Danish beer manufacturer Carlsberg has acquired another 25-percent stake in the only beer producer in Laos.
Other news: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has promised a broad offensive against Palestinian militants following a suicide bomb attack that killed five Israelis.
Western government officials say Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's call for Israel to be "wiped off the map" reinforces concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
A 12-year-old girl has died after suffering flu-like symptoms in a village in central China.
Flooding in central Vietnam has killed at least 24 people this week.
International donors have pledged an additional 580 million dollars in assistance for earthquake relief efforts in Pakistan.
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