Germany says will destroy Syria chemical weapon remnants

BERLIN  - Germany said on Thursday it had accepted a UN request to destroy remnants of Syria's chemical weapons on its own soil as part of a bid to eliminate the arsenal by June 30.

"The government decided following a request by the UN-Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that Germany is prepared to make a substantial contribution to the elimination of Syrian chemical weapons," the foreign and defence ministries said in a joint statement.

"The government is willing and able to destroy in Germany remnants created in the course of irreversibly neutralising chemical weapons from Syria and which resemble industrial waste."

AFP

Libya tells oil tankers to avoid seized ports

PM's strong warning follows invitation by pro-autonomy groups to international firms to lift crude from their terminals.

Libya's prime minister has warned oil tankers to stay away from ports captured by armed protesters or else be sunk by the navy. Ali Zeidan's warning comes as pro-autonomy rebels who have disrupted the OPEC member-nation's crude production continue to challenge Tripoli's government. Zeidan made the statement on Wednesday after the Libyan navy fired warning shots to ward off a tanker that the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said tried to load crude at a terminal held by protesters, who say they opened ports under their control for business. "Any country or company or gang trying to send tankers to take oil from the seized ports without coordinating with the NOC, we will deal with them, even if we are forced to destroy or sink them," Zeidan said. "We warn all countries there will be no leniency." Zeidan is facing mounting pressures and a potential parliamentary bid to withdraw confidence from his government. Libya is reeling under mounting disorder as pro-autonomy groups and armed rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi from power are now demanding more political independency and a bigger share in the country’s vast oil wealth. These groups, which claimed control of eastern oil terminals six months ago, have invited international companies to buy oil from their ports in defiance of the central government. Earlier on Wednesday, Zeidan said he would reshuffle his cabinet this week or next to dodge a parliamentary no-confidence vote against him. "The cabinet will be appointed, not based on parties and political groups, but will be formed with technocrats and independent experts," Zeidan said, flanked by his cabinet members who were giving accounts of their respective ministry's performances.

Source: Agencies

India gets tough with US

NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON

INDIA ordered the United States yesterday to close down an embassy club for expatriate Americans in New Delhi, escalating a diplomatic row between the two nations that has brought faultlines in their ties out in the open.

Furious at the arrest, handcuffing and strip search of its deputy consul in New York last month, India initially reacted by curtailing privileges offered to US diplomats. The officer, Devyani Khobragade, was accused by prosecutors of underpaying her nanny and lying on a visa application,

Still festering nearly a month on, the row has started to affect the wider relationship between the world’s two largest democracies, with one high-level visit by a senior US official already postponed and a visit scheduled for next week by US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz looking doubtful.

Both sides have said the relationship is important and will not be allowed to deteriorate — Washington needs New Delhi on its side as US troops pull out of Afghanistan and it engages with China. Millions of Indians have made the United States their home and bilateral trade is worth about US$100 billion a year.

But the row over Khobragade, which should not have been more than an easily resolved irritant, is just not going away and has plunged the two countries into a crisis described by Indian media as the worst since New Delhi tested a nuclear device in 1998.

“I’m a little worried it may spin out of control,” said Lalit Mansingh, a former Indian ambassador to the United States who has also served as India’s top diplomat and is now retired.

India stepped up the pressure on Wednesday ahead of a Jan 13 court appearance where Khobragade could be indicted, ordering the US embassy in Delhi to stop receiving non-diplomats at an embassy club popular with expatriate Americans for its swimming pool, restaurant and bar.

Americans working in the Indian capital have been frequenting the club for decades.

The embassy said it had no comment to make on the move.

Despite an overall improvement in ties since the end of the Cold War, the dispute has brought into the open the lingering wariness between the two countries. Over the past year, there has been increasing friction over trade, intellectual property rights and visas for Indian IT workers.

There is also a legacy of mistrust between the both sides, with some Indian officials whose professional life began when India was a close partner of the Soviet Union still not convinced Washington is a reliable ally.

Despite close security and economic cooperation now, many officials recall US support of Pakistan, India’s old enemy, and some quietly believe the United States sees a strong India as a threat. “For 50 years we were led to believe that the United States was an adversary. For the last 10 years we have been experimenting with a strategic partnership. It is not a done deal.” said Mansingh.

Among some US diplomats there is a perception that while India insists on respect and friendship from Washington, it fails to deliver either in support on issues such as Iran or Afghanistan, or by giving enough commercial access to US businesses.

To defuse the spat, India wants the US State Department to approve Khobragade’s transfer to its UN mission in New York, a move it believes would give her immunity from prosecution. If that doesn’t happen before the US government commences a preliminary hearing or files an indictment, India could unleash more retaliation measures, a government source with knowledge of the affair told Reuters.

Reuters

Ministry Creates Think Tank To Boost Effectiveness

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 - The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK) has created a think tank to boost its effectiveness.

Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek said the nine-member group, which includes Malaysian Institute of Economic Research Chairman Tan Sri Dr Sulaiman Mahbob and former Johor Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim, has the autonomy to hold discussions from time to time without being tied down to regulations and schedules.

On the ministry's new responsibility of promoting the development of petty traders, Hasan said the ministry needs to quickly identify effective measures to help the still weak sector.

Speaking at a dinner with the group last night, he said the major challenge facing the ministry over the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year is ensuring businesses do not take advantage by raising their prices indiscriminately.

Issues being discussed at the ministry include the criteria used to define profiteering, he said.

"The issue of prices of goods is not just a question of demand, it is a complex issue as in an open market economy, the government cannot control the prices of all goods," he said, adding in an inefficient market, prices will fluctuate due to a volatile demand and supply situation.


BERNAMA

Stanchart: Inflation Rate May Rise To 3.4 Per Cent In First 9 Months 0f 2014

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 - Malaysia's inflation rate is expected to edge up to 3.4 per cent for the first nine months of this year from 2.1 per cent in the same period in 2013 driven by slower consumption as prices of consumer products have increased.

Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart) South East Asia Global Research Regional Head of Research Edward Lee Wee Kok said the slower consumption was because goods have become more expensive due to further subsidy rationalisation.

"You have less income to buy the goods. This would possibly lower the private consumption for the economy," he told reporters after a briefing session on "Rising East, Emerging West" Thursday.

Lee noted that the inflation projected for Malaysia this year was the highest among its regional peers.

Domestic demand had been the main contributor to economic growth in the past few years and this would continue to remain resilient despite the subsidy rationalisation, he said.

The bank is bullish on external oriented sectors such as logistics and manufacturing, which are more cyclical and could benefit from the recovery in Western countries.

Lee said the full-year global economic growth was projected to reach 3.5 per cent in 2014 compared with 2.7 per cent in 2013.

Standard Chartered has forecast a gross domestic product growth of 5.3 per cent for Malaysia this year from a projection of 4.7 per cent in 2013.

He added that the ringgit is expected to continue a depreciating trend against the US dollar following the US Federal Reserve's plan to scale back its bond-buying programme.

BERNAMA