Asia

PNG-China Trade investment surpassed

This clearly demonstrates the huge significance in maintaining and expanding the existing bi-lateral relationship with China as the superpower continues to provide the needed markets for Papua New Guinea in Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, and Oil & Gas Industries.

Prime Minister James Marape revealed this today as he provided a brief on his meetings with China’s two most senior leaders – Premier Li Qiang and President Xi Jinping, adding that the reception and opportunities for meetings accorded to him and his delegation were at the highest level.

First PNG-Asia Investment Conference starts

The theme of the two-day event is “Partnership for Prosperity”.

The President of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, Anthony Smare, will start off the event with welcome remarks.

This will be followed by keynote addresses from Prime Minister James Marape and the acting Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR, Li Yongsheng.

PNG to expand access in Asian markets

Prime Minister, James Marape in a press conference held in Port Moresby, announcing his attendance to open the conference, said not only does PNG already export petroleum and minerals to Asian markets, but also timber, seafood and agricultural produce, including coffee.

Prime Minister Marape said PNG does not want to only invite investors to PNG to invest and buy PNG products but also for them to be a part of the government's downstream processing endeavours.

He said PNG wants to elevate from being an exporter of raw products to becoming an exporter of finished products.

The international a-peel of Aussie television's top bananas

Which Australian icons would you say are the most internationally recognised? At the closing ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the organisers wheeled out the likes of golfing great Greg Norman on top of a giant shark on wheels, and model Elle MacPherson. But between their floats, out came three teddy bears, one rat and two bananas on a staircase.

Bali statue of Hindu god Wisnu to be world's largest

Twenty-five years and around $100 million in the making, the enormous copper and brass sculpture is of the Hindu god Wisnu astride the mythical bird Garuda.

After years of planning, re-designs, cash shortages and stop-start construction, sculptor Nyoman Nuarta says the project should be finished next September.

And the final phase — the fitting of the sculpture's skin to the concrete and steel skeleton — is well underway.

The copper and brass claws of Garuda are finally gripping an enormous, purpose-built, concrete pedestal.

"It was like rape": Women in Japan tricked into pornography

Conmen promising fortune and fame trick young women into signing modelling contracts, then later threaten them if they do not do what they ask.

Kurumin Aroma, 27, was one of them.

She dreamt of one day becoming a TV star or a musician.

When she was approached on the streets of Tokyo by a man who offered to give her a start in modelling, she thought she would take a chance.

What does Donald Trump mean for Asia?

That's the big question facing Asia as President-elect Donald Trump gears up for the Oval Office.

"Trump's victory has amplified uncertainty across Asia. Many people are dismayed," says Jeff Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University in Japan.

From China and Japan to the smaller nations of southeast Asia, the region's leaders want to know whether Trump will make good on his campaign promises and potshots, which have the potential to shake up alliances, upend the geopolitical map and risk all-out conflict.

 

Japan

An early jump for US stocks following big gains overseas

Several stocks were moving on corporate news in early trading Wednesday.

Ralph Lauren jumped 13 percent after the company named a new CEO to replace the company's founder. The stock is still down sharply for the year.

Chesapeake Energy rose 3 percent after announcing that it would cut 15 percent of its workforce.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 227 points, or 1.4 percent, to 16,275 as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time.

Rowing thrown Commonwealth Games lifeline

Under a new proposal adopted by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) at its General Assembly here yesterday, host cities must in future include 16 core sports as part of the programme and then can choose as many as they want from a list of optional sports and disciplines as long as it does not exceed a further 500 athletes.

Rowing had been on the previous list of optional sports but has now been dropped, leading to Annamarie Phelps, the chairman of British Rowing, to launch a campaign to save it.

US stocks close mixed as China's currency stabilizes

 Major markets in Europe and Asia made gains, while the U.S. stock market finished with a slight loss.

Officials from China's central bank defended recent moves to loosen the government's grip on its currency, saying that the yuan will eventually rebound from its recent fall. There is "no basis for persistent and substantial devaluation," said a deputy central bank governor, Zhang Xiaohui. The yuan is close to "market levels" after two days of sharp drops, Zhang said.