CHINA

CIT slips on liquidity worries, Solar megaproject detailed, MS Office to go online

Healthcare workers should get priority access to H1N1 flu vaccinations to ensure health systems keep functioning as the swine flu pandemic spreads around the globe, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The average price of gasoline fell to $2.5573 a gallon. A consortium of 12 companies outlined a massive solar project in North Africa called Desertec which aims to provide 15 percent of the energy needed in Europe by 2050. Chinese Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd said today it reached agreements to develop four solar power facilities in China

As US dollar's role as international currency was questioned over the global financial crisis, China began its long-awaited initiative to trade with yuan as a step toward reducing China's reliance on the dollar.

RHJ International (RHJI.BR) declared its interest in Opel on Monday and Qatar looked to be moving closer to a 7 billion euro bailout of Porsche (PSHG_p.DE), raising the stakes in the battles for control of both German carmakers.

The European Union plans to finalise a $100 billion trade pact with South Korea by the end of the year, the prime minister of EU president Sweden said on Monday.

Philips Electronics, Europe's biggest consumer electronics maker, said some of its key markets are primed for an upturn in sales, though any growth this year would likely be driven by government spending programs.

Ford Motor (F.N) launched a new $500 million passenger car plant in southeast Thailand on Monday, a move aimed at raising its share of a lucrative small car segment in Asia dominated by Japanese firms.

In the century since Henry Ford rolled out his first Model T -- the world's first mass-produced, affordable car -- in 1908, America has been the world's No. 1 auto market.

Chinese police shot dead two people on Monday in renewed unrest in the far northwestern region of Xinjiang, state media said, after at least 184 people died in riots last week.

North Korean leader Kim Jong II, 67, has life-threatening pancreatic cancer, according to Seoul's YTN television, the British newspaper Guardian reported on Monday.

China Eastern Airlines said it will acquire rival Shanghai Airlines, a 9 billion yuan deal ($1.3 billion) which will create a newly capitalized carrier with more than half the air business in China's financial hub.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will seek to reassure Gulf Arab states this week that U.S. dollar assets they hold in large quantities remain a strong investment.

Australia summoned China's ambassador on Monday for a second time to press for details of the detention of Rio Tinto's top iron ore salesman in China and three other staff accused of spying.

Belgian holding company RHJ International said on Monday it was in advanced talks to buy a majority stake in General Motors Corp's European unit Opel.

Asian shares fell 2.6 percent on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei down for a ninth straight day, as concerns about company earnings outlooks weighed, while oil languished near a six-week low as faith in a rapid economic recovery faded.

China's arrest of Rio Tinto staff for spying points to economic worries in Beijing, a security analyst said, and an Australian newspaper reported China's president endorsed the Rio investigation.

Oil prices fell $1 to below $59 a barrel on Monday, extending last week's losses to languish at a seven-week low, as lingering concerns about the pace of a global economic recovery encouraged a further sell-off.

Oil prices fell below $60 a barrel on Monday, extending last week's losses to languish at a seven-week low, as lingering concerns about the pace of a global economic recovery encouraged a further sell-off.

Japan's Nikkei fell for a ninth straight day on Monday as concerns about company earnings outlooks weighed on Asian stocks, while oil languished near a six-week low as faith in a rapid economic recovery faded.

Oil prices steadied at just above $60 a barrel on Monday, pausing from last week's losses, amid growing concerns about the pace of a global economic recovery and its impact on world energy demand.