CHINA

Two government buildings in an eastern Chinese city were rocked by two explosions on Thursday morning, a state media report said, Reuters reported.

US senators proposed further tightening sanctions on Iran reflecting fears that companies overseas, particularly in China, are evading U.S. penalties imposed last year for doing business with Iran, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

India is talking with other emerging nations to build support for a common candidate for a developing economy to be the next head of the International Monetary Fund, with Mexico's Central bank chief being a possibility, said two government sources, reported Reuters.

The North Korean dictator executed a woman after she rejected his advance.

This is the full text of U.S. President Barack Obama's speech to both UK houses of parliament.

Southeast Asia is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most powerful economic juggernauts, driven by fast growth and strong monetary policies by local central banks.

Take a look at the world's five tallest buildings: Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101, Shanghai World Financial Center, International Commerce Center (Hong Kong) and the Petronas Towers.

Ethnic Mongolians have staged a rare protest demonstration in northern China after a shepherd was killed, according to the US-based Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Centre. (SMHRIC).

According to the latest statistics of the US Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, L.A. was the 2nd most preferred US destination by overseas travelers in 2010 surpassing Miami which claimed the spot in 2009.

The next chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will likely be one of two candidates, France Finance Minister Christine Lagarde (who has officially announced her interest in the job) and Mexico’s central bank governor Agustin Carstens, who is also lobbying for the sought-after position.

Dollar Gold Prices hit a three-week high of $1528 per ounce on Wednesday morning in London, while commodities - like global stock markets - failed to add much to the gains they made Tuesday after Goldman Sachs issued a bullish note on natural resources.

The Supreme People's Court - the highest court in Mainland China - has ordered lower courts to suspend death sentences for two years, but only in cases that does not call for immediate execution.”

Three nuclear reactors at a Japanese nuclear plant suffered meltdowns within days, the plant’s operator told Reuters on Tuesday.

The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Velti, China-Biotics, Oncothyreon, Synovis Life Technologies, and Inter Parfums. The top after-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Park Sterling Bank, Charming Shoppes, Books-A-Million, CoStar Group, Exterran Partners, and Compuware.

In a budge to deepen its economic ties with Africa, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on a six days long visit to Africa from Monday. India, trying to emerge from the shadow of rival China by is offering $5 billion to help the continent rich with minerals and commodities, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Top emerging economies joined forces to slam Europe's obsolete grip on the IMF's top job, even as France's finance minister appeared to strengthen her lead in the race to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said on Monday that stripping energy and food costs from inflation measurements may understate inflation. Ignoring energy prices in a price index may systematically understate inflation for many years, he added.

After Dominique Strauss-Kahn's resignation from IMF, French finance minister Christine Lagarde has emerged as the leading candidate for IMF chief, receiving the support of European nations. On the other hand, countries such as China, India and Mexico are calling for an IMF chief from among an emerging economy.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Sify Technologies, China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology, GT Solar International, United Community Banks, Pharmasset, Perfect World, and TiVo. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Identive Group, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and Research In Motion.

North Korea's secretive leader Kim Jong-il toured east China on Monday, while the U.S. government team flew to North Korea to assess food shortages.

Shares of Apple Inc reorganized on Monday after Wall Street brushed off the shock of the explosion last week that shut down a Foxconn factory in China producing its popular iPad