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Capitala, an Abu Dhabi-based real estate developer, has awarded the main construction contract for Rihan Heights, the first phase of its multi-billion-dollar flagship project Arzanah. The contract was awarded to a joint venture partnership between Malaysia's Sunway Construction Sdn Bhd and Silver Coast Construction & Boring Est, an Abu Dhabi-based contractor. Located in the Grand Mosque District at the gateway point on Abu Dhabi island, Arzanah is the 1.4 million square metre fully integrated, mixed-use development surrounding Zayed Stadium.
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Australian and Japanese officials will meet in Canberra Monday for the first round of negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement.

A senior Australian trade official Friday said on the government condition of anonymity that the two days of talks would focus on setting a framework for future negotiations.

[…] A joint feasibility study commissioned in April 2005, found a comprehensive agreement could boost Australia’s gross domestic product by 39 billion Australian dollars (US$33 billion) and Japan’s by A$27 billion (US$23 billion) over a 20-year period.
[…] Australia has FTAs in place with the United States, Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand and is in negotiations on an agreement with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Chile, China and Malaysia.
Japan has signed FTAs with Mexico, Malaysia and Singapore and is in talks with several other nations on similar agreements.
(source)

The raise of the costs to keep the Malacca Strait open and safe, may have as a consequence that shipping vessels could soon have to pay a fee to use it.

Littoral states Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have stepped up patrols of the Strait in response to a surge of concern over incidents of piracy that prompted London insurers Lloyds to list the region as a war-risk zone, boosting premiums [..]
The 900-km-long Malacca Straits links Asia with the Middle East and Europe, carrying about 40 percent of the world’s trade, including 80 percent of the energy supplies of Japan and China.

(source:Reuters)

A support to the proposal, from the International Maritime Organisation, a United Nations agency charged with safeguarding international shipping that groups 166 nations, will be crucial to set up a fee for Malacca strait’s users.