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This article presents news briefs related to politics and current events from around the world. China was expected to appoint David Akers Jones, formerly Hong Kong's top civil servant, to advise it on the British colony's affairs. In a landmark ruling, a Japanese court ordered the government to join Chisso Corp. in paying compensation to 105 people who were poisoned by mercury dumped into Minamata bay in the 1950s. India's Prime Minister, Narasimha Rao, crushed a leadership challenge at a ten hour meeting of a Congress party committee.

The article offers news briefs on the petrochemical industry in Asia. Plans have been announced by Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Chisso to integrate their respective fertilizer research and development and production operations into an existing joint-venture firm. Pakistan and China are planning to establish an energy and economic zone in the coastal city of Gwadar, Balochistan, to establish an oil and petrochemicals hub.

The article reports on the planned introduction of a new bicomponent meltblown material called Elfino by Chisso Corp. for the Japanese and the Chinese markets. The move of the Tokyo-based bicomponent fiber producer follows the installation of a new bicomponent meltblown line at its plant in Japan. The new meltblown line has a width of 50 centimeters (cm) and produces between 300 and 400 tons per year.

Reports the awarding of contracts to Nichimen and Chisso by Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical to expand its polyvinyl chloride capacity in China in September 2002.