World economy
UK PM Cameron wants EU support on migrant benefit curbs
29 Nov 2014
UK prime minister David Cameron says lower EU migration would be a priority in future negotiations on the UK's membership to the EU
Oil wilts as OPEC stands by Saudi decision not to cut production
28 Nov 2014
To compete with US shale oil, production of which would be viable for a price of anywhere between $40 to $60 a barrel, OPEC has to allow for lower prices, feels Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s biggest oil producer
WTO hammers out first and `inclusive’ global trade deal
28 Nov 2014
WTO on Thursday ratified a global deal - the first in its history - to ease customs rules and facilitate faster movement of trade and also address concerns of the developing and poor member nations
Chuck Hagel steps down as US defence secretary
25 Nov 2014
Chuck Hagel, the only Republican in the top administration, has resigned as defence secretary less than two years after President Barack Obama appointed him on the all powerful post
China building airstrip-size island to control South China Sea: Jane’s
22 Nov 2014
The weekly said images it had obtained showed that the Chinese have built a 3,000-metre long and 200-300-metre wide island on the Fiery Cross Reef, which is in waters claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei
Obama quietly extends US military role in Afghanistan
22 Nov 2014
Obama’s new order lets American forces execute missions against the Taliban and other militant groups threatening US troops or the Afghan government.
Pakistan, Russia sign military co-operation agreement
21 Nov 2014
Beyond negotiating an important sale of Mi-35 transport helicopters to Pakistan, Russia's move is also driven by strategic issues like countering the menace of terrorism and narcotics posed by the instability in Afghanistan
Japan PM dissolves lower House, to seek fresh mandate on 14 December
21 Nov 2014
Abe wants to consult voters regarding his strategy of further raising sales tax rates, after data showed that the economy had slipped into recession in the third quarter after an initial increase in the sales tax to 8 per cent in April
Barack Obama enforces US immigration reform
21 Nov 2014
The reform package, forced through using executive orders, will benefit nearly five million illegal immigrants while another six million face prospect of deportation
USA Freedom Act fails in Senate vote
19 Nov 2014
Fiji can be India’s hub for Pacific engagement: Modi
19 Nov 2014
India proposes to build a Pan Pacific Islands e-network project for achieving better connectivity and coordination among the far-flung island nations
US state department email system hacked: reports
18 Nov 2014
Australia, India target free trade pact
18 Nov 2014
Trade between Australia and India currently stands at around $15 billion a year, or just a tenth of that between Australia and China
Modi, Abbott agree to boost strategic ties as Australia, China sign free trade pact
18 Nov 2014
Australian PM Tony Abbot and Narendra Modi on Monday reaffirmed their decision to improve strategic partnership between the two countries, to meet converging political, economic and strategic interests
Lagarde backs G20 call for faster reforms at IMF
17 Nov 2014
Cameron paints dire picture of global economy
17 Nov 2014
Japan's maglev train reaches 500 km/hr in public test run
17 Nov 2014
The train completed the 42.8 km trip touching speeds of up to 502 kilometres per hour
G20 targets $2 trillion addition to global economy in 4 years
17 Nov 2014
G20 Members agreed to implement structural reforms and realign macroeconomic and fiscal policies so as to lift growth and private sector activity and achieve an annual growth rate of 2.1 per cent by 2018