Nearly 2.7m civil servants set out around INDIA to conduct the world's second-largest census. For the first time the census-takers will ask which of three sexes--male, female or "other"--the subject belongs to, and record how many Indians have electricity, toilets and permanent dwellings. Caste will also be tallied, in a separate survey.
SHANGHAI announced a one-dog policy, based along the lines of China's one-child law. Owners of the city's many unlicensed pooches insisted the local authorities were hounding them.
The political strife in Libya caused OIL PRICES to soar. Brent crude traded at well above $115 a barrel in London and West Texas Intermediate at around $100 in New York. Investors turned to precious metals as a haven, helping to push up the price of SILVER to a 31-year high.
In Cote d'Ivoire the internationally recognised winner of November's disputed presidential election extended a ban he has imposed on COCOA exports from his country, in an effort to make the incumbent president stand aside. Cocoa stocks are piling up in ports, increasing the chance of the beans decaying. There was more violence in the west African country this week.
APPLE'S board of directors was challenged by investors at the annual general meeting to reveal the succession plan it has drawn up to replace Steve Jobs should the chief executive not return from medical leave. In a vote shareholders backed the board, which argues that disclosing the plan now would only help competitors. Mr Jobs did not attend the meeting.
WAL-MART reported another poor quarter in America, with revenue dipping again from stores that have been open for at least a year. Sales from the retailer's international business, which accounts for around a quarter of its profit, boosted its overall results. Wal-Mart is facing stout competition at home from the spread of discount chains that offer even-cheaper goods to consumers who feel particularly cash-strapped.
HUAWEI, China's biggest maker of telecoms equipment, reversed course and accepted the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States that it revoke its acquisition of assets owned by 3Leaf, an American technology company. Huawei had already bought the assets, but officials at the Pentagon asked the CFIUS, which considers the national-security implications of takeovers, for its opinion. If Huawei had persisted, the White House would have had to rule on the deal.
ALIBABA'S chief executive and chief operating officer both resigned after taking responsibility for a scandal at the Chinese e-commerce website, in which some 2,300 online dealers conned their customers. The sellers had used fake documents to set up their businesses on the site, allegedly with the help of a small number of Alibaba staff.
gerdajijic
