CHINA

China's Li Na continued her love affair with Melbourne Park, powering past eighth seed Victoria Azarenka 6-3 6-3 to book a spot in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Sunday.

Spain's Telefonica and No. 2 Chinese mobile operator China Unicom will deepen their strategic alliance by buying an additional $500 million stake in each other, the Spanish company said on Sunday.

Swiss bank UBS AG's Global Asset Management unit is very upbeat on the Middle East and is also a bit more bullish on opportunities in Europe than others, its head said on Sunday.

China's gross domestic product is expected to grow 9.8 percent in 2011, with inflation likely to stand at around 3.7 percent for the year, the official China News Service said, citing a government think tank.

The Iranian nuclear issue cannot be resolved in just one or two discussions, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Sunday, a day after a high-level meeting aimed at addressing Tehran's nuclear plans ended in disappointment.

Looks like one company has had enough of the rare earth shortages.

President Nicolas Sarkozy will spell out his plans for reforming the international monetary system and curbing volatility in food and fuel prices on Monday in a keynote speech on France's year-long G20 presidency.

Start-up Iway Mobile and Cellcom, Israel's largest mobile phone operator, launched on Sunday a communications, Internet and entertainment system for the automobile.

A lawyer for one of the three Renault executives fired on suspicion of industrial espionage called on Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn to make public on Sunday what proof he has against his client.

The United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) predicts, China would become world’s largest destination in the next five to seven years, thanks to the country’s diverse culture, heritage sites, and culinary art that has a strong hold on tourists.

World powers failed to prise any change from Iran in two days of talks on its nuclear program, with the EU and United States calling the discussions disappointing and saying no further meetings were planned.

Chinese President Hu Jintao headed home on Friday after a U.S. visit both sides declared a success, but which left questions over how the world's top two economic powers will manage future frictions.

2011 will mark 40 years since the United States' government finally stopped redeeming its dollars for gold. That ended over 250 years of formal gold backing for the West's dominant currencies. It also took the entire world off precious-metal money for the first time in 5,000 years of civilization.

Jeffrey Immelt’s appointment by President Obama to head his new White House economic council has some labor leaders concerned, given the perception that the boss of General Electric (NYSE: GE) is hostile to the union movement and is committed to outsourcing American jobs to foreign (cheaper) workers.

Chinese President Hu Jintao took his roadshow to the U.S. Midwest, where executives from the two countries were set to sign up to 60 deals on Friday to underscore the message that China is open for business.

Iran gave no sign of making concessions to world powers bent on coaxing it to curb its nuclear programme at talks on Friday, saying it would not discuss suspending sensitive uranium enrichment.

Chinese President Hu Jintao took his political roadshow to the U.S. heartland on Friday, visiting Chicago to highlight business and cultural ties between the world's two largest economies.

China reiterated its commitment to a more flexible yuan and stronger enforcement of intellectual property rights during President Hu Jintao's visit to Washington, a top Treasury official said on Friday.

The NFL's most intense, glamorous and longest rivalry enters uncharted territory Sunday when the Green Bay Packers visit the Chicago Bears for the NFC championship.

China's growth accelerated in the fourth quarter and its inflation slowed less than expected, fuelling concerns that harsher policy tightening is needed to keep the galloping economy on an even keel.

Chinese media praised President Hu Jintao's visit to the United States on Friday as a diplomatic masterstroke in easing tensions, but reports largely ignored thornier questions of currency and human rights.