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MALDIVES: China’s vacation destination
Visit the Maldives, and there’s a high chance the fellow vacationers at your island retreat will be from China, according to July 2011 figures that show the Asian giant as the biggest source of visitors.
 
Cambodian Muslims Seek Justice
Zakaria Bin Ahmad cannot forget the years of horror under the brutal Khmer Rouge when even praying was to risk death for Cambodia’s persecuted minority Muslims.
 
A Catalog of Life
Some 8.7 million different species exist on Earth, though a tiny amount of those have actually been discovered and cataloged, researchers announced in August 2011.
 
Why Are Newspapers Thriving in India?
Newspaper circulation in many parts of the world continues to decline, thanks to 24/7 television and new media. Nowadays, instead of portending power, newspaper headlines often herald the demise of their own franchises, as venerable daily after venerable daily struggles to keep readers. Newspapers in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan have been hit the hardest. The Indian newspaper industry, however, is bucking this trend and witnessing unprecedented growth. The total newspaper circulation in India soared from 127 million in 2000 to 207 million in 2008.
 
The Fading Art of Geisha
A small, hot spring resort in eastern Japan plans to recruit three women to become geisha in an effort to preserve a tradition and to boost tourism, officials there said in September 2011.
 
Going for Greens in Thailand
Golf is big business, especially in Thailand. With 260 courses, the country has become a top golf vacation destination in Asia, according to a survey by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
 
Indonesia Urges ASEAN to Harness Social Media
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must maximize the use of Twitter, Facebook and other social media to engage the region’s citizens, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in July 2011.
 
A Big Wedding Party
Thousands of underprivileged Indonesian newlyweds from various faiths joined a mass reception in July 2011 to receive free marriage certificates that they otherwise could not afford.
 
The Roots of Bananas
A new study traces the history of the popular fruit through Southeast Asia