CHINA

Dili's gleaming new Presidential Palace and Foreign Ministry, gifts from China, stand in stark contrast to nearby burned-out buildings and are symbols of how the energy-hungry superpower is growing closer to tiny, oil-rich East Timor.

Asia-focused brokerage CLSA said General Electric and Brazilian miner Vale SA and several other companies have inquired about listing in

Iran and world powers seeking to resolve a dispute over Tehran's nuclear program will start talks on October 1, in what a senior U.S. official described as an important first step.

Wall Street slipped on Monday as a decision by the United States to impose special duties on Chinese tires sparked concerns about a possible trade dispute.

Wall Street was poised for a lower opening on Monday as a decision by the United States to impose special duties on Chinese tires sparked investor concerns about a possible trade dispute.

U.S. stock index futures indicated a lower opening on Monday as a decision by the United States to impose special duties on Chinese tires sparked investor concerns about a possible trade dispute.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Monday as a decision by the United States to impose special duties on Chinese tires sparked investor concerns about a possible trade dispute.

U.S. stock index futures fell on Monday as a decision by the United States to impose special duties on Chinese tires sparked investor concerns about a possible trade dispute.

President Barack Obama will try on Monday to revive a stalled push for stricter oversight of Wall Street, using the anniversary of Lehman Brothers' collapse to argue for sweeping regulatory changes.

Chinese media and officials have heaped scorn on a U.S. decision to impose special duties on Chinese-made tires, extending Beijing's warnings that the move may fuel trade friction as global growth struggles to revive.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.63 percent, Dow Jones futures down 0.7 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.7 percent.

The dollar crawled up on Monday from a one-year low against other currencies as speculators booked profits on bets against the greenback, while the yen's surge threatened Japanese exporters and drove Tokyo shares down.

The severity of the U.S. financial crisis exposed investors' need to whittle down a dependence on dollar-denominated assets and diversify globally, two of Wall Street's most influential figures said on Sunday.

The global economic crisis will weed out Italy's jewellery industry and prepare grounds for consolidation in the strongly fragmented sector, jewellers and industry officials said at a trade fair.

Partnering for Strength; Bouncing Back from Lehman; Trade Friction

China's commerce ministry said on Sunday it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of U.S. chicken products and vehicles, as the foreign ministry slammed the United States for protectionism.

Vietnamese police released blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh on Saturday after more than a week in detention under investigation on state security grounds, her mother said by telephone from the beach town of Nha Trang.

Iran said on Saturday it would not back down in its nuclear row with the West, a day after the United States said it would accept Tehran's offer of wide-ranging talks with six world powers.

South Korea said on Saturday it would support direct talks between the United States and North Korea so long as they were aimed at advancing multilateral negotiations on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.

U.S. puts new duty on Chinese-made tyres - Additional 35 percent for first year - China denounces step as dangerous protectionism - China signals possible complaint to WTO - Dispute could spill over into G20 summit (Adds Chinese minister's comments and press comment in paragraphs 3-5, 9 and 25)

When it comes to water, it is pretty clear to investors that a growing global shortage will bring in new business opportunities.