France to close embassies, consulates, cultural centres and schools in 20 Muslim countries; Aung San Suu Kyi receives Congressional Medal in US; software millionaire entrepreneur to run for South Korean presidency; Israeli airstrike kills two in Gaza; Greece to sell off palaces, airports and islands to stem debt; and more
Read MoreGreece debt
World News Brief, Friday February 10
Dozens killed in sixth day of Homs crackdown; Arab League to return to Syria, perhaps with UN observers; Analysis – so what should be done with Syria?; Greeks government parties reach austerity deal, EU ministers meeting to discuss; Israel and US disgree on Iran threat; Amensty claims Russia & China breaking arms embargo in Darfur; Further improvements in Burma?; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday February 9
Euro Bank makes US$14 billion concession – if Greece agrees to austerity deal (+ analysis); Argentina accuses UK of "militarising" south Atlantic and takes Falkland's claim to UN; South Korea to make weapons for Saudis in new deal; CIA boss considers Burma trip; Protesters back Maldives' first democratically elected PM
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday January 11
Bashar al-Assad lashes out at Arab League in rare TV address, refuses to step down; Arab League key to getting Syria sanctions through UN; Aung San Suu Kyi to run for parliament in Burmese elections; China and South Korea agree aim of "denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula"; