Daily Round Up - 23 December 2008

Afghanistan

• Suicide Blast in Afghanistan 3 killed, 5 injured
  

Australia

• Terror laws face revamp
  
• PM confused on spending: Bishop
  
• Haneef verdict: charges unfair but minister clear
  
• Indian doctor hopes Australian terror probe will vindicate him
  
• Number of homeless 'may increase'
  
• Internet censor scheme 'flawed'
  
• Web filter plan extends further
  
• Australia to Support Bangladeshs Election
  
• Canberra sends Holden a lifeline as sales stall
  
• Holden to build all-new small car in Australia
  
• PM backs green machine
  
• Holden small car to create 1200 jobs
  
• Rudd praises Holden small-car plan
  
• Rudd urged to toughen Zimbabwe stance
  
• Australia hints retaliation towards Fiji
  
• Whaling boats chased through blizzards
  
• MPs' new perks in tough times
  
• Online grocery price watch rebooted
  
• Well groomed: Taxpayers foot GG's wardrobe revamp
  
• Online grocery price watch rebooted
  
• Wage hike in IR reform hard to swallow
  
• Watchdog savaged over petrol prices
  
• Air travel bookings in nosedive
  
• One in three indigenous kids fail test
  
• ATO gives Wickenby target $1m
  
• Workers scared to top up as funds fall
  

China

• China cuts interest rates to protect jobs
  
• Sentiments in Chinese stock markets to remain weak in 2009
  
• China Industry Report: Dec. 22
  
• China gives urgency to fight against organised crime
  
• China plans crackdown as economic crisis spurs gang-related crimes
  
• China plans new anti-gang effort
  
• China's forex reserves fall for first time in five years
  
• China says firms can reduce social security payments
  
• Facing complaint, China says it opposes protectionism
  
• Hong Kong's inflation rises on end of housing subsidy
  
• Asian markets lower amid bleak global economic outlook
  
• China Offers US$19 Billion Aid to Taiwanese Firms
  
• China says it will chase foreign investors who flee debt
  
• India, China can't compensate for lost US spending (AP via Yahoo! News)
  
• Can China’s Mattress Banks Beat the Recession?
  
• China to include mental distress in civil rights law (China Daily)
  
• Heavy security for pandas' departure from China
  
• Two Chinese giant pandas head for Taiwan
  
• Taiwan-bound panda pair to bid farewell to China
  

Fiji

• Expulsion threat against NZ High Commissioner dropped
  
• New team to work with NZ
  
• $220m scrutiny
  
• Coup villagers seek pardon
  
• Fiji hits out at New Zealand's 'bullying' tactics
  
• IFJ concerned about journalist rights
  
• HFC reviews loan product policy
  
• Australia hints retaliation towards Fiji
  
• High office under cloud
  
• Unions for election
  
• Diplomatic post 'live option' for Clark - Key
  
• Editorial: Government must tread warily on deficits
  

India

• Mumbai martyrs set to get Ashoka Chakra
  
• Judge finds Haneef was charged without evidence
  
• India will have to deal with Pak problem on its own: Pranab
  
• India hands Kasab's letter to Pak mission
  
• Marriott blast by 'Lashkar-e-Jhangvi'
  
• Rupee ends at 48.01/48.03 per dollar
  
• Delhi blast accused in police remand
  
• Bihar power station official shot dead
  
• Indian envoy 'upsets' Nepal ministers
  
• India wants more pressure on Pakistan, gives gunman's letter
  
• Indian Envoys Meet in New Delhi
  
• India Keeps Open Option of Military Strike on Pakistan
  
• India builts diplomatic pressure on Pak
  
• India steps up vigil along Rajasthan border
  
• Mumbai: Almost all of Taj's art safe
  
• Bangalore panics over polio vaccine scare
  
• Parliament erupts over Antulay, Oppn demands sacking
  
• India, China can't compensate for lost US spending (AP via Yahoo! News)
  
• Too many Indian parties 'unwise'
  
