Asian shares and the euro steadied on Monday on hopes European leaders would agree on a definitive plan to solve the euro zone's debt crisis at a crucial summit this week, with sentiment also getting a lift from Italy unveiling austerity steps.
Carbon dioxide emissions, from the burning of fossil fuels and production of cement, registered record increases last year, according to researchers with the Global Carbon Project, who reported a 5.9 percent increase.
Boeing Co launched its six-month world tour of the new 787 Dreamliner jet from Beijing, China on Dec.4, 2011.
An increasing number of foreign women, mostly from the bordering countries of Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, are being abducted and trafficked into China according to a report by the China Daily.
Japan's Nikkei stock average edged higher Monday to build on last week's hefty gains on improved sentiment about the European debt situation, but uncertainty about how markets will assess Italy's new austerity plan capped the upside.
The HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index for China's services sector fell to 52.5 from 54.1 in November, signalling its slowest rate of growth in three months and the latest in a series of data points portraying a quickly cooling economy in need of policy support.
China's new bank loans in 2012 may increase slightly from this year's quota of 7.5 trillion yuan ($1.18 trillion), but the government will maintain lending curbs on the property sector, the China Business News reported on Monday, citing an official from the China Banking Regulatory Commission .
China's services sector contracted in November, mirroring similar weakness in the country's giant manufacturing sector and underlining expectations that Beijing can ease monetary policy further to cushion the blows of the global economy.
The title of Miss Earth 2011 has been handed to Miss Ecuador, Olga Alava.
Earnings season is about a month away, but the early signals are not comforting. Companies lowering estimates outpace those raising them by the greatest ratio in 10 years -- and some sectors, such as materials, have seen a dramatic fall in expectations for the fourth quarter.
Australia's ruling Labor Party Sunday endorsed plans to open up uranium sales to India, clearing the way for talks on a bilateral nuclear agreement and resolving an issue that has caused diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
China said it was deeply concerned about a preliminary ruling by a U.S. trade body that trade practices by Chinese solar makers are hurting U.S. producers and said the decision underscored a U.S. inclination to trade protectionism.
The U.N.'s climate chief said that she believes countries can snap the deadlock that has lasted for years and sign up to fresh and binding commitments to cut greenhouse gases.
The spectacular bull run in gold prices is unlikely to end soon, with bullion retaining its appeal in 2012 due to the uncertain global economy.
China said it was deeply concerned about a preliminary ruling by a U.S. trade body that trade practices by Chinese solar makers are hurting U.S. producers and said the decision underscored a U.S. inclination to trade protectionism.
The latest news out of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul’s camp is that he will not be attending the Donald Trump-moderated Newsmax debate on Dec. 27 in Iowa.
Herman Cain has quit the 2012 presidential race, suspending his GOP primary campaign and hinting at an endorsement in the coming weeks. As the one-time Republican front-runner stepped down, however, he hinted at a Plan B to keep him in the political game, and reactions to his announcement on sites like Twitter are increasing by the minute.
The daughters of Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman have released a video in which they rap about his rivals to the beat of a Justin Timberlake song.
Earnings season is just over a month away, but the early signals are not comforting.
Canada is reviewing a policy that restricts foreign ownership of uranium mines, but there has been no decision on revising those rules at this time, Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver said on Friday.
U.S. International Trade Commissioners on Friday said there is a reasonable indication that the U.S. solar industry is being harmed by the alleged dumping of Chinese solar components.
Efforts to have bamboo technology in Africa.
