CHINA

China lost an appeal at the World Trade Organization on Monday in a case about its export restrictions on raw materials, a ruling that could make it harder for major commodity exporters to withhold supplies on the global market.

The Sudan military rescued 17 of the Chinese workers who were abducted from their camp in South Kordofan on Saturday. They were reportedly taken to a safe place, but at least 29 workers are still being held.

Hong Kong shares snapped a six-session winning streak on Monday, dragged down by Chinese banks and developers, as investors took profits on some recent outperformers while waiting to see if there will be a Greek debt-swap deal that averts a default.

Copper fell on Monday, pulling back from a four-month high as demand prospects dimmed amid a lack of progress in talks to avoid a disorderly Greek default, tempting investors to cash in on January's rally.

India and China are following dramatically different trajectories in their paths to prosperity.

Swiss engineering group ABB said it had agreed to buy U.S. electrical components maker Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion to ramp up its presence in the world's largest market for low-voltage products.

Facebook Inc., the world's largest social networking site, is getting closer to its initial public offering this week as the company is reportedly planning to file papers with the U.S. financial watchdog on Wednesday. Speculation is rife that the social media giant is aiming to raise about $10 billion, which would value the company at between $75 billion and $100 billion.

Free Syrian Army fighting President Assad's forces withdraw from eastern suburbs of Damascus after two days of fighting.

China will make Shanghai the global centre of yuan trading, clearing and pricing by 2015, according to a specific state plan laying out the city's future as an international financial centre.

Armored forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad took control Sunday of eastern suburbs of Damascus from opposition fighters after two days of bombardment and fighting with rebels, activists said Sunday night.

South Sudan has totally shut down oil output in a dispute with Sudan over export transit fees and will only restart after the two reach a deal covering border security and the disputed Abyei region, its oil minister said Sunday.

Around 2,000 Syrian troops backed by tanks launched an assault to retake Damascus suburbs from rebels Sunday, activists said, a day after the Arab League suspended its monitoring mission in Syria because of worsening violence.

Iran is considering banning all oil exports to the European Union for five to 15 years, a senior Iranian lawmaker was quoted as saying on Sunday, while the country's deputy oil minister said prices would surge should the EU stop importing Iranian crude.

A new team of U.S. trade enforcers will make countries think twice about building unfair barriers to American exports, said President Barack Obama's top trade official, who noted the team will include intelligence officials as well as representatives of multiple agencies.

The iPad celebrated its second birthday on Friday, adding to the hype and anticipation surrounding the release of the iPad 3.

When severe snowstorms prevented life-sustaining fuel supplies from reaching the frozen Alaskan town of Nome, U.S. officials turned to a Russian company for help.

Apple Inc has never turned a blind eye to the problems in its supply chain and any suggestion it does not care about the plight of workers is patently false, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in an email to employees.

The building took three years to construct and involved 1,200 Chinese and Ethiopian workers.

The Arab League said on Saturday it had suspended its monitoring mission in Syria because of the critical deterioration of the situation as state security forces battled rebels holding three suburbs just outside Damascus.

Demand from emerging markets and financial flows will keep crude prices high and volatile in a range from $105 to $125 per barrel in 2012, Petrobras CEO Jose Sergio Gabrielli said on Saturday.

Fighting sanctions with sanctions in a test of strength with the West over its nuclear ambitions, Iran warned on Friday it may halt oil exports to Europe next week in a move calculated to hurt ailing European economies.