Economic conditions
Japan's Foreign Ministry is weighing the possibility of setting a medium-term goal to increase official development assistance (ODA) to 0.7% of gross domestic product, a requirement set by the United Nations for countries seeking permanent membership on the U.N. Security Council. This decision comes as Japan&
Industry regulations
South Korea's Finance and Economy Minister Lee Hun-jai submitted his resignation on Monday to the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae amidst an escalating controversy surrounding his wife's alleged involvement in illegal real estate transactions. The scandal has raised concerns over the minister's accountability
Industry regulations
Malacanang officials, led by Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye, expressed confidence in the approval of the Value Added Tax (VAT) bill before the current session of the Congress ends on March 18 for the Lenten break. Despite concerns raised by the furor over the 2005 national budget,
Industry regulations
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is nearing the end of his single five-year term, and despite his efforts to introduce reform and decentralization, he faces significant challenges, particularly in addressing economic stagnation and escalating tensions with North Korea. Public surveys have identified the sluggish economy as the biggest policy failure
Industry regulations
Philippine President Arroyo has requested the support of Cebuanos, whose votes secured her a fresh six-year mandate, to endorse her administration's revenue raising measures, including the increase in value-added taxes (VAT) from 10 to 12 per cent. During a press conference in Lapu-Lapu City, the President emphasized the
Industry regulations
Chinese Ambassador to Australia Madame Fu Ying has expressed China's interest in buying Australian uranium, highlighting the country's growing need for nuclear power to support its economic development. The move comes as Australia weighs the potential implications of Xstrata's takeover bid for WMC Resources,
Industry regulations
Lenovo, a Chinese personal computer maker, and IBM are working together to obtain US Congressional approval for Lenovo's $1.75 billion acquisition of IBM's PC division. The deal, announced in December, would make Lenovo the world's third-largest PC business, generating around $12 billion in
Economic conditions
The Indian government is considering relaxing its regulations on the retail and realty sectors to allow for foreign direct investment (FDI). Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath stated that the government is examining various parameters to develop a policy and is expected to firm up its policy in the next
Economic conditions
The World Bank's high-level team, led by former Economic Affairs Secretary C M Vasudev, met with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence to discuss the progress of bank-funded projects. The team is in India to review the bank's programs, policies, and results on the
Law
A national survey conducted by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation revealed that a significant majority of conservative voters support embryonic stem cell research, a topic often associated with opposition from conservative groups. In the poll of 600 self-identified conservative voters, 56% expressed support for medical research using stem cells obtained
Law
Over 111,117 messages have been sent to Hollywood studio executives, Congress, and the media in a passionate protest against the restriction of fair use rights. This grassroots movement, backed by 321 Studios, emerged after a February 20th injunction against the "ripper" portion of the DVDXCOPY series of
Law
Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) President David Z. Plavin testified before the House Government Reform Committee on behalf of the members of Airports Council International and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) regarding the Goals and Challenges of the US-VISIT Program. The program aims to enhance national security by