• Rupee falls 14 paise against dollar
  
• A smugglers' tunnel under the border
  
• Four HC judges transferred over role in PF scam
  
• India Started Deploying Troops Along Rajasthan Border
  
• Sonia Gandhi, India Can give befitting reply to terror elements in Pakistan
  
• Parliament passes bill for mobile village courts
  
• Uproar in Parliament over Antulay, Oppn wants sacking
  
• 'More cuts' in fuel prices before Lok Sabha polls
  
• Eleven Chhattisgarh ministers sworn in
  
• Avoid Escalating Tension India Urged
  
• Bill proposes lower capital for health insurers
  
• Govt may cut subsidy burden on explorers
  
• Cairn India finds more reserves in Rajasthan
  
• Gap between co, govt bond yields widens
  
• Economy to recover in Q4 with real GDP growth of 7.7%: CMIE
  

Indonesia

• Indonesia, China sign US$4b in energy and trade deals
  
• Sukarno asked Japan to monitor '64 ceasefire
  

Japan

• Phased sales tax hike eyed
  
• What did the ASDF do there?
  
• Followup meet to TICAD set for late March
  
• Last cargo planes back from Kuwait
  
• Areva, Mitsubishi announce nuclear fuel tie-up
  
• Bridgestone cuts forecast by more than three-quarters
  
• Japan's global invisibility
  
• Japan refused to promise NPT passage in '73 statement with U.S.
  
• No-nuke policy ruled out years before declaration
  
• Sukarno asked Japan to monitor '64 ceasefire
  
• Deal with the reparations
  
• Toyota projects operating loss for year
  
• Japan's emperor turns 75 with worries over royal future
  
• Toyota braced for historic loss
  
• Whaling boats chased through blizzards
  
• Japan ready to bid for both World Cup, Olympics
  
• Foreigners march for job security
  
• BOJ matches U.S. rate cut
  
• Nation's drive toward export-driven economy documented
  
• Japan exports plunge record amount on weak demand
  
• Japanese economy likely to be mired in recession for next 6 months
  
• Recession bites
  

Korea

• US, South Korean intelligence spot movement of Kim's train
  
• South Korea 'believes' Kim well
  
• SKorean automaker delays payroll as sales slump
  
• S.Korea denies seeking secret contact with N.Korea
  

Malaysia

• Non-Muslim groups say screening not foolproof
  
• AirAsia, Sime Darby to build new Malaysian budget airport
  
• EDITORIAL:Breeding prejudice
  
• Nizar: Screen non-Muslims, too
  
• State to open 24-hour shops
  
• Simply having HIV does not a leper make
  
• Party suspends 2, warns 3, clears 5
  
• Nizar slammed over HIV quarantine proposal
  

New Zealand

• Balance of payments worsens
  
• New Zealand current account deficit widens
  

Pakistan

• Suspected U.S. missile strikes kill 8 in Pakistan
  
• Terror will consume Pak if it fails to act: Rice
  
• Missile Attack Reported In South Waziristan
  
• No Use of Nukes in Case of War: Mukhtar Ahmed
  
• Deadly missile strike in Pakistan
  
• If War Thrust on US Pak Have Full Rights to Defend It: Qureshi
  
• ‘Obama admt will put pressure on Pak’
  
• Declare Pak terrorist state: Indians in US
  
• US drones kill seven in Pakistan
  
• Pakistan terror infrastructure threat to world: Pranab
  
• How BN became change agent
  
• Pakistan probes Red Mosque weapons theft
  
• Pak Taliban Imposes Sharia in Upper Orakzai
  
• PAF jet Fighters Fly over Lahore and Pindi
  
• Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s Daughter Given Diplomatic Post
  
• War wont serve any country: Foreign Minister Qureshi
  

Philippines

• Legarda: No Erap team-up
  
• CARP advocates pin hopes on SC
  
• Kaya Natin! leaders back CARP extension
  
• Landlords’ revenge in joint resolution
  

Singapore

• Singapore Airlines Cargo accused by Australian watchdog of price fixing
  
• Singapore shares close 2.78% lower
  
• CPF cut not justified at this point in time, says Lim Boon Heng
  
• Moody's reaffirms Temasek Holdings' Aaa issuer rating
  
• DBS to raise capital through S$4b rights issue
  
• Singapore's manufacturing sector expected to rebound in H2 2009
  
• Builders must be licensed to carry out building works by June 2009
  

Sri Lanka

• Tamil Tigers ‘kill 60 Sri Lankan soldiers’
  

Thailand

• New Thai cabinet sworn in
  
• Thai king swears in new cabinet
  
• Alleged Russian arms dealer tells Thai court he was framed
  
• Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo congratulates new Thai counterpart
  

Viet Nam

• Vietnam customs seize five tons of frozen pangolin meat