On a return flight from Macau to Beijing, I sat beside a former military officer, who now owns real estate and a string of factories.

NEWYORKER: The God of Gamblers

In return, Beijing is getting engineering contracts to build port and road infrastructure, winning business for Chinese state-owned enterprises, and showing off what China is good at: building major infrastructure projects in record time.

FORBES: China In The Driver's Seat

Earlier this week, RIM said it fired two employees who a Canadian court fined the week before for disrupting a Toronto-to-Beijing flight, causing it to turn around after hours in the air and return to Canada.

WSJ: RIM Drops BBX Name After Copyright Spat

Earlier, China's foreign minister promised Washington that Beijing would push North Korea to return to the talks, a senior U.S. State Department official said.

CNN: U.S. 'won't bargain' over NK talks

China Central Television and The Beijing News report a return of moderate to severe air pollution in 74 cities due to bad weather and firework celebrations during the Chinese New Year holidays last week.

BBC: China media: Pollution strikes again

It's a lot to give away in return for the smiles that greeted him in Beijing.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Another Gift to China?

Radcliffe's return to form in New York and in the Great South Run came after a disappointing display at the Beijing Olympics where she finished 23rd in the Marathon.

BBC: Radcliffe set for London return

World champion Cavendish had been strongly tipped to finally claim the Olympic medal that had eluded him at the 2008 Games in Beijing, where he was the only member of Britain's track cycling team to return from the games without a medal.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS