CHINA

Typhoon Nesat, known as Typhoon Pedring to locals when it hit the Philippines earlier in the week, has reached China. Markets and schools were shut in Hong Kong and the storm is moving across the coast to the Hainan Province.

Nokia shares have plunged almost 49 percent year-to-date.

Typhoon Nesat hit Hainan Island in South China on Thursday after it had struck Hong Kong forcing markets, schools and businesses to close in one of Asia's most important financial centers.

Ford Motor Co. on Thursday stuck to its target of adding 7,000 jobs in the U.S. over the next two years, saying it sees an economic expansion there and not a double-dip recession.

China on Thursday began an eight-hour countdown to the launch of its Tiangong-1 space laboratory module.

Bob Dylan's paintings exhibited at a New York art gallery have drawn criticism for similarities to several well-known photographs.

A string of Chinese entrepreneurs have gone into hiding to avoid repaying loans, according to state media reports, highlighting a credit squeeze on private firms and the dangers of steep interest rates in China's vast and growing informal lending market.

As part of the biodiversity program launched by the Airbus Corporate Foundation, a third group of sixteen Airbus volunteers has reached Kudimery village in Tamil Nadu state, Southern India.

Prehypertension, which is blood pressure at the higher end of the normal range, appears to be associated with a greater risk of stroke, according to a meta-analysis.

Chinese police in Shanghai have arrested five people for making and selling fake versions of Apple Inc's iPhone, a local newspaper reported on Thursday.

Cytisine, a plant-based drug discovered by the Soviet Union more than 40 years ago, may be the key to lowering cigarette smoking rates in the developing world.

Spain nominated a film in Catalan for the first time ever on Wednesday as its candidate for Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Academy Awards, ahead of a picture by two-time Oscar winner Pedro Almodovar which stars Antonio Banderas.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke speech Wednesday at the Cleveland Clinic 'Ideas for Tomorrow' Series:

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke did not comment on the U.S. economy or monetary policy in a speech about emerging markets on Wednesday.

Youcef Nadarkhani, a Christian pastor in Iran, faces the death penalty if he refuses to convert to Islam. Nadarkhani, who was arrested in 2009, has been given three chances to repent and convert to Islam. All three times he has refused. Nadarkhani will be given his fourth and final chance to give up Christianity on Wednesday, which he again declined.

In Syria, anti-government protesters continue undeterred as President Bashar al-Assad intensifies his forceful crackdown against demonstrations. Over the last five days, at least 76 people have been killed in the northern cities of Homs and Hama and in the southern Daraa region, according to activist reports.

The U.S. Senate will likely take up President Barack Obama's jobs bill in October, but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev,. says he has a more important jobs bill to bring to the Senate floor first: one that treats China's fixed yuan as an anti-competitive trade practice.

Residents of the Philippines' capital city, Manila, began cleaning up after Typhoon Nesat brought widespread flooding that killed 21 people and left over two dozen missing.

Kobe Bryant said it is very possible he will play in Italy during the current NBA lockout, according to The Associated Press. It would make sense because the five-time NBA champion and 13-time all-star spent some of his childhood there.

According to a Beijing Times report, the Shenzhou-10, which will be China's sixth manned spacecraft, is likely to carry Chinese female astronauts into space.

The Dalai Lama was scheduled to attend the 80th birthday of his friend and fellow Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu in early October.