China Telecom sets up 2 units

China Telecommunications Corp, the country's third largest telecom carrier by mobile subscribers, has set up two investment units to manage assets worth more than 80 billion yuan ($12 billion) and develop new growth engines from internet of things, smart homes and other sectors.

IN BRIEF (Page 10)

Countries sign up to ocean plastic pledge

NAIROBI, Kenya - Nearly 200 countries signed a United Nations resolution in Nairobi on Wednesday to eliminate plastic pollution in the sea, a move some delegates hoped would pave the way to a legally binding treaty.

'Blade runner' prosthetics put spring in maimed dog's step

PHUKET, Thailand - Just over a year after he was maimed for gnawing on someone's shoes, Cola is romping across a beach on new sleek paws: Curved "blade runner" prosthetics modeled on those used by Paralympian sprinters.

UK child laws offer template for China

Britain's comprehensive laws and its welfare system are crucial in the protection of children enrolled in early-years education, said the founder of the United Kingdom's first Chinese-English nursery school.

Big success for Japan's cute capsule toys

TOKYO - A tiny replica of an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus and a plastic cat squatting on sushi: Just two of the weird-and-wonderful capsule toys that have become a multimillion-dollar craze in cute-obsessed Japan.

Is Peppa Pig to blame for pressuring doctors?

LONDON - Peppa Pig, a cartoon loved by children around the world, could be to blame for creating unrealistic expectations of doctors, according to an article in the lighthearted Christmas edition of the British Medical Journal.

Changing the digital landscape

NEW YORK - China's digital transformation is likely to have an increasing influence on the worldwide landscape, considering the profound impact it is already having on its own economy, experts have said.

Princes, Last Jedi stars go down a storm

LONDON - Prince William and Prince Harry joined the cast of Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the film's European premiere on Tuesday, delighting fans who braved the London cold for a glimpse of Hollywood stars and British royalty.

Science student turned opera singer raising roof and lifting profile of classical music

LAGOS, Nigeria - A live performance of an aria from an Italian opera, sung by a professional soprano, isn't a common sound in Nigeria's bustling commercial and entertainment capital, Lagos.

Ancient penguin was as big as a grown man

WASHINGTON - Scientists have unearthed in New Zealand fossil bones of what might be the heavyweight champion of the penguin world, a bird nearly 1.8 meters that thrived 55 to 60 million years ago, relatively soon after the demise of the dinosaurs.

Mandarin milestone as Ireland rolls out road map

Mandarin will be introduced as a subject in Ireland's Leaving Certificate exam, which is the final test of the Irish secondary school system.