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Asia struggles as US feel-good factor ebbs

Asia struggles as US feel-good factor ebbs Asian stocks closed lower on Friday, hit by losses on Wall Street after US data showing a surprise contraction in a key industrial region pointed to a possibly sharper-than-expected US slowdown, dealers said. They said this was more than enough to offset any lingering feel-good factor from the US Federal Reserves decision to leave interest rates on hold, with that move now being taken instead as another indicator that all may not be well with the US economy. A regular Philadelphia Federal Reserve survey fell to minus 0.4 points last month from a positive 18.5 in

We will help Southeast Asia fight terror: Rice

We will help Southeast Asia fight terror: Rice The U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, today vowed to help fight terrorism in Southeast Asia, warning that Islamic militants would turn the region into "a ring of fire" if not actively confronted. Rice -- wrapping up a two-day trip to Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation -- said al-Qaida-linked terror groups blamed for a series of bloody attacks in recent years were trying to destroy the multiethnic region's tradition of tolerance. "We are working alongside countries like Malaysia and Singapore and to build the capacity of others like the Philippines,

Manila police raise alert for Southeast Asia games

Manila police raise alert for Southeast Asia games MANILA, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The Philippines will put Manila's 17,000 police on full alert for Sunday's opening of the Southeast Asian Games, fearing a possible attack by Muslim or communist rebels, the capital's police chief said on Wednesday. About 7,000 athletes and officials from the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Timor are taking part in the biennial games, first held in 1959. Vidal Querol, director of Manila's police force, said the heightened state of alert would begin at 6 a.m. on Thursday (2200 GMT on Wednesday). More:

South-Southeast Asia trade pact likely by July

South-Southeast Asia trade pact likely by July Dhaka _ A free trade pact between seven South and Southeast Asia nations is likely to be in place by July 2006, according to Bangladesh's foreign minister. Ministers and senior officials from India, Nepal, Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Bangladesh have been meeting since Sunday in the Bangladeshi capital to review areas of co-operation within the group, known as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Co-operation, also known as Bimstec. ``We had a very successful and substantive meeting. You can term it as a turning point for Bimstec,'' Foreign Minister M.

Rice To Discuss Common Security Challenges at Southeast Asia Forum

Rice To Discuss Common Security Challenges at Southeast Asia Forum Strengthening relationships between the United States and Southeast Asian countries and discussing common security challenges in the region will be the focus of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rices visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 13th meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). During a roundtable discussion with Asian print journalists July 21, Rice said the ARF meeting July 28 will give her an opportunity to continue [the] process of deepening the ties with the member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,