JAPAN

The South Korean city of Daegu has vowed to make its mark on the global stage with a stunning athletics World Championships starting on Saturday, though the hosts' medal ambitions are far less grand.

Moves by the Swiss National Bank to curb strength of the Swiss franc will fuel investors' insatiable demand for gold, adding to its relentless rise to new record highs as confidence in the franc as a safe store of value dwindles.

iPhone users in Japan will receive earthquake warning notification with the next version of Apple’s iOS operating system.

The price of gold early Monday came within $2 of a record high $1,900 per ounce before settling back to 1.2 percent gain over Friday's closing price as a host of global economic worries drove investors into the security of the world's oldest form of money.

Gold prices rallied toward $1,900 an ounce on Monday as concerns over the global economic outlook fueled interest in the precious metal as a haven from risk and due to talk that weak U.S. growth could spark a further round of monetary easing.

Australia's strong currency struck a heavy blow to the nation's manufacturing industry on Monday when BlueScope Steel , its largest steelmaker, unveiled plans to shut half of its steel-making capacity, cease exports and slash 1,000 jobs.

Japan will take decisive action against any speculative moves in the currency market, Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said, signaling Tokyo's readiness to intervene to stem further yen rises after its spike to a record high last week.

Brent crude dropped more than $3 on Monday to below $106 a barrel, while U.S. oil fell more than a dollar to below $82, on the potential for a resumption of exports from OPEC-member Libya as a six-month civil war there appeared close to an end.

Brent crude dropped more than $3 on Monday to below $106 a barrel, while U.S. oil fell more than a dollar to below $82, on the potential for a resumption of exports from OPEC-member Libya as a six-month civil war there appeared close to an end.

European stocks extended four weeks of losses on Monday, tracking jittery Asian shares lower, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's festering debt crisis.

European stocks looked set to extend four weeks of losses Monday, tracking jittery Asian shares lower, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's festering debt crisis.

European stocks looked set to extend four weeks of losses on Monday, tracking jittery Asian shares lower, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's festering debt crisis.

Jittery Asian stocks surrendered early gains and turned lower on Monday, adding to last week's steep losses, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's festering debt crisis.

Asian stocks turned positive on Monday, recovering a small portion of last week's steep losses, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's debt crisis.

The rupee is expected to inch up in early trade on Monday, tracking firm Asian peers, with the performance of local shares seen providing further direction during the day.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday he expects to be judged in the 2012 election over his governance of the American economy, which he said was still not growing fast enough.

Asian stocks turned positive on Monday, recovering a small portion of last week's steep losses, while gold shot to new highs as investors worried about the sluggish U.S. economic outlook and Europe's debt crisis.

A hint of QE3 could usher in a very explosive global equity rally.

Two swimmers have survived rare shark attacks in waters off Russia’s Pacific coast this week within 24 hours, emergency ministry and media said on Thursday.

The Bank of Japan will consider easing monetary policy further, possibly at an emergency meeting before next month's rate review, if further rises in the yen push down Tokyo stock prices enough to hit business sentiment, sources said.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday rejected views that American power is waning and said Washington would never default, wrapping up a China visit that has played down tensions between the world's two biggest economies.