Reuters

Just over two-thirds responded that they expected to increase investment levels.

Police arrested several political opponents on Tuesday and kept others under virtual house arrest ahead of a protest.

Frontier clashes have intensified in recent months, dashing hopes of a thaw in relations.

A property slump is expected to last well into 2015, companies will continue to struggle to pay off debt and export demand may remain erratic.

Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano said on Wednesday that he would step down soon because of his age, leaving Prime Minister Matteo Renzi facing a delicate political challenge to replace him.

A suicide bomber on Wednesday killed at least 23 people in central Yemen at a cultural center where students were celebrating the Prophet Mohammad's birthday, Saba said.

The Jan. 25 vote will mark a showdown between the conservative New Democracy party and the leftwing Syriza party of Alexis Tsipras.

Global benchmark Brent crude has fallen 49 percent in 2014.

A powerful typhoon killed 18 people this month and forced more than 1 million people to flee to shelters.

The United States on Wednesday condemned what it called Cuba's practice of repression following the detention of several activists.

The European Commission also has been investigating allegations that BP manipulated oil and biofuel prices.

The data put a final sluggish stamp on what has been a surprisingly grim fourth quarter for the world's second-largest economy.

Markets were set for a cautious close to 2014 as worries about Greece's future in the euro zone served as an excuse to take profits on popular trades.

Pakistan was the most dangerous country for the media, with 14 journalists killed, followed by Syria with 12.

Hamm's fortune has been cut in half by the drop in oil prices.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian authorities reported an accident at the plant but said it represented no danger to health or the environment.

A lawyer for Amir Hekmati was quoted as saying the United States had sought his release through a prisoner swap.

The message marks the first sign that the US is becoming comfortable about allowing firms to work around the nation’s four-decades-old ban.

Authorities have found evidence that a low-risk computer ‘worm’ had been removed from devices connected to some nuclear plant control systems.

Brent crude oil fell to a 5-1/2-year low on Tuesday as a global supply glut outweighed concerns of lost supply from Libya.

Alexei Navalny led mass protests against the country's president three years ago, and his trial is seen as part of a campaign to stifle dissent.

George H.W. Bush's breathing has returned to normal and he is awaiting doctors' approval to be discharged from a Houston hospital.

Asian shares got off to a lacklustre start on Tuesday, as a sharp selloff in commodities and political uncertainty inGreece made investors less willing to take risks in the final trading days of 2014.

Countries around Asia on Tuesday stepped up the search for an AirAsia plane carrying 162 people that is presumed to have crashed in shallow waters off the Indonesian coast, with Washington also sending a warship to help find the missing jet.

It was not known if the senior leader who was targeted had been killed.

Greek lawmakers failed to elect a new president in a final round of voting on Monday, leaving the country facing an early election.

The November contraction is the biggest sign to date of the impact Western sanctions and a slump in oil prices are having on Russia's economy.

Palestinians plan to submit a final draft of a statehood resolution to the United Nations on Monday.

China is set to finalize a similar deal with Canada, Chinese state media reported this month.