The Germans have sent a cargo aircraft to a Turkish airbase on standby for use in Afghanistan and the French have sent special forces to Uzbekistan ready to secure an airfield near Mazar-e Sharif.

CNN: UK troops set to be stood down

Through his World Bicycle Relief charity the ponytailed entrepreneur hopes to put millions of sub-Saharan Africans aboard special heavy-duty bikes designed to withstand the continent's rugged roads while carrying 200 pounds of cargo--enough for a weaver to bring his rugs, or a farmer to tote his produce, to market.

FORBES: Creative Giving

After their major bet on the Thilawa special economic zone south of Yangon, Japanese contractors have plans to deepen the Yangon River's estuary so that cargo ships can sail directly up to the city's shores and offload more containers of cars that are already being briskly snapped up at busy dealerships.

CNN: From Burma to Myanmar: Land of rising expectations