Weekly Snapshots

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CONTINUING ECONOMIC REFORMS: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak sworn in as the Prime Minister in front of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah at the Istana Negara on May 6. During the 13th General Elections, Barisan Nasional remained as the winning coalition with 133 seats out of 222 Parliament seats to form a new federal government. The ringgit rallied the most since 2010 and stocks rose to a record after Najib won a clear majority in the election, giving him a mandate to continue his economic reforms. — Bernama photo

KEY THEMES: Mayor of London Boris Johnson speaks at the Global Investment Conference 2013 in London on May 9. Organised by the UK Trade and Investment, the key themes at the conference include international economic growth and global business investment in the year ahead. — Reuters photo

NEW FINANCIAL ZONE: Buildings are seen at Sowwah Square on Marayah Island in Abu Dhabi’s new central business district. Last week Abu Dhabi outlined plans for a full-service financial zone on the island near Abu Dhabi’s downtown area; the zone will have its own administration, court system and tax incentives to lure banks and other firms from around the world. — Reuters photo

FACTORY LAUNCHING: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co Ltd (Toyo Tyre) chairman Kenji Nakakura (third right) along with (from left) Toyo Tyre Group chief executive pffocer Takakuji Yamamoto, Ministy of International Trade and Industry Secretary-General Datuk Dr Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia Shigeru Nakamura and Toyo Tyre Malaysia Kanji Kasai officiating the new Toyo Tyre Malaysia factory located at Kamunting Raya Indostrial Zone on May 8. These facilities are equipped with the latest technology worth RM800 million. This factory will begin with 2.5 million tyre production that will be doubled to five million by 2015. — Bernama photo

RESOLVING ISSUES: (From left) Irish minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and MEP Alain Lamassoure pose prior to their working session on a crisis meeting between the presidents of the three European Union (EU) institutions (Council, Commission and Parliament) in an attempt to unblock the negotiations on the budget from 2014 to 2020, at the EU Headquarters on May 6 in Brussels. — AFP photo

PROPERTY SHOW: Visitors discuss property deals near a model of a project during the Gulf Property Show at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Manama on May 8. — Reuters photo