Shares in China and Hong Kong were higher by midday on Thursday, extending the previous session's gains, as airlines were lifted by a stronger yuan, and Li & Fung surged on an upbeat U.S. consumer spending outlook. Overall, the mood remained cautious as investors awaited China's next moves aimed at cooling inflation, which accelerated to
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South Korea said on Thursday it would increase troops on islands near North Korea with Pyongyang warning it would follow its bombardment earlier in the week with more attacks if its wealthy neighbour tried any "provocations". The sudden spike in tension in the world's fastest growing economic region is putting mounting pressure on China to
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Shares in China and Hong Kong had posted modest gains by midday on Wednesday, coming off of multi-week lows as investors bought beaten down stocks such as banks and commodity-related counters. Investors also bought back into Hong Kong developers, which fell sharply in recent sessions after the government announced fresh measures aimed at curbing fast-rising
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Paul Hogan, star of the "Crocodile Dundee" movies, got an early Christmas present this week — the Australian Tax Office abandoned its criminal investigation of him and his business manager for tax evasion. The news, which ended a years-long legal struggle in which Hogan was investigated over allegations that he put tens of millions of
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Tokyo on Wednesday held onto its crown as the global centre of gourmet dining, when the Michelin guide awarded it more stars than any other city for the fourth year in a row. Tokyo restaurants also gained more top awards than last year with 14 given the coveted three-star rating, which Michelin defines as "exceptional
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Eating lots of orange and dark green veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes and green beans may be tied to less disease and longer life, suggests a new study. This time it is not the beta-carotene in vegetables that has the spotlight, but rather its cousin: alpha-carotene. Both are members
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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Teens who live in households where food is scarce suffer academically, but a new study has found that government programs to provide meals in schools can reverse this effect. According to the researchers, the findings suggest that school programs aimed at reducing so-called food insecurity can break an insidious cycle
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A U.S. aircraft carrier group set off for Korean waters on Wednesday, a day after North Korea launched artillery shells on a South Korean island, a move likely to enrage Pyongyang and unsettle its ally, China. The nuclear-powered USS George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of over 6,000, left a naval
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The tough guy image of Hollywood actor Bruce Willis will be used in a new campaign for a mid-sized Russian bank, the lender has said. Trust bank, a top-30 lender by assets, hung pictures of the "Die Hard" star on the streets of Moscow on Monday with the phrase "Trust is just like me, but
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. By Brad Dorfman From traditional lures like slashed prices on hot electronics to a "Santa-Sing-A-Ma-Jig" toy, U.S. retailers are pushing to attract shoppers into their doors on Black Friday. With higher income consumers more positive about their financial prospects but lower income consumers still struggling, retailers are reaching out with smartphone and iPad apps,
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