China clouded in cigarette smoke
January 9, 2011
When I first came to China 39 years ago, airlines distributed cigarettes free of charge during flights. Hotel rooms were invariably furnished with free packs of cigarettes. At meetings and conferences, filter-tipped cigarettes were standard features on the podium alongside writing pads, pencils and ashtrays. Non-smoking cars were unheard of on trains.
World Bank chief lauds India’s growth
January 9, 2011
World Bank President Robert Zoellick starts a four-day visit to India Monday where he is expected to laud the efforts by the big emerging country on its growing role in the global economy. Read more
Cold snap forces closure of Delhi schools
January 8, 2011
A continuing cold snap has prompted authorities in the Indian capital to keep schools closed until Sunday.
Delhi has been badly hit by the cold, along with Indian-administered Kashmir and the states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
India invites Pakistan to resume talks, minister says
January 8, 2011
India has invited Pakistan to resume talks after last year’s slow-progressing dialogue between the arch-rivals.
S. Korea reviews N. Korea offer to resume talks
January 8, 2011
South Korean officials tell CNN that they are reviewing a call for resumption of talks between Pyongyang and Seoul that was published by North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency on Friday.
Governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province assassinated
January 5, 2011
The governor of Pakistan’s Punjab province was assassinated by his own security guard Tuesday, according to Interior Minister Rehman Malik, apparently because he spoke out against the country’s controversial blasphemy law.
Report: Foot-and-mouth disease spreading in South Korea
January 2, 2011
South Korean officials confirmed seven additional cases of foot-and-mouth disease Sunday despite nationwide quarantine efforts, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
Dairy, beef and pig farms were among the locations where investigators detected the disease Sunday.
Bangladesh kicks off into 2011
December 31, 2010
Dhaka, Jan 1 (bdnews24.com)— Hundreds of thousands of revellers welcomed in the New Year noisily with fireworks and party throughout Dhaka and elsewhere Bangladesh early on Saturday
Thousands of people counted down to midnight to ring in 2011 the length and breadth of the country in a night of revelry.
South Korea works to contain foot and mouth disease outbreak
December 30, 2010
Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — South Korea raised its foot-and-mouth disease alert to its highest level on Wednesday in an effort to contain the disease that has rapidly spread across the country.
More than 495,000 livestock have been culled — slaughtered — so far across 29 cities, with 60 confirmed cases of the disease so far, according to the Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
Celebrity Chinese blogger’s magazine folds
December 29, 2010
The “Party” is over for one of China’s most popular bloggers.
Han Han, whose blog has clocked more than 441 million hits in the past five years, announced in his latest post Tuesday that he has shut down his literary magazine “Party” after publishing just one issue.