China’s giant pandas adapt well to life at Taipei Zoo

TAIPEI - Two giant pandas given by China to Taiwan are adapting well to life at the Taipei Zoo, and will make their debut after one month’s quarantine, the Taipei Zoo said Wednesday.

Six militants killed near Afghan capital

KABUL - Six Taliban militants have been killed and three others detained in an operation carried out by the coalition forces near the Afghan capital, officials said Tuesday.

Indian woman gets 8 yrs for forced prostitution in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR - An Indian national has been convicted and sentenced for eight years for forcing a compatriot into prostitution after promising her a job as maid in this Malaysian capital.

Malaysia to retrench 4,700 electronics workers

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is to retrench at least 4,749 workers, mostly from the electronics sector, that has a large number of technical personnel from South Asia, according to a news report.

Hong Kong stocks slide over three percent

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index went down 461.71 points or 3.16 percent to 14,160.68 during Tuesday’s morning session.

China’s foreign trade to hit $2.6 trillion in 2008

BEIJING - China’s total volume of foreign trade is expected to reach $2.6 trillion in 2008, up from $2.17 trillion last year, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said Tuesday.

One dead in attack on UN relief truck in southern Philippines

MANILA - Unidentified gunmen fired at a United Nations truck carrying rice to evacuees in southern Philippines, killing one Filipino worker, a UN representative said Tuesday.

Hong Kong Disneyland to have $500 million expansion

HONG KONG - Hong Kong’s struggling Disneyland theme park, the smallest Disney park in the world, is to grow by more than one third in a $500 million expansion, a news report said Tuesday.

500 laid off at Asia’s biggest casino as slump hits gambling

HONG KONG - Five hundred employees at Asia’s biggest casino resort, the Venetian Macao, have been laid off as the global slump hits betting revenues, a news report said Tuesday.

Signalling new ties, China sends two giant pandas to Taiwan

TAIPEI/BEIJING - Two giant pandas given by China to Taiwan arrived in Taipei Tuesday amid huge public interest in the latest sign of improving ties between the two political rivals.

China asks India, Pakistan to probe Mumbai attacks

BEIJING - China Tuesday called on India and Pakistan to probe the Mumbai terror attacks through peaceful consultations.