That, according to one estimate, is the number of rural Chinese poor who have moved to Africa as part of the Chinese government’s policy of building deep economic ties with the continent. These workers are building railways, electricity grids and even tilling the land. Chinese and African officials want millions of Chinese rural poor to follow them, arguing that they will earn money and help...

Speculative fever in the real estate market has cooled and MoneyLIFE Realty Index has skidded. Abnormally high prices and rentals, ultra luxury appartments, millions of square feet for malls and IT parks, are suddenly in jeopardy. Where is the real estate market headed? Debashis Basu finds out

Until a few months ago, the only talk at cocktail parties that could rival the chatter about...