Travellers preferred South Korean airport overall

Asian Defense News: The South Korea International Airport at Incheon has been named the world's best terminal.US magazine, Global Traveler, gave Incheon airport, which is just west of Seoul, the annual "Best Airport in the World" award in New York.
The runner-up was Changi Airport of Singapore, with Schiphol in Amsterdam and Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok ranking third and fourth respectively.
The winner was chosen through a survey of the magazines subscribers worldwide.25,000 readers took part in the survey.

Some Chinese milk tests positive for toxic chemical

Asian Defense News: Melamine-tainted dairy products have been taken off the shelves of convenience stores in southern China.
Even though it has been more than a year since hundreds of thousands of children became sick or died from tainted milk, the Chinese government has decided to remove the product after health inspectors found some cartons of milk, dating from early 2009, positive for melamine.
Milk in and around the province of Guizhou has been affected by the recall and includes products from three companies, Shandong Zibo Lusaier Dairy, Liaoning Tieling Wuzhou Food and Laoting Kaida Refrigeration.
Melamine in milk can cause kidney stones and kidney failure
The ingredient had originally been added to the milk to trick inspectors who were testing for protein.
Both melamine and protein are high in nitrogen.

Two Indian students assaulted in Melbourne

Asian Defense News: Melbourne ~ Even as Indian and Australian flags go side by side on their national day on Tuesday, two Indian students were allegedly assaulted by a group of thugs here.
Eight persons, described as being of Asian appearance, have been arrested after several hours of the incident and were being questioned, police said in a statement.
The accused had allegedly made comments to the duo before one of the student was pushed to the ground and kicked at about 10.20 pm (local time) last night in central Melbourne.
The 18-year-old Indian man suffered a wound on his left ear from what appeared to be an edged weapon, police said, adding the 22-year-old student was also punched to the ground and suffered minor abrasions to the forearm.
Police confirmed the two victims were Indian students but were unable to say whether the comments made were racial.
The 18-year-old was taken to St Vincents Hospital with lacerations to the left ear, while the other student did not required hospital treatment, an AAP report said.
The attack comes just weeks after an Indian student Nitin Garg was stabbed to death in a park in Yarraville in Melbourne’s inner-west.
Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 11:07:22 Source: Agencies

Taiwan, China to offer 385 charter flights for New Year

Asian Defense News: Taiwanese and Chinese airlines will operate 385 charter flights during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said Tuesday.
In February, Chinese airlines will offer 287 round-trip flights to Taiwan, while Taiwanese airlines will provide 98 round-trip flights to China, CAA said.
The 10-day Chinese New Year holidays begin February 14.Due to the high frequency of flights, some are forced to operate in the early morning hours, the Central News Agency said.
The charter flights are in addition to 270 regular cross-strait flights per week, which were introduced on August 31 when Taiwan dropped its six-decade ban on air links with China.
There are some half a million Taiwanese working in China, either opening factories or working in high-tech companies.
The Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese all over the world.

Indonesia delays deadline for single bank ownership

* No new deadline for single bank ownership rule
* Govt to study impact on four state-owned banks
* Policy forced Temasek to sell BII stake, Bank Niaga merger
* Analysts say govt could lower stake in top lender Mandiri
By Telly Nathalia and Neil Chatterjee

