RUSSIA

Nerbrand's team at HSBC reckon that Gold Investment accounts for just 0.14% of the average global portfolio today. If this figure increases, as we expect, the Gold Price could rise significantly...We believe asset allocators are likely to increase their weighting in gold over the next ten years if they focus on risk management

It's a rather new Cold War. New rhetoric, spiraling conflicts and opposing fronts have returned to the panorama of the World. Posing a threat to the region's still fragile peace, a new arms race has begun in the Asia-Pacific.

Increasing domestic oil production could reduce unemployment, create jobs, and help jump-start the U.S. economic recovery, said Marc Weidenmier of the American Enterprise Institute.

An escalation of trade tensions between China and the U.S. may involve protectionist measures on the U.S. side and the creation of exclusionary Asian trade walls on China's side.

Visitors will be able to tour the sealed zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where Chernobyl reactor No. 4 exploded on April 26, 1986, contaminating a large part of Northern Europe including Belarus and Russia, with harmful radiations. The tragedy left many dead and the city was evacuated within a radius of 48 kilometers.

Singapore's top government officials spewed venom towards the political leaders of some of its Asian neighbors, according to U.S. diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and provided to an Australian newspaper, The Sun Herald.

India is set to launch its advanced GSAT-5P communication satellite on December 20 that will replace the INSAT 2E to ensure continuity of telecom and television services.

The Obama administration is seeking to give its allies and U.S. exporters a boost, proposing new rules that will ease trade in items that could prove to be security risks if they fell into the wrong hands.

Corruption has been on the rise over the last three years, according to the 2010 Global Corruption Barometer.

China’s trade surplus rose in November raising fresh fears about renewed criticism from the US and Europe over Beijing’s currency policy.

Twitter is ending the year with the number of accounts touching the 100 million mark. To celebrate, the site has created an infographic on Twitter's 'Class of 2010', which includes Bill Gates, Kanye West, Tiger Woods and many more.

Russia is seeking an explanation from NATO after documents published by Wikileaks revealed that the military alliance planned to protect Baltic States against Moscow. Russian officials stated that the Kremlin was awaiting clarification from NATO the proposed Eagle Guardian plan.

China attacked the U.S. congressional resolution on convicted Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, and urged U.S. policymakers to change arrogant and rude attitude. The country's foreign ministry maintained that Liu, who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize, was not arrested over his calls for democracy, but for the reason that he tried to destabilize the state. Meanwhile, the Nobel committee announced that as many as 18 countries have joined China in the boycott of the Oslo event.

China on Thursday expressed its support for Russia’s bid to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

For the first time, a private company has successfully launched a spacecraft to orbit and returned it to Earth.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who was on a four-day official visit to India along with his wife Carla Bruni left for Paris on Tuesday after signing a few deals worth more than $10 billion, which is almost the same as what US President Obama managed during his visit last month.

Obama has compromised with the Republicans. The wealthiest Americans will see their tax break continued for at least the next two years and the millions of unfortunate Americans who are out of work will see their unemployment insurance extended for 13 months.

The tourism industry in the United Kingdom seems to be in a “never give up” mood. After losing the bid to host FIFA 2018 to Russia, the country now eyes wealthy travelers by offering fairytale holidays in Britain’s castles, stately homes and theatres.

In a rare show of collective security, the United States, South Korea and Japan held a trilateral meeting on Monday to send a strong message aimed at China, which is seen as shielding North Korea.

President Barack Obama on Monday urged Chinese President Hu Jintao to join the United States in denouncing North Korea's latest deadly military skirmish with South Korea and the North's pursuit of nuclear development. it marked the first time the leaders have spoken since a November 22 incident left four South Korean soldiers dead.

International talks on Iran's nuclear activity got under way in Geneva on Monday amid Tehran's claims of achieving self-sufficiency in the fuel cycle. Analysts say that little is expected from the talks. But the latest developments in Iran are likely to give it the confidence to put forward demands of sanctions against the Islamic Republic to be lifted. The talks between Iran and the five UN powers - the US, Russia, China, France and Britain - plus Germany were stalled 14 months ago.