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LATEST HEADLINES

Binayak Sen Found Guilty of Sedition
A court found Binayak Sen, a doctor accused of aiding India's Maoists, guilty of sedition and other crimes and sentenced him to life in prison. The decision is likely to inflame criticism from activists that his human rights have been overlooked in a campaign to quash an insurgency.

Impromptu Vacations Vex Filipinos
Manila this year extended its tradition of awarding long weekends at the last minute, but President Aquino and businesses are beginning to challenge whether so-called "Holiday Economics" pencils out.
Yuan's Role Grows in Hong Kong
Six months after China pledged to increase the flexibility of the yuan exchange rate versus the dollar, there are fresh signs that it is gradually moving closer to a more international role for its currency.
- Don't Expect Big Yuan Moves in New Year
- China Real Time: New Insight on Offshore Yuan Demand

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What’s News —

Business & Finance

Japan Approves Budget Proposal
Japan's government approved a record budget proposal for the next fiscal year, but still managed to adhere to its self-imposed fiscal reform targets for spending and new bond issuance.
- Japan Sees End to Economic Lull Next Year
Vietnam's Vinashin Defaults on Loan
Vietnamese shipbuilder Vinashin has defaulted on a loan to international lenders and has told them it will make only interest payments.
Asia Slips; Chinese Car Makers Hit
Asian stock markets were mostly lower in light trading ahead of the holidays. Stocks of Chinese auto makers' were hurt by Beijing's measures to curb its vehicle population. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.9%.
- MarketBeat: China Fails to Sell All 3-Month Bills
Subscriber Content Read Preview

China Unicom to Offer iPhone Without Contract
China Unicom Ltd. plans to offer the 8-gigabyte version of Apple's iPhone 3GS without a mobile-service contract starting Saturday, in an effort to compete with China Mobile and China Telecom.
Subscriber Content Read Preview

KB Financial Predicts Stronger 2011
South Korea's KB Financial forecasts better results in the coming year as it clears its bad assets and cuts staff, the chief executive said.
Tata Steel Studying Rio Tinto Bid
Discount Airlines Alter Caribbean Mix
Shoppers Flock Online
VW, Peugeot Weigh China Brands
Consumers Lift Economy

The Best of 2010

Film: Kings (Real, Virtual) Rule
"The Social Network," "The King's Speech' and "Toy Story 3" lead the pack in a modest movie year.
Theater: Revivals Ruled
Memorable new plays include John Guare's "A Free Man of Color" and A.R. Gurney's "The Grand Manner."
TV: Wars at Work, Overseas
Returning television shows like "In Treatment" and "Mad Men" came back strong; a searing "Pacific" on HBO.
- News Hub: Best TV Shows of 2010
Art: Matisse on Two Continents
International contenders for outstanding exhibition of the past year include "Matisse/Rodin" and "Henry Moore."
Amid Art Boom, Artists Weary
As the trade of international art takes off in Hong Kong, the city's homegrown artists are worried that they are getting left behind.

Markets

Oil's Not Well for Dalal Street
India's state-owned oil marketing companies—Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum have seen their stocks slide 18.7%, 26.2% and 14.6% respectively over the past three months, wilting in the heat of rising crude oil prices.
European Stocks End Largely Flat

World

Mumbai Tense After Terror Alert
India's financial capital braced for a tense year end after police said they are searching for four members of an Islamist militant group who have entered Mumbai to carry out attacks during the holiday season.
Freeze Strands Air Passengers in Paris
Parcel Bombs Hit Embassies in Rome
West African Bank Cuts Off Gbagbo
U.S. Visa Fee Increase Extended
Militants Attack Pakistan Security
North Korea Launches Verbal Salvo
Beijing Cracks Down on Car Buyers
Women Ascend in Latin America

Tech

Google Woos Local Advertisers
Google, which helped popularize the idea of automated ad sales on the Web, has been quietly turning to an old-fashioned tool—phone calls—to compete for local business advertising.
Fortifying Phones From Attackers
No Signal: Homes Often Baffle Wi-Fi
Mossberg's Top Tech Picks

Editors' Picks

China

Facebook Chief Meets China's Web Leaders
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg met some of China's top technology executives in Beijing this week, fueling speculation about the site's ambitions in China, where it is blocked by censors.
Chinese Director Taps Hollywood Star
Hong Kong Yuan Deposits Hit $42 Billion

India

CBI Raids Kalmadi, Grills Raja
Indian investigators staged raids at the residences and offices of the head of the Commonwealth Games organizing committee and also began questioning former Telecommunications Minister Andimuthu Raja.
India Minister: Challenge to Manage Prices
U.S. Visa Fee Extension Could Have Been Worse

