CHINA

Hosting the majority of the planet's population, it is not a surprise to see Asian countries playing an increasingly prominent role in today's business world.

The top six fastest growing real estate companies mirrored the state of development around the world. As the U.S. and Europe languish, recovering from a glut of pre-recession overdevelopment, Asia, India and the Middle East have seen a construction boom

China's economy grew at its weakest pace in 2- years in the latest quarter, and it appeared headed for an even sharper slowdown in the coming months as export demand fades and the housing market falters.

Asian shares inched higher and the euro stayed above a 17-month trough Tuesday as investors focused on economic data from China to gauge the impact of the eurozone debt crisis on global growth.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Sunday named Neil Ashe as the new president and chief executive of its global eCommerce business as the world's largest retailer in a move to bolster its online presence.

Asian shares inched higher and the euro stayed above a 17-month trough on Tuesday as investors focused on economic data from China to gauge the impact of the euro zone debt crisis on global growth.

China's GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2011 dipped to 8.9 percent, down from 9.1 percent in the prior quarter, but the Chinese government will likely take steps to ensure that a slowdown does not harm global manufacturers that increasingly look to China for new consumers.

Twelve people were killed Monday in Syria, where a peace plan monitored by Arab observers has failed to douse a 10-month-old struggle between President Bashar al-Assad and his foes.

Kale believes physicians in Canada and the U.S. should adopt policies that limit the information released about the sex of unborn fetuses to after 30 weeks. Kale indicates that because families can discover the sex of their child early in pregnancies, selective abortions occur that target female fetuses.

Celebrities at the 2012 Golden Globes went nude this year. No not actually in their birthday suits, but many donned a much softer, more feminine neutral palette in contrast to the red carpet on Sunday. From Angelia Jolie and her Atelier Versace gown with a pop of red to Jessica Biel's wedding white Elie Saab dress, here are the best nude looks and trends on the Golden Globes red carpet, plus how to pair neutral with your own skin tone.

Chinese New Year 2012 will be celebrated on Monday, Jan. 23, marking the beginning of the year of the water dragon. Preparations have begun for the Chinese New Year festivities across the globe. In China, families clean their home, hang red banners with messages of good luck, pay respects to ancestors and begin to plan and prepare meals for Jan. 23.

Tablet computer makers have had a hard time keeping up with Apple's iPad 2, but now Apple will try to outdo itself with the iPad 3 this March. Apple hasn't announced anything yet, but reports out of China show Apple's component suppliers are producing new parts for a March release.

Use of microblogging in China quadrupled in 2011 compared with the previous year, with nearly half of all Chinese Internet users now taking to the near-instant service to gather news and spread views, a government Internet think tank said Monday.

Twelve people were killed on Monday in Syria where a peace plan monitored by Arab observers has failed to douse a 10-month-old struggle between President Bashar al-Assad and his foes.

European shares and the euro gradually recovered on Monday from early losses triggered by the mass downgrade of euro zone sovereign ratings last week, but they still looked vulnerable amid rising fears of a disorderly Greek debt default.

European shares and the euro gradually recovered on Monday from early losses triggered by the mass downgrade of euro zone sovereign ratings last week, but they still looked vulnerable amid rising fears of a disorderly Greek debt default.

Huntsman and Romney go way back. Both are Mormons, both have Utah roots, both are former governors and both are social moderates, so the two have been unavoidably compared to each other over the years. The endorsement, however, is yet another addition to a long and complicated history

European shares and the euro gradually recovered on Monday from early losses triggered by the mass downgrade of euro zone sovereign ratings last week, but they still looked vulnerable amid rising fears of a disorderly Greek debt default.

Internet giants Google and Facebook told an Indian court on Monday that it is not possible for companies to block offensive content that appears on their websites, in a case that has stoked fears about censorship in the world's largest democracy.

Jon Huntsman has announced that he is dropping out of the GOP presidential race, and will instead give his support to Mitt Romney.

Most people commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day turn to his iconic I Have a Dream speech. But King gave another famous speech the night before he died, known as the Promised Land or Mountaintop speech. In it, he alluded to his imminent assassination and the legacy he would leave behind. Listen to the audio file, watch the video, and read the full text of Dr. King's final speech here.