CHINA

The 'Provisions on News Information Services', which was issued in 2005, states that the purpose of news websites is not to inform the public of the facts, but instead to “serve socialism” and to “safeguard the nation’s interests and the public interest.”

Asian stock markets mostly ended higher on Thursday as higher growth forecast for the U.S economy from the Federal Reserve and solid earnings reports buoyed sentiment.

Japanese auto major Honda said on Thursday that it will recall more than 693,497 units of the Freed, Fit and City company models globally due to defective parts that could stall the engine and cause problems restarting.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in China rose in January despite concerns over market barriers and rising labor costs in the country.

In an attempt to sabotage the pro-democracy protests, Iran has censored internet by slowing speed, electronic communication and the media has been gagged.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Wednesday criticized a group of customs officers for a video clip they posted on YouTube celebrating the lavish lifestyle they say comes with their government jobs.

The number of international air passengers from mainland China will rise by an average of 10.8 percent per year through to 2014, making it the world's fastest-growing market, industry association IATA forecast.

China's provinces are drawing up plans to launch local carbon trading platforms in the next five years, but as caution prevails in Beijing, none of the ideas are likely to create products of interest to overseas buyers.

China is now the world's second largest economy, but hundreds of millions of its people still rely on fouled water that will cost billions of dollars to clean.

China announced a shake-up of its rare earths industry on Wednesday, vowing reasonable quotas on mining and exports to bring order to the small but strategic sector where its dominance has spooked foreign buyers.

China is likely to fail in its drive for state-owned steel giants to swallow small mills and create iron ore super buyers to wring better prices from leading sellers Vale, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

China's central bank on Wednesday denied a report that it has kicked off a pilot programme to liberalise bank deposit rates.

Asia's first ever snow polo tournament went into its second day on Wednesday at China's newest and largest polo club, with six top global teams promoting the luxury sport to the nation's new and growing ranks of wealthy.

China's new review body for inward M&A could bring some much-needed transparency to the deal approval process and even make it quicker for foreign companies to get tie-ups with mainland firms past the authorities.

Global miner BHP Billiton's boss, Marius Kloppers, confirmed on Wednesday he had harboured concerns about Chinese and competitor espionage on his business, citing it as a reason behind his push for market pricing of key commodities.

Gold steadied on Wednesday ahead of a raft of U.S. data due later, having earlier risen to four-week highs as a retreat in the dollar and concerns over the medium-term inflation outlook helped support the precious metal.

BHP Billiton plans to pour $80 billion into expansion over the next five years rather than chase ambitious takeovers, the world's biggest miner said after booming demand for iron ore and copper helped nearly double its first-half profits.

Barclays Capital said it continues to believe the new tablet category (led by Apple Inc.'s iPad) is poised for rapid growth over the coming years.

The home improvement retailer is set to give significant boost to job creation in the economy, hiring over 60000 seasonal associates to cope with the demands of a busy spring season.

India and Japan, two of Asia's largest economies, signed the landmark free trade agreement (FTA) on Wednesday, paving way for the elimination of tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods traded between the two countries over the next decade.

Global miner BHP Billiton's boss, Marius Kloppers, confirmed on Wednesday he had harbored concerns about Chinese and competitor espionage on his business, citing it as a reason behind his push for market pricing of key commodities.