CHINA

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is expected to debut the iPhone 5 on Wednesday but there are at least five pitfalls that could endanger the company's huge success in the market. Here they are.

The traditional offering of thanks to a teacher is no longer good enough in Chinese schools. All too often, words are now being backed up with expensive gifts, luxury items, and money.

Rhino poaching has seen a resurgence in recent years due to an increase of demand for their horns in Asian markets. But all across Africa, local community members are working tocreate sanctuaries and lessen the risk of extinction.

These uninhabited rocks barely merit a few unnamed spots on Google Maps between Okinawa and Taiwan, but they have become a symbol of a much larger struggle over who controls what waters -- and what mineral resources lay beneath them -- in the East China Sea.

China has more Internet users than any other country in the world has inhabitants. Is that mass of people going to push for greater freedom? Not with government controls as stringent as they are now.

Asian stock markets declined Tuesday as investors opted for caution ahead of key events including German court ruling on ESM constitutionality and the U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting later this week.

Most U.S. employers are unwilling to add workers because of uncertainty around November's elections, the Federal budget, and the effect of Europe's slowdown, according to a quarterly hiring survey by ManpowerGroup. The pace of hiring is expected to slow in large emerging economies including China and India.

Investors fed up with years of poor returns are deserting BRIC equity funds, pushing share valuations to record cheap levels and questioning the future of the high-profile investment theme.

Asian shares eased Tuesday ahead of a key German ruling on the euro zone's bailout funds and the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision.

Indie songstress Lana Del Rey has come under attack again; this time, not for her musical talent (or her alleged lack thereof) but for posing naked on the cover of the October issue of British GQ.

Las Vegas is known to do everything in an over-the-top fashion. The new $17 million buffet at Caesars Palace is no exception.

The summer sports lifted the host nation's mood as Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, and David Weir were cheered on in the centre of the city.

Prince Harry has been asked by the British Foreign Office to visit China in an effort to improve diplomatic relations between the two countries, which have suffered over the U.K.'s relationship with the Dalai Lama and the murder of a British national by the wife of a prominent Chinese politician.

The public absence of key officials breeds rumor in China, where transparency at the top is scant and netizens are quick to throw out scenarios.

Venerable forecaster IDC predicted global spending on information technology this year will rise six percent to about $3.6 trillion, despite sluggishness in sector like PCs. The market also includes telecommunications services.

Confrontations in karaoke parlors have culminated in murderous violence in parts of Asia.

Two bombs exploded near army compounds in the Syrian city of Aleppo Sunday night, killing more than 20 people and injuring around 60 of President Bashar al-Assad's forces and residents.

Asian stock markets mostly ended higher Monday on hopes that major economies including the U.S and China would soon announce a new round of stimulus measures to spur growth.

Crude oil futures slightly declined Monday as weak economic reports from the U.S. and China weighed on the sentiment.

Most of the Asian markets rose Monday as investors remained hopeful that stimulus measures would soon be announced by China to boost its economy as its industrial production growth rate slowed down in August compared to previous month.

China reported a trade surplus of $26.66 billion in August amid the slower-than-expected growth in exports and imports, raising concern that the world's second largest economy isn't doing enough to stimulate the economy and avert a slowdown.