News
Japan's draft growth strategy forgoes far-reaching reform
Japan’s new strategy to stoke growth in key industries includes case-by-case regulatory exemptions to spur innovation, but the government’s piecemeal proposals lack the fundamental changes needed to re-energize the overall economy. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government debuted the draft of its 2017 strategic growth plan Tuesday at a ...
Soaring bitcoin price means investors face growing risks
The Japanese retail investors behind the latest bitcoin boom may be in for a wilder ride than they expected, given the stiff challenges in determining virtual currencies’ underlying value and the ease with which souring sentiment can sink prices. The value of one bitcoin, the ...
China May factory PMI growth keeps pace with previous month
Growth in China’s manufacturing sector in May kept pace with the previous month, an official survey showed on Wednesday, beating expectations in a reassuring sign the world’s second-biggest economy is not losing too much steam after a solid first quarter performance. The official Purchasing Managers’ ...
PanaHome to kick off Indonesian housing business
PanaHome will launch an Indonesian residential business on the outskirts of Jakarta, the Japanese developer said Tuesday, seeking to take advantage of growing housing demand in the Southeast Asian nation. PanaHome will build and sell detached houses in Deltamas, a city being developed by Japanese ...
Myanmar's AYA Bank lowers barrier to Visa card
Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady Bank, also known as AYA Bank, announced on Tuesday that it will start issuing Visa cards to a wider customer base. The bank will issue three types of credit cards — silver, gold and platinum. The most accessible card requires a monthly income ...
Vietnam pledges to investigate massive illegal logging violations as international pressure grows
After several weeks of silence, the Vietnamese government announced that is working to begin an investigation into allegations of widespread illegal logging in Cambodia directed by Vietnamese companies and provincial government officials. Earlier this month the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) released a damning report which ...
Pressure builds on palm oil firm Goodhope after RSPO sanction
A month after the world’s largest sustainable palm oil association took action against one of its most prominent members, Goodhope Asia Holdings, over failures to comply with its standards on new planting, doubts remain over the future of their relationship. On Apr. 28, the Complaints ...
Oz offender ban may be felt in Cambodia
The Australian government on May 30 announced plans to ban those listed on the country’s national sex offender registry from travelling abroad – a plan that would nullify the passports of 20,000 offenders, including those who may be living or travelling in Cambodia. Australian Foreign Minister ...
Organisations discuss capacity for improved regional forest governance
The Center for People and Forests in partnership with the Lao Biodiversity Association and the World Wide Fund for Nature have launched a five year project to strengthen capacity in forest governance. Supported by the European Union, the project’s objective is to empower non-state actors ...
At 97, this Vietnamese grandma has mastered the Internet
At first glance, it’s easy to dismiss Le Thi as just another raddled old woman. At 97, she has lost almost all her teeth and a severe hunchback impedes her movement. She spends most of her time lying in bed on her side, slowly chewing ...
