CHINA

If you are paying attention to such trivial things, you’ll eventually hear of many cities that have a nickname claiming they are the “Venice of” something.

The global economic slowdown has claimed another victim: energy use. Consumption of primary energy around the world last year grew by the smallest amount since 2001 while the U.S. saw its steepest drop in 27 years, according to a report released Wednesday by British oil giant BP.

For many people, sampling local food is the most important part of travel. For others it’s the bane of their trip, a massive stress that leads them all over their chosen countries in search of a familiar lunch.

The U.S. trade gap widened to $29.2 billion in April as exports weakened again in a reflection of waning global demand, a U.S. government report on Wednesday showed.

An Indian air force transport plane crashed near the disputed Chinese border in the remote northeast, killing all 14 on board, officials said on Wednesday.

China will overtake Italy as the second-biggest market behind the United States for iconic sportscar maker Lamborghini within three to five years, the group's chief executive said on Wednesday.

While General Motors filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, GM's joint venture in China SAIC-GM-Wuling' sales exceeded 100,000 in May, topped among the Chinese car companies' sales in a single month.

China's pursuit of mega-sized deals with global leaders in strategic industries will slow as Beijing recovers from Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto's stunning rejection of a $19.5 billion tie-up with state-owned Chinalco.

Japan will cut carbon emissions by 15 percent by 2020 from 2005 levels, Kyodo news agency said on Wednesday, a target greens and analysts say is not bold enough and could undermine global climate talks.

World stocks rose for a second day in a row on Wednesday as improving economic data in Asia and a weak dollar pushed oil to a fresh 7-month high above $71 a barrel, fuelling gains in resource-related stocks.

A Washington-based group representing information technology companies called on China on Wednesday to reconsider its requirement that Internet filtering software be bundled with new computers.

Asian shares rallied on Wednesday as reports of stronger-than-expected industrial output in China raised optimism about the global economy, lifting metals and oil prices at or near multi-month highs.

A forward-looking measure of hiring expectations held steady in the United States and other large economies amid signs employment is starting to stabilize, but prospects in several countries worsened, according to a quarterly survey by Manpower Inc.

China defended on Tuesday the use of a new screening software that will block pornography, violent content and other unhealthy content which will be installed on all computers starting from July 1.

Global revenue in the chip foundry market is expected to post a sequential rise in the second quarter after three quarters of declines, but 2009 will remain challenging for foundries, market search firm iSuppli said.

Relatives of two U.S. journalists sentenced to 12 years hard labor in North Korea called on the reclusive state to show compassion, while Pyongyang threatened to use nuclear weapons to defend itself.

China must press ahead with new ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions for the world to have hope of containing global warming, a U.S. energy official said, urging cooperation to end distrust between the two biggest emitters.

There is still a high degree of uncertainty regarding the outlook for the global economy, although Chinese growth could surprise on the upside, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday.

The Chinese government has required that personal computer makers bundle software that filters Internet content from July 1, raising concerns over cyber-security as well as Internet freedoms.

Volkswagen's Audi emerged as the clear winner among Germany's luxury carmakers in May, posting a far smaller decline in global vehicle sales than either BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

North Korea, facing U.N. sanctions for last month's nuclear test, on Monday raised the stakes in its growing confrontation with Washington by sentencing two U.S. journalists to 12 years hard labor for grave crimes.