Chinese leaders to consider welfare for all

China National People’s Congress will consider landmark legislation that would make social benefits universal when it meets Thursday. The NPC — the climax of China’s political calendar — will convene as 3,000 delegates from across the country and overseas gather in the capital, Beijing. The delegates will represent China’s central leadership, the military, every province, including minority groups such as Tibetans, and overseas Chinese.

Share

Lahore attack puts World Cup in doubt

The future of international cricket in Pakistan, including that country’s intention to host the 2011 World Cup, came under scrutiny after the Lahore attack on the Sri Lanka team that left six security personnel dead and eight players wounded. Pakistan, which is battling Islamist and Taliban insurgents in its North West Frontier Province, has struggled to attract visiting cricket teams in recent years because of security concerns

Share

Fans: ‘Cricket loses its innocence in Pakistan’

Cricket has long been considered the gentleman’s game — a sport in which the tenets of fair play and respect for authority are so revered that it introduced a colloquialism to describe something unacceptable: "It’s just not cricket." Cricket fans around the world found themselves shaking their heads and muttering just that Tuesday morning, after gunmen in Pakistan opened fire on a bus carrying members of the Sri Lankan national team on their way to a stadium for a match. At least six security people were killed and at least eight members of the Sri Lankan team were wounded in the well-coordinated attack in the eastern city of Lahore. No one immediately claimed responsibility.

Share

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.

Share

EU pledges ‘appropriate’ aid to hurting members

European Union leaders have agreed to provide "appropriate" aid on a case-by-case basis to member nations battered by the global economic downturn, the union’s current president said Sunday. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek called reports of a split over threats of protectionism an “artificial” controversy over-dramatized by news outlets, and said the EU would use its tools “to the full extent” to offset the impact of job losses among its 27 members. “There has been a clear decision that all member states will get the appropriate assistance in the cases where appropriate,” Topolanek said during an emergency summit in Brussels.

Share

Undersea bombs threaten marine life

Beyond the golden beaches and beneath the blue waters of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques is a site that resembles more of a munitions graveyard than a Caribbean paradise. Hundreds of corroding and unexploded bombs litter the sea floor, leaking toxins and taking a toll on nearby marine life. The munitions were left by the U.S

Share