This is a daily collection of links, some with commentary, to news stories and interesting blog posts. It will be updated throughout the day with a new timestamp for the updates.

Scroll down for today's other posts.

• One quarter of Hong Kong's mobile phone owners are under 13. The Sunday Morning Post reports the number of Hong Kongers being treated for brain cancer has tripled over the past decade. The link hasn't been proved and advances in detection may explain the rise. But it's an interesting correlation.
• A deputy at the current NPC session, Ma Bomin, wants to "draft a culture law with Chinese socialist characteristics, to out-law lip-syncing." China would never go in for mouthpieces shouting lines off a pre-recorded track...unless they are politicians.
• The BBC's political programme Question Time is due to brodcast from Shanghai on Thursday night. The BBC has let the Foreign Ministry select 25 of the audience members. The panel will inlcude former HK Governor Chris Patten, Shanghai Tang owner David Tang, China expert Isabel Hilten, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao and Long Yongtu, China's Goodwill ambassador to the UN. The show will be broadcast in English.
• One of the world's oldest taxes, the China farm tax, is due to be scrapped in 2006.
• In today's comedy section, North Korea has "refuted" the US human rights report.
• China's military budget has increased by 12.6%. Bill looks at what this and the end of the EU arms embargo might mean for East Asian security.
• (14:13) In the wake of the tsunami, India's state of Tamil Nadu will pay to reverse sterilisations of those parents who lost their children.
• (15:47) Country Store scoops The Guardian: North Korean kids target the Dear Leader.
• North Korea isn't pleased with Boing Boing.
• (15:55) Why are all movie tickets the same price? I'd like to see movies priced like discount airlines do it: the earlier you book, the cheaper the seat with seats allocated by queueing.
• (18:28) China's Foreign Minister explains the many facets of Chinese diplomacy.
• China's internet censors and users are testing each other at the moment.