CHINA

North Korea would give up its nuclear weapons if its national sovereignty were respected and it did not face a nuclear threat, the country's ambassador to Britain said Monday.

South Korea's KT Corp, which is holding talks to sell Apple's iPhone in South Korea, plans to introduce 3G smartphones supporting WiFi and mobile WiMAX from Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, its chief strategy officer told Reuters.

U.S.-listed solar shares sank on Monday, cutting into gains earlier this month as investors feared Germany's new coalition government could trim support for the industry.

A pledge from Group of 20 leaders to bring the global economy back into balance is not seen as good for the dollar in the long run, underscoring its anemic performance in recent weeks.

Darren Ennis

The European Union and the United States are holding talks on agreeing a pact with OECD countries and China to eliminate duties on green goods as part of incentives to Beijing in a potential global climate deal.

World leaders pledged last week to step up efforts to reach a U.N. deal to fight climate change, but they will have to match rhetoric with rapid action to break a crippling deadlock before a December deadline.

Kuwait has revived talks with British firm BP as a potential partner in a $9 billion joint venture refinery it plans to build with China's Sinopec Corp 60028.SS, a Kuwaiti oil executive said on Monday.

Chinese state-owned Sinochem bid $2.5 billion for Australian farm chemicals group Nufarm Ltd on Monday, looking to gain a global footprint in a deal that could again test investment ties between China and Australia.

China's prime minister will visit reclusive North Korea early next week for a trip that could help revive talks with global powers stalled for nearly a year on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.

Iran test-fired missiles on Monday which a commander said could reach any regional target, flexing its military muscle ahead of this week's crucial talks with major powers worried about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Britain's FTSE 100 .FTSE index is seen opening 7 to 15 points, or as much as 0.3 percent lower on Monday, according to financial bookmakers, tracking weaker showings in Asia after falls on Wall Street on Friday, with investors nervously looking ahead to this week U.S. jobs report.

China Unicom, the country's No. 2 mobile carrier, will begin to sell Apple Inc's iPhone in China for a retail price of 5,000 yuan ($732.50), as it leans on the phone to launch its 3G service.

China Unicom, the country's No.2 mobile carrier, said on Monday that Apple's popular iPhone will retail in China for 5,000 yuan ($732.50), above market expectation, as it seeks to build up its 3G service.

Iran has test-fired medium-range missiles, state TV reported on Monday, a day after the Islamic Republic's elite Revolutionary Guards launched short-range missiles as part of several days of war games.

China Unicom Ltd said on Sunday it would buy back a 3.8 percent stake held by SK Telecom Co Ltd , South Korea's biggest mobile carrier, for about HK$10 billion (US$1.29 billion).

The Philippines appealed for international aid to help tens of thousands marooned by flashfloods, and apologized for the delays in rescue efforts to avoid potential political fallout from the crisis.

Twenty-four years ago, major nations called for depreciation of the dollar to rebalance the global economy. Now, as another effort at rebalancing looms, the dollar will again bear the brunt — though officials will try to ensure its fall is less dramatic this time.

The Group of 20 rich and developing economies, fresh from a triumphant show of unity at Pittsburgh, faces months of deal-making and communication to markets that will test its credibility as the premier global forum for economic cooperation.

(Corrects dates of next meetings, paragraphs 9 and 18)

China announced the first charges to be laid in connection with violent unrest in July that shook China's northwest region of Xinjiang, home to Muslim Uighurs.