprehensive ties, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and visiting...

VIETNAMESE GOVT BOND AUCTION FALLS FLAT.
September 1, 2005... HANOI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - An auction of government bonds worth VND200 billion (US$12.6 million) at the Ha Noi Securities Trading Centre (HSTC) on August 29 resulted in zero sales, the HSTC announced. The bonds, which were issued by the...

STOCKS - MALAYSIAN SHARES LOWER IN EARLY TRADE - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Malaysian sharemarket was down 0.48 per cent in early trade Thursday, with the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange Composite Index falling 4.35 points at 909.21 at 9.03 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-09 1242

VIETNAMESE TRADERS URGED TO PENETRATE CHINESE MARKET.
September 1, 2005... HANOI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Vietnamese Ministry of Trade has urged exporters to strategically prepare to gain a strong foothold in the Chinese market, as most Vietnamese exports to China will enjoy zero per cent tariffs starting in 2006,...

S-PHONE CUTS FEES TO LURE VIETNAMESE MOBILE USERS.
September 1, 2005... HANOI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Korean-invested mobile carrier S-Fone said on August 31 it will cut subscription fees by 25 per cent and 75 per cent for its pre-paid service from September 1st in a bid to attract more users. The fledgling CDMA...

STOCKS - AUSTRALIAN INDEX HIGHER TO NOON - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... MELBOURNE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - The Australian stock market was powering higher at noon on the back of a rally in the United States and an easing in the price of crude oil. The US government said it will dip into its oil reserves to offset...

STOCKS - SINGAPORE SHARES OPEN HIGHER - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... SINGAPORE, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Singapore shares were higher in early trade Thursday, with the Straits Times Index up 10.7 points at 2,286.1 at 10.45 a.m. ASIA PULSE 01-09 1246

JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - SEPT 1, 2005.
September 1, 2005... TOKYO, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers: NIKKEI NET: - Stocks opened higher on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a broad range of issues drawing buying after a rebound on Wall Street overnight. -...

VIETNAM'S RETAIL SALES UP 19%, JAN-AUG.
September 1, 2005... HANOI, Sept 1 Asia Pulse - Vietnam's retail sale of goods and services in the first eight months of the year reached VND302.6 trillion (US$19.3 billion), up 19.1 per cent over the same period last year, the General Statistics Office estimated....