Libyan rebels are giving Qaddafi loyalists until Saturday to surrender; Qaddafi's whereabouts unknown--some of his family members are sheltering in Algeria; People's Bank of China is reining in lending; Japan's sixth prime minister in five years elected; Pentagon wasted $30 billion on wartime contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, says report; Angela Merkel warns indebted eurozone countries to make substantial efforts to reduce debt; and more
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World News Brief, Tuesday August 30
Libyan rebels advance on Qaddafi's home town and call for further airstrikes; Human Rights Watch reports Tripoli war crimes; Analysis: peaceful transition unlikely, Transitional Council could split; Japanese party chooses new PM; Close election in Singapore; Indian faster wins concessions; US hopes to finish off al-Qaeda; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 26
Rebels and loyalists still in heavy fighting across Tripoli and in Qaddafi's hometown; US seeks to unfreeze Libyan assets (+ analysis); North Korea and Russia to build gas pipeline; Pentagon says Chinese military growth "potentially destabilising"; Japan intervenes in yen's rise; Nationwide strike in Chile and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 25
Rebels capture Qaddafi's compound and relocate headquarters to Tripoli; experts say public disorder and instability could emerge in Libya after Qaddafi regime falls; Kim Jong-Il meets with Russian president to discuss ending its nuclear weapons programme; Moody's downgrades Japan's economy; Israel claims to have killed Islamic Jihad militant; US markets respond to possible monetary stimulus; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 24
Qaddafi's son claims loyalist troops have broken the backbone of rebel surge in Tripoli; Oman, Bahrain and Egypt have recognised the rebels as official governing authority of Libya; Japan's prime minister to quit; US expresses concern over detention of dozens of Vietnamese protesters; Standard and Poor's president to resign; UN Human Rights Council will investigate alleged human rights abuses in Syria; Strauss-Kahn cleared; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday August 23
Libyan rebels take most of Tripoli, but fighting continues outside Qaddafi compound; Obama declares rebel leaders "legitimate", but where's Qaddafi?; Biden insists US securities are "safe"; Some charges against Strauss-Kahn to be dropped; Rockets attacks continue on Gaza border; Indian PM talks of reform as hinger strike continues; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 19
Libyan rebels take control of oil refinery outside city of Zawiyah--they are now just 30 miles from Tripoli; Joe Biden begins visit to China to strengthen economic relations; Japan records trade surplus for second month in a row; UK pledges another $48 million to Somali famine relief; protesters in Madrid take to streets to demonstrate against Pope's US$72 million taxpayer-funded visit; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday August 17
Germany and France economies slow – is the Eurozone crisis infecting core countries? Merkel and Sarkozy meet to avoid downgrade (+ analysis); Libyan rebels close in on Tripoli; 35 dead and thousands arrested in Syrian port city; Chinese still prefer US treasuries; Australians protest carbon tax; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday August 12
France plans austerity measures to stave off ratings downgrade; Global markets volatile on back of Euro concerns; Backgrounder on Eurozone; Bali bomber extradited from Pakistan; Syrian forces storm border town; Cameron defends police cuts, says riots "not about poverty"; Apple becomes world's largest company; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday August 11
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
Read MoreWorld 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
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