As reported on Monday, renowned Australian author Robert Dessaix was denied a Chinese Visa to enter the country on the alleged grounds that he is HIV-positive…and, consequently, people are pissed. more ›

Though I was more than happy to hear that Paul French would once again get a chance to talk about Shanghai's sordid past (and that, despite the amount of time he had to prepare for it, it was "very entertaining") , it was disheartening to learn why Robert Dessaix, the author French subbed for at the Shanghai International Literary Festival this weekend, couldn't come - because somebody in the visa office didn't like how Dessaix was HIV-positive. more ›

• Superiority complexes aside, being a vegan in China will do you no good. No sooner than the dust settles on the melamine milk scandal, "tons" of Hainan Island legumes have tested positive for isocarbohos, a "highly-toxic" pesticide. Sanya's government defends the contamination by explaining they value tourism over agriculture. [The New York Times]
• The latest spin from Beijing? Housing prices will "stabilize" this year after their "fast rise" last year. Can we say "euphemism"? [WSJ China Real Time Report]
• RE: Google, the U.S. is considering taking China to the WTO. The good news? The WTO has deemed the sentiment worthy! The better news? If China refuses, the U.S. may come out and name Chinese officials and individuals suspected of cyber-espionage.[Business Week]