Asian leaders from Pakistan to Japan have all condemned Israel’s deadly attack on Gaza which began a week ago and has killed about 500 civilians. Reiterating the need for peace in the region, Asia’s leaders publicly called for a ceasefire. Mass protests in Islamic nations Pakistan and Indonesia had demonstrators burning the Israeli flag and asking the government to send in troops.

Calling for an immediate end to the violence, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the AFP - “There should be an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. We should stop the loss of life and property there. What has happened is unjustified.”

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Singapore’s economy grew by 1.5 percent in 2008, less than a fifth of its 7.7 percent growth in 2007 and slower than the 2.5 percent the government had predicted two months ago.

“If we are correct, 2009 will mark the most severe recession in Singapore’s history,” Citigroup Inc. analyst Kit Wei Zheng, who expects the economy to contract 2.8 percent this year told the AP. (more…)

While the Indian government announced a second stimulus package within a month, lowering policy interest rates, easing overseas borrowing norms and increasing the foreign investment limit in corporate bonds to US$15 billion, other South East Asian nations also implemented changes.

Singapore, one of Asia’s worst performing economies will announce changes to boost the economy during their annual budget session, which has been pre-poned to January instead of February this year; China, which is feared to perform its worst in two decades is expected to announce several more measures to boost their economy soon too. South Korean and Malaysian leaders have also expressed interest in taking steps to stimulate the economy this month. (more…)

In an interesting discovery while digging into Asia’s varied architectural styles, i found amazing similarities between Kerala’s (South Indian State) traditional Nalukettu houses and traditional Japanese temples. Its a strange fact, endorsed by several architects in the region who have compared the layout, usage of space and shape of the houses and temples, but it is believed that the Nalukettu houses are influenced by the Japanese, history of how they were influenced however remains ambiguous.

The Nalukettu houses is quadrangular building constructed within a large compound usually the center of family life. Originally the abode of the wealthy Brahmin and Nair families, this style of architecture has today become a status symbol among the well to do in Kerala. The four wings surrounding the quadrangle courtyard follow the tenants of Vastu Shastra - specifically placed rooms to house a large joint family and their guests. Created using wood and tiles, the interior of the house is decorated with antiques made from teak, sandalwood, mahogany. However it is the traditional exterior of carved and slotted wood and has a close resemblance to East Asian gabled and thatched structures.

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In the previous Bribe Payers Index (BPI), published in 2006, India was named as the worst, followed by China and Russia, while Switzerland, Sweden and Australia got the highest scores.

Looking at the larger picture, experts who specialize in governance relate a country’s level of corruption to long-term economic growth and investment. In Asia, this means countries  such as Singapore and Hong Kong which have made concerted efforts to stamp out corruption have witnessed higher growth and FDI inflows as compared to country’s such as Myanmar which was ranked amongst the world’s most corrupt countries by TI. Of the emerging countries, Malaysia ranks high, followed by Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines in that order.

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Renewable energy has a three fold role in emerging Asia - it helps nations develop while protecting the economy, it brings electricity to rural areas where natural resources used for renewable energy are abundant and fossil fuels can be difficult and expensive to procure and it provides a livelihood by creating rural businesses.

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China-India trade hit a record US$29 billion during the first half of 2008, growing at 69 percent year on year.  Sino-India trade clocked US$38.6 billion in 2007, trade sources told the Financial Express.

While India is known to import more from China than she exports to the middle kingdom, trade experts believe bilateral trade is on track. Sino-India trade is expected to reach US$60 billion by 2010, a target set by both Prime Ministers in 2005.

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