Markets

Asian Shares Settle Mostly Lower
Asian markets ended mostly lower Thursday, with financial stocks striking a weaker note in Hong Kong while merger-and-acquisition activity helped lift Australia's main stock index to a six-week high.
Job Offers on the Rise
Subscriber Content Read Preview

Insider-Trading Case Plea Unsealed

Tech

Subscriber Content Read Preview

Blu-ray's Time Comes as DVDs Fade
Blu-ray is emerging as a holiday hero for Hollywood as the film industry grapples with the rise of digital video and a persistent slump in DVD sales.
A Holiday Card From Google
Google Sets Business Focus in Chelsea

World

Medvedev Hails Obama Over Treaty
The Russian president hailed Barack Obama as "a leader who fulfills his promises" after the hard-fought U.S. Senate ratification this week of a major arms-reduction treaty.
Pope Celebrates Mass Amid Security Fears
Afghan Officials Probe NATO Raid

U.S.

Pensions Push Up Property Taxes
Cities across the U.S. are raising property taxes, largely citing rising pension and health-care costs for their workers and retirees.
Payday Lenders Go Hunting
Obama to Renominate Diamond

Life & Style

Architecture: Public Options
For architects, 2010 has been another difficult year, with many projects killed or stalled, making the year's highlights all the more noteworthy.
Books: What Our Critics Loved
Music: Return of the Album

Opinion

Subscriber Content Read Preview

Japan Blushes With Success
Deregulating the cosmetics industry sparked a wave of consumer-friendly innovations.
A Popfest with Sugar, and Some Spice
Michael Auslin: Japan's Posture Against Chinese Posturing

Market Data Center

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India Real Time

Analysis and insights from The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires on the daily news in the world's largest democracy.

The Man Who Helped the 9/11 Bill Fly
Of all the people who pushed a Ground Zero health bill through Congress, one of the most important wasn't a lawmaker but a profane, gum-chewing construction worker.
- Earlier: Bill for 9/11 Responders Is Approved
'Merry Christmas' vs. 'Happy Holidays' — a Look at the Numbers
You might not know it, but the phrase "Merry Christmas" is getting more popular, and it completely dwarfs the use of "Happy Holidays" -- at least by one measure.
Tea Partiers and the Spirit of Giving
Charitable gifts are a cheerful protest vote against the growing state.
Rewind 2010: The Biggest News-Making Events in Japan
Japan Real Time contributors voted on what they thought were the biggest news-making events in Japan in 2010.
Christmas in Asia
Christmas decorations are up in Asia, with people dressed in Santa Claus costumes busy bungee jumping, mountain climbing and feeding fish in aquariums.
'Five Senses' Pork Belly in Seoul
How to prepare a pork dish that satisfies what one chef calls the five senses of culinary art: spicy, crispy, sour, sweet and soft.
Ozawa and Kan: A Christmas Miracle?
Prime Minister Naoto Kan is expected to meet Mr. Ozawa again Saturday in an attempt to mend the internal party strife. But given his track record of convincing Mr. Ozawa in the past a successful outcome for Mr. Kan this time around would be a Christmas miracle of sorts.
Can Government Protect Web Privacy?
WSJ's Julia Angwin talks with Commerce Department General Counsel Cameron Kerry about how the administration plans to regulate Internet privacy, including establishing an Internet privacy office, and whether they will enforce any new rules. The Big Interview
- Big Interview With Cameron Kerry
Does God Exist? Ricky Gervais Takes Your Questions
British comic, actor and filmmaker Ricky Gervais responds to reader questions about his essay on atheism.
Dan French Is Out in the Cold
Throngs visit Stockbridge to commemorate Norman Rockwell, but just down the road is the near-deserted estate of sculptor Daniel Chester French. Marketers are trying to change that.
- Photos: Stockbridge's Other Artist
Dear Santa-ji…Thanks, Manmohan
A letter addressed to "Santa-ji, c/o the North Pole," sent from a return address of "You Know the Number, Race Course Road, New Delhi" fell into the hands of India Real Time. In the public interest (and strictly just for fun) we have reproduced it here.
Iraqi Christians Strive for Silent Night
The leader of Iraq's largest remaining Christian communities is preparing for a subdued Christmas, marked by a renewed exodus of Iraqi Christians from their historic Middle Eastern home.
When Concepts Clash
Buying a house across the street has unexpected consequences for a Mill Valley, Calif. family.
- Photos: California Redesign
Photos of the Day
In today's pictures, a homeless Filipino mother begs, a man jumps from a balcony in the Romanian Parliament, a cow grazes near wind turbines in Australia and more.