China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., Asia’s biggest refiner, will cut costs and accelerate its expansion overseas as government controls prevent the company from passing on higher crude-oil prices to customers.Profit rose 14 percent to a record 71.8 billion yuan ($11 billion) last year, the company known as Sinopec said Sunday. Net income missed analysts’ estimates and trailed Cnooc Ltd.’s 85 percent

surcharge on flights from China to Europe, excluding Russia and Turkey, to 1,000 yuan from 950 yuan per passenger, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The increase is effective from April 1, according to the report.Hong Kong Dragon Airlines Ltd. raised its fuel surcharge from April 1 for flights from China to Hong Kong to $24.90 per passenger, Xinhua reported, without saying what the previou

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is resuming normal operations at half the stores hampered by Japan’s strongest earthquake as residents struggle to find water, food and other necessities. A dozen of Wal-Mart’s Seiyu stores in the quake-hit Sendai area are restarting full operations Monday after being limited mostly to relief efforts for two weeks, Scott Price, Wal-Mart’s Asia ch

The biannual fashion show held by South Korea’s veteran fashion designers who are affiliated with the Seoul Fashion Art Association will only be open to buyers and members of the press this season. Seoul Fashion Art Association’s 2011 F/W collection kicks off its three-day collection on April 12 at the Fluxus building in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul. The main theme will be “Eco” and the shows ar

PyeongChang has promised the Oceania National Olympic Committee that it will help expand winter sports in the region by hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics. PyeongChang’s bid committee highlighted on Saturday at the general assembly of Oceania National Olympic Committee in New Caledonia that it would help boost winter sports in new markets, such as Oceania and Asia, and develop the Olympic movement.S

Those suffering from diabetes or hypertension are more likely to have chronic renal failure as well. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service said Monday that about 53 percent of those suffering from long-term kidney disorder had other chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes.“We suspect such chronic disorders to affect one another,” the organization said in a press rele