Asia

If you plan to travel to Asia next year, consider American Airlines' sale on round-trip fares from Southern California, starting with Shanghai for $669. Discounts also apply on flights to Tokyo and Beijing -- and you don't have to go in winter to take advantage of the savings. The deal: Fly round-trip from L.A. to Shanghai for $669 and to Beijing for $798. There's also a San Diego-Beijing round-trip fare for $898. Tokyo round-trip prices are higher, $1,243 roundtrip. When: The deal is good through 8:59 p.m. Dec. 19 Pacific time for travel between Jan. 7 and April 18. Your trip must end by April 24. Tested: I tested flights leaving L.A. on March 13 and returning March 20. I found availability for a round-trip flight to Shanghai and Beijing at the sale prices.

Even as the European Union reached out to the East this week, sending its foreign affairs chief touring through Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan for a string of meetings marked with smiling photos and words of goodwill, experts say its influence there remains muddled. The EU set forth a strategy for Central Asia five years ago that covers practical matters, such as halting heroin smuggling and finding new, diversified sources of energy for Europe, to more idealistic goals, such as improving human rights and fostering democracy.

BEIJING - China is staking its claim on paper to what neighbors say is rightfully theirs. The latest territorial flap in Asia is over new Chinese passports with an outline of China that includes swaths of the South China Sea that are claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as well as all of Taiwan and disputed territory on the border with India. Beijing's vision of a greater China is nothing new. The disputed territories are included in official Chinese maps.

Valencia, Spain - Detailing the ancestry of sweet orange has been a long-sought prize for citrus scientists. On Friday, the leader of a group that has been analyzing the genetic makeup of citrus said in a scientific talk that the ponkan -- a large, loose-skinned type of mandarin widely cultivated in Asia and Brazil -- was the likely father of the sweet orange. The mother of the orange, its seed parent, was almost certainly a hybrid that was three-quarters pummelo and one-quarter mandarin, said Fred Gmitter Jr. , professor of citrus genetics at the University of Florida, speaking at the International Citrus Congress in Valencia, Spain.

WASHINGTON - Coming off his victory on the home front, President Obama is headed abroad for a quick trip through a trio of Southeast Asian countries, a tour aimed at highlighting what the administration views as seeds of foreign policy successes. In a three-day tour that starts Sunday with stops in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia, Obama will tout democratic reforms, opening markets and human rights advances in the region as affirmation for his dual goals of shifting focus from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific region and ramping up diplomatic engagement with formerly isolated nations.

Southern Californians can strike a blow against poverty in Africa and Asia by joining Sunday in the 18th annual Partnership Walk. The event, which begins at 10 a.m. at the Santa Monica Pier, is held in 10 major U.S. cities each year. Money raised goes to reduce global poverty and its close companions: hunger, illiteracy and poor health. Last year's Los Angeles area walk raised more than $400,000, according to Rafiq Ghaswala, a spokesman for the Aga Khan Foundation USA, which established the Partnership Walk.

BEIJING - Purged Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been expelled from the legislature in a preliminary move that will allow him to be tried in criminal court on charges of corruption and covering up his wife's role in a bizarre murder plot. Although widely anticipated, the expulsion adds to the political turmoil in the run-up to next month's Communist Party congress, when a new leadership is to be formally anointed. Bo's supporters - mostly neo-Maoists who believe that economic reforms have gone too far - think his prosecution is politically motivated by rivals in the leadership.

Former King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, an unpredictable and crafty political survivor whose fortunes were entwined with U.S. military involvement in Indochina, died Monday of natural causes in Beijing, where he had undergone medical treatment, Chinese state media reported. He was 89. Sihanouk had various forms of cancer, diabetes and hypertension and had sought medical care in China since 2004, when he abdicated in favor of his son due to old age and health problems. He died two weeks short of his 90th birthday.

PHILIPPINES Slide show Rafael Mirasol will explore the Philippines' colonial roots, a bustling metropolis and its beach resorts. When, where: 7:30 Monday at Distant Lands, 20 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Admission, info: Free. RSVP to (626) 449-3220. ROCK CLIMBING Workshop Experts will offer an introductory class in rock climbing, including types of climbing, what gear is necessary and getting started. When, where: 7 p.m. Wednesday at REI stores in Arcadia, 214 N. Santa Anita Ave., and Northridge, 18605 Devonshire St. Admission, info: Free.

Want to go to Bali or Bangkok? Now you can find accommodations in the Asia Pacific region with a new website. Name: Travelmob.com What it does: Connects travelers with property owners in the Asia Pacific region who are willing to rent space in their home - or their entire house or apartment - for brief periods. What's hot: You can view your search results by looking at a grid of room photos instead of a list. Then toggle between types of properties such as Unique, Scenic, Urban, Luxury, Budget, Nightlife or Beach, to name a few. If you don't know where in Thailand you want to go, search "Thailand," then narrow your results by the type of room.