Asian Correspondent Asia News

Settling into Malaysian life

Hotel Gal sees the world

Selamat siang (good afternoon) from Kuala Lumpur! A lot has happened since my last post; for starters, I got a job … and an apartment!

Just to give you an idea of what I do...

After settling into KL life, Kim and I both had a few interviews lined up. I scored on my third interview with a hotel close to the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) – letʼs call it Hotel Bintang*. Youʼre ʻlookingʼ at their new Housekeeping Attendant! Itʼs a pretty swanky business hotel and I just have to clean the guest rooms. Itʼs...

China says trade with NKorea has nearly doubled

BEIJING (AP) — China’s trade with its close ally North Korea nearly doubled in the first seven months of the year compared with the same period in 2010, state media reported Sunday. The 87 percent increase to $3.1 billion was announced at the start of a visit to the North by Chinese Vice Premier Li...

Dhaka closer to preferential trade with OIC countries

During a press briefing at the Foreign ministry of Bangladesh on June 25, the Foreign Secretary Mijarul Islam Quayes disclosed Bangladesh government’s plans to ratify the rules of origin agreement thus paving the legal foundations of a preferential trade deal while boosting trade among the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member nations. As the...

Cambodia means serious business

A recent post by The Economist turned the spotlight on Cambodia. The focus was not on the sublime beauty of its historical sites nor was it on its notorious child-sex industry. The attention was on how fast Cambodia is industrializing and building up its infrastructure. According to the post, Phnom Penh is in the process...

Six Arabian Gulf states to adopt Schengen-type visa system

Six Arabian Gulf countries are now taking steps to adopt a Schengen-type common visa system to attract more tourists and businessmen to come and invest there. Once the work of a committee now drafting common visa rules is approved by the Gulf Cooperation Council and its member-states, the new visa would benefit travelers who go...