KUALA LUMPUR (May 15): Emas Kiara Industries Bhd's (EKIB) wholly-owned subsidiary Noblecorp Sdn Bhd has acquired land in Kulai, Johor, from Creative City Development Sdn Bhd for RM5.26 million.

The company will obtain a bank loan to complete the acquisition, which will help it diversify into different businesses including investment.

LONDON (May 15): Britain's Royal Mail said plans to turn over half of its main London sorting office — Mount Pleasant — into a prime residential hub will be submitted next spring, as the group tries to boost its value ahead of a 2014 privatisation.

ABIDJAN (May 15): The Cote d'Ivoire's Public Health Ministry has imposed a ban on hawking in the main streets of Abidjan for the first time in decades to ensure a new image for the city, China's Xinhua News Agency reported.

LONDON (May 14): E.ON, one of Britain's biggest energy suppliers, said on Monday it will not increase energy tariffs for its UK residential customers this year, despite rising wholesale energy prices.

SINGAPORE (May 14): Thomson Reuters, the world's leading supplier of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, and Global Property Research on Monday announced the launch of the first highly-liquid, real estate indices.

IPOH (May 14): The construction of the proposed low-cost carrier terminal in Perak will be a holistic development for the state and a project of such nature will not compete with other states, says Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.

He said the Utara Malaysia Airport Terminal (UMAT) was part of the state's future development for the Northern region.

ALOR SETAR (May 14): The Alor Setar City Council is offering investment opportunities to local and foreign companies to develop the state.

Alor Setar Mayor Datuk Mat Noh Ahmad said the offer is to increase the council's revenue and to bolster Alor Setar's image as a city.

Chinese-themed shopping mall to be built in Bahrain

MANAMA (May 14): Bahrain and China signed an agreement on Sunday to build a Chinese-themed retail shopping mall that will host 100 Chinese companies and businesses, Xinhua news agency reported.

NEW DELHI (May 14): A Malaysian delegation is expected to arrive in Bangladesh soon with a preliminary proposal for the construction of the much talked-about 6.15Km Padma Bridge.

IPOH (May 14): The Perak government has called on the federal and neighbouring state governments particularly Penang to view favourably the proposed low-cost carrier terminal (LCCT) in northern Perak as an airport that complements rather than competes with other airports in their respective states.