Asian Defense News: JAKARTA, Jan 26 - Indonesia will delay an end-2010 deadline requiring investors to own only a single bank in Southeast Asia's largest economy, giving the government more time to work out what to do with its major stakes in four banks.
Analysts said it was unclear exactly what would happen to the government's stakes, but any asset sales could attract strong interest to get exposure to a fast-growing economy that investors hope could reach investment-grade status in a few years.
The policy from the central bank requires all banks that share a major shareholder to merge, divest or create a single holding company.
The government owns controlling stakes in four major banks, including 66 percent of Indonesia's top lender Bank Mandiri , 56 percent of Bank Rakyat Indonesia >, 76 percent of PT Bank Negara Indonesia and 73 percent of the recently listed PT Bank Tabungan Negara .
"There has been no indication of the Indonesia government selling its stake in the banks. Mandiri has indicated that government ownership will be reduced to below 60 percent, to qualify for a lower tax rate. We do not know whether it will be through divestment or a new share issue," said Salman Ali, head of Indonesia research at Citi Securities in Jakarta.
The policy, originally set for 2008 but pushed back several times already, forced Singapore state fund Temasek [TEM.UL] to sell a stake in one of its two banks in Indonesia, and could bring about management changes at state-owned banks, government officials have said.
Said Didu, secretary of the state enterprises ministry, did not give a new deadline for the policy, which aims to consolidate the banking sector and help improve transparency.
MERGERS UNLIKELY
The policy led to the 2008 merger of Bank Niaga and PT Bank Lippo Tbk to form CIMB Niaga .
Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, an analyst with Indonesian broker Danareksa, said it would be difficult for any potential further mergers to win shareholder approval.
Didu said the government had to tread carefully over the state-owned banks, because decisions could affect the banking system and the economy.
"We need to draft and do deep research about it, about its impact for state-owned banks," Didu told Reuters on Tuesday.
Singapore's state investor Temasek, which still owns 68 percent of Indonesia's PT Bank Danamon , sold its majority stake in Bank International Indonesia to Malaysia's Maybank in 2008 because of the policy.
Temasek profited from the deal, but investors have since been pouring into Indonesian markets in the past year to get exposure to Southeast Asia's strongest growth, a surge in the stock market <.JKSE> and a buoyant rupiah currency.
Fitch Ratings gave the country a vote of confidence on Monday, upgrading its sovereign rating [ID:nSGE60O0EV]. And private equity group CVC Partners joined retail firm Matahari Putra Prima in a joint venture buying Matahari's department store chain arm for $773 million on Monday.[ID:nSGE60O0J0]
Indonesia's stock market jumped over 80 percent and bonds posted equity-like returns last year as investors bought into the prospect that relatively stable politics and healthy economic growth could push the country to investment-grade status in a few years, alongside BRIC nations Brazil, Russia, India and China.

India, China border personnel meet to mark Republic Day

Asian Defense News: Leh: It was a scene of bonhomie as the border personnel of India and China met to mark the Republic Day in Chushul belt along the LAC in Ladakh, putting behind the tension over recent incursions by the PLA in the area.
Both sides also agreed on different measures to maintain peace, stability and to work for development of the region.
The Chinese delegation was received by the leader of Indian delegation Brigadier Y K Joshi.
After the reception, the Indian national flag was hoisted and both the Chinese and Indian delegations saluted the tricolour.
According to a Northern Command spokesperson, in the formal meeting held in atmosphere of mutual trust and camaraderie, greetings were exchanged by both the sides amid agreements to join hands in contributing to peace, stability and development of the region in consonance with border peace and tranquility agreements.
Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 17:22:19 Source: Agencies

Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire

Asian Defense News: New Delhi: Even as India celebrated its 61st Republic Day, Pakistan violated a ceasefire near the International border in Jammu twice on Tuesday.
Pakistan allegedly fired on two posts in Kanachak and Akhnoor in the wee hours of the morning.
A private television report said it was the 15th cease-fire violation by Pakistan in just one month.
Tuesday's first violation came around 2.30 a.m. when intermittent firing was reported in Kanachak area near the international border. The Alfa Machal post was allegedly targetted from across the border.
The second violation was on the Akhnoor sector's Tent Post, when two rockets were reporedly fired by Pakistani Rangers at about 2:45 a.m. from the Pakistan side.
"There was firing at around 2 a.m. in the morning today, and continued for a few hours," the channel quoted Jammu and Kashmir police chief Kuldeep Khoda, as saying.
"The intensity was initially huge, later on it died down a bit. We are watching the situation, our forces are there, they are very alert, our patrolling parties and the BSF are there supportnig them. And things are well under control right now," he added.
A red alert has been sounded in the Akhnoor sector in response to the cease-fire violation.

Posted On: 26-Jan-2010 18:38:16 By: Rizwan Khan