Global markets go down, up, then down again in quest for answers (+ analysis); US Fed looks to offer assurances and break panic; Cameron says police in "fightback" after more English violence; Koreas exchange fire; Syria rejects Turkey's peace overture; and more
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World News Brief, Wednesday August 10
Dow Jones takes steepest dive since Dec 2008; gold now a record US$1770 an ounce; experts fear policymakers do not have the financial or political clout to combat a second global recession; Chinese inflation at 6.5 per cent; US wants talks with North Korea to decide how to search for US soldiers killed there during the Korean War; 16,000 police will be on London streets to combat riots, says Cameron; US pledges $105 million for famine relief in Horn of Africa; and more
Read MoreWorld news Brief, Tuesday August 9
G7 leaders pledge to support financial markets in wake of US debt downgrade; the European Central Bank buys up Spanish and Italian debt; US dollar continues to weaken against other major currencies; China calls for "international supervision" of US dollar and says the country must live within its means; Syrian forces attack Eastern city of Deir al-Zour; efforts to recover US Army helicopter shot down in Afghanistan, killing 38, hampered; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 5
UN talks tough on Syria, but falls short of concrete action; Syrian tanks keep up bombing of Hama (+ analysis); Bank of Japan intervenes to drive down Yen; China calls Japanese criticism of its naval growth "irresponsible"; Somali famine spreads to new areas; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 4
Hosni Mubarak pleads not guilty to corruption and murder charges, but protesters want more; Court appearance high point so far of Arab Spring; Thousands protest for Papua independence after 21 deaths; US allows aid even into rebel areas of Somalia; Calls for restraint as South Korea-Japan tensions grow; Italy in crisis talks; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 3
US Congress raises debt ceiling at the 11th hour, avoiding default; commentators call a victory for the Republicans, but stock markets fall regardless; Syrian forces shell Hama for a third day; Somali refugees starve as rebels block escape; Chinese police shoot Uighurs accused of attacks; Trilateral AfPak talks; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday August 2
Obama and Congress agree debt deal – plan is long-term but no new taxes; Markets respond positively, but downgrade still predicted (+ analysis); Deal a victory for smaller government; Assad storms Hama, at least 80 dead; North Korea agrees to resume six-party talks; Ethnic violence in China pre-Ramadan; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday July 29
Investors look for alternatives to US bonds – find little that looks safe; House set to vote on doomed Republican plan; what a default would do to America; China's naval plans spark neighbourly concern; NATO takes over Kosovo border after trade squabble; Half a million Ivorian refugees too afraid to go home; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday July 28
US dollar and Euro markets fall as debt ceiling debate stalls; Wall St suspects US downgrade even if agreement reached (+ analysis); Australian inflation on the rise; Bueraucratic delays to Somalia flights; Breivik on suicide watch; Suicide bombing kills Kandahar mayor; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday July 27
No solution yet for US debt--Obama and Boehner both seek support from American people via TV addresses; US will default on loans if compromise not reached by Aug 2; territorial feud between China and Philippines heats up; Britain and France come to agreement on Qaddafi; US military funds meant for transportation contract diverted to Taliban; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday July 26
Police across Europe investigate far-right threats after Norway massacre; Breivik calls for new revoltuion against Muslim "animals" and pleads not guilty; Analysis of US blogs that influenced Breivik; Moody's downgrades Greece declaring default "virtually 100%" certain; US debt debate drives down Asian markets; North Korean diplomat to visit US; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday July 22
France and Germany have agreed to a bailout plan for debt-struck Greece; Moody's have downgraded Irish and Portuguese debt to "junk" status; China and Philippines in territorial dispute; Japan posts unexpected trade surplus as exports to China and Europe return to normal levels; famine spreads to Southern Somalia; Obama open to temporary debt rise if congressional leaders commit to significant debt-reduction plan; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday July 21
Obama endorses bi-partisan plan to cut debt and raise revenues, but will it pass the House? UN declares famine in Somalia, asks what's going on in Eritrea; Cameron faces 130 questions in parliament; Chinese security forces shoot 14 protesters, killing four; Pakistans spends US$4 million lobbying US lawmakers; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday July 20
Congressional leaders push ahead with US debt-cutting plans; August 2 is deadline that could see US default on debt obligations; Muslim activists attacked police station in Chinese province of Xinjiang; US holds talks with Qaddafi reps--says Libyan leader must step down; Clinton pledges to press Pakistan to give up on terrorism measures against India; Rupert and James Murdoch appear before Parliament; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday July 19
In Britain, phone-hacking scandal focuses on police corruption and Cameron, while threat grows in the US (+ analysis); Surprise result in Euro bank stress tests; 1,000 Syrian troops with tanks surround rebel town; Yemeni al-Qaeda reaching into Somalia; UN tells Thailand and Cambodia to pull their heads in; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday July 15
Credit ratings agencies threaten to downgrade US from AAA status; Republicans clash with Obama and each other over debt ceiling (+ analysis); China overtaking US as superpower; Italy plans US$67 billion in cuts to calm debt worries; At least 21 killed in more Mumbai bombings; Singapore's economy shrinks; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday July 14
Euro debt crisis expands: Ireland debt downgraded to junk, fears for Italy as bond yields rise, and Eurozone officials plan emergency summit for Greece (+ analysis); China's growth slows; Pakistan spy chief heads to Washington after US cuts off aid; Thousands flee Nigerian city after religious violence; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief Tuesday, July 12
US stalls over debt reduction talks--Republicans balked at Obama's tax increases; Australia to tax 500 biggest polluters; Chinese exports up 20 per cent in one year; Syrian forces raid city of Homs, killing one; drought in Somalia world's 'worst humanitarian crisis'; fears Eurozone crisis could spread to Italy, Europe's third-largest economy; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday July 8
Major budget talks in US--Obama meets Boehner; US$1 trillion could be saved by reorganising federal government bureaucracy, according to expert; South Korea will host 2018 Winter Olympic Games; Hong Kong media reporting that former Chinese president Jiang Zemin has died; Libyan rebels take Western town on way to Tripoli; North Korea bribed Pakistani military for information on nuclear-bomb making; Europeans angry at credit rating agencies for downgrading Portugal; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday July 7
Assad launches another "ferocious" attack on Hama, while Amnesty accuses him of crimes against humanity; Qaddafi forces kill five in Misurata; Reports: Russian officials say Qaddafi may be willing to step down; Bitter irony – Somalis fleeing drought drown in Red Sea; Portugal's credit rating slashed to junk status; New Thai PM focuses on economy; and more
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