EAST TIMOR: Australia – Peacekeeper or Petroleum Predator?

A two month old rebellion by sacked army officials and police deserters in East Timor, one of the world's newest and poorest countries, has resulted in an Australian-led "peacekeeping" force arrival in its capital Dili, and a media-supported push for ‘regime change'.

POLITICS-CHINA: Wen Rolls Out ‘Win-win’ Strategy in Africa

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's extensive tour of Africa this week - part of Beijing's quest to secure future energy supplies and raw materials for the country's economy, is also being used as a platform to advance China's foreign policy orientation on the continent and elsewhere in the developing world.

ENVIRONMENT: Japan Exults Over Pro-whaling Votes

A closely contested vote on Sunday that gave whaling countries led by Japan, an edge over opponents has been hailed here as a landmark in turning the tide against an international ban and boosting the domestic fisheries industry.

ECONOMY-UAE: Asian Buyers Keep Gold Glittering

Despite gold prices climbing to record highs in recent months, sales of the yellow metal in this global trading hub are unlikely to be adversely affected for long because of sheer demand from Asian buyers.

HEALTH: No Frontiers for Indian Medicines in Pakistan

Next to pirated films and music on CDs, the hottest selling Indian items in Pakistani markets these days are pharmaceutical drugs smuggled in from the neighbouring country.

POLITICS-CHINA: Ahmadinejad Invited to Shanghai Meet

China is taking a step further in asserting itself as a major player in Central Asia and the Middle East by inviting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to attend the summit meeting of the six-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), this week.

ECONOMY: Racism, a Factor in World Trade?

Lakshmi Mittal, who heads the world's largest steel manufacturing conglomerate, has no business interests in India. Yet, his failed attempts to buy Arcelor, the European steel-maker, are followed closely in his country of origin.

POLITICS: India Seeks EU Investment in Farms, Infrastructure

India's economy can grow by ten percent a year, if it is able to attract massive investments in agriculture and infrastructure. And Europe can help, says India's finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram.

MALAYSIA: Transparency Missing in Free Trade Deal With US

While millions of Malaysians are engrossed with the World Cup, civil society groups are raising the alarm over a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States as negotiations get underway here on Monday.

DEVELOPMENT: New Political Push Proposed

The world needs to make globalisation work, and a global forum of 20 heads of government from important industrial and developing countries would be best suited to do so, says Paul Martin, Canada's prime minister until six months ago.

INDIA: Fuel Price Hike Widens Rifts in Coalition Gov’t

A nine percent hike in India's already high fuel prices, effected this week, has brought out serious rifts within the ruling, Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) establishment.

VIETNAM: Legalities Dampen Enthusiasm for WTO

Now that the path has been cleared for Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) this year, traders in this communist country fear that they are unprepared to meet the challenges of a market economy.

ENVIRONMENT: Japan Spites Whaling Ban With Gourmet Offerings

Japan is defiantly preparing for the annual meet of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), in the West Indies this month, by going on a promotion drive for whale meat and other products.

CHINA: Going Organic

For a country so enamoured of biotechnology and a recognised leader in genetically modified crops research, China is experiencing an organic farming boom.

INDIA: Stock Market Crash Blamed on Global Integration

On an unprecedented roll for two years, India's stock markets nosedived this past fortnight with investors - nervous after losing more than 100 billion dollars in wealth- refusing to heed Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram's advice to ''stay invested''.

POLITICS: Muslim Nations Want Nuclear Energy, Wary of Iran

As the West debates the perceived Iranian nuclear threat, leaders of the world's eight largest Muslim countries, collectively known as the D8, met on this resort island over the weekend where they asserted the right of Islamic countries to peaceful nuclear energy.

TRADE: EU Proposals on WTO Challenged

European Union plans to push for a new fast track court to settle trade disputes within the World Trade Organisation could undermine democracy and development, leading civil society groups say.

MALAYSIA: Water Falls Under WTO Regime?

Malaysian activists have expressed concern that two bills before parliament could pave the way for giant transnational corporations to corner significant stakes in the country's domestic water sector.

INT’L LABOUR DAY: Trade Unions to Transform UAE Labour Climate

May Day is not observed in the Gulf countries, but the one that just passed by holds special significance because the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is about to grant labourers - citizens as well as expatriates - the right to form trade unions and bargain collectively.

DEVELOPMENT: Southern NGOs Want Greater Say in Agreements with EU

Civil society organisations from a large group of developing countries are insisting on full participation in negotiations under way with the European Union.

TRADE: Doha Round Lurches Forward in More Fits Than Starts

Although the Doha Round of trade talks continues to stumble, the delegates of the 149 World Trade Organisation (WTO) member countries have not thrown in the towel and are determined to meet the year-end deadline for an agreement.