Asian markets track Wall Street losses

Asian markets slumped Friday, latching onto Wall Street’s bear market slide to levels not seen since 1997. Tokyo’s Nikkei average was off 3.5 percent in afternoon trading and the All Ordinaries index in Australia tumbled 1.2 percent. In Seoul, the KOSPI fell 0.3 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index dropped 1.3 percent.

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Former Chelsea manager in football race row

Former manager of English football club Chelsea and current boss at Italian side Juventus, Claudio Ranieri, is at the center of a race row after comments he made following his side’s Coppa Italia defeat to Lazio. Ranieri told media after the loss on Tuesday: “I did not like the entire direction of the match. I found the official was tough with us, on the field it seemed as if he was Chinese, as it was always yellow cards with us,” football web site Goal.com reported.

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Edible Excretions: Taiwan’s Toilet Restaurant

“There’s poop everywhere! Y-u-c-k,” says six-year old Jordan Lien, as he and his family dine at the Modern Toilet, a popular Taiwanese restaurant that’s expanding into China and other parts of Asia. The boy was looking at the poop-shaped lights and dish covers, and the curry on toilet-shaped plates. Diarrhea for dinner That’s the point.

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Six Signs the Recession Is Ending

A number of economists predict that the recession could last into 2010 and unemployment will top 10%. If the crisis does not deepen into an even longer downturn, there will have to be early signs that the credit crisis is ending and that consumer and business confidence are coming back. And, there are a few things to watch for.

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Analysis: Attack puts sport in terror gunsights

The media are in place, thousands of fans watching and major stars present. It’s not hard to see why sport makes a tempting target for terrorists and, say security experts, Tuesday’s attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team could set the two worlds on a new collision course. At least six security personnel were killed when a gang of 12 gunmen opened fire on a convoy carrying the Sri Lankan cricket team in the Pakistani city of Lahore that left eight players and their coach injured

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China Goes on a Smart Shopping Spree

The world might be sinking into its worst recession in generations, but China is on a wild shopping spree. Sitting some $2 trillion of cash reserves, Beijing is taking advantage of the woes of others to cement its grip on new sources of commodities ranging from olive oil to crude oil —often at fire-sale prices. China’s growth rate may be slowing in concert with the world economy, but even at that slower rate, its economy continues to expand, requiring a steady increase in supplies of oil, copper, aluminum and other minerals.

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Nepal beefs up security ahead of Tibet anniversary

Authorities in Nepal said Saturday they have beefed up security near the Chinese Embassy to stop any possible anti-Chinese demonstrations in the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s flight from Tibet. “The area within 200 meters (218 yards) of the Chinese Embassy visa section has been declared a prohibited area from Friday,” Nabaraj Silwal, the chief of the Kathmandu city police, said. “Rallies, sit-ins and sloganeering will not be allowed within the prohibited area.” The decision comes a day after visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue had an hour-long meeting with Nepalese security officials in Kathmandu to discuss prevention of anti-Chinese activities.

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