HCM City / DPA Severe drought in the Mekong Delta has badly affected agriculture and aquaculture, threatening a scarcity of raw materials for seafood exports. Shrimp farmers in Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Kien Giang provinces are nervous as their shrimp keep dying because of drought and saltwater intrusion up rivers. “Shrimp farming is so risky,” Sai Gon …

Jakarta / Bloomberg An Indonesian consortium led by veteran investment banker Agus Projosasmito is in talks to raise $1 billion of debt to back its bid for control of Newmont Mining Corp.’s copper operations in the country, according to the group’s financial adviser. The investor group is in discussions with banks on borrowing $750 million in senior loans and $250 …

Bangkok / DPA Thailand’s power peak will hit a new record this year when electricity usage is expected to hit 28,500 megawatt, according to an estimate by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand under the assumption that average temperature would rise by 4 percent to 38.5 degree Celcius. The electricity consumption should hit a new peak some time during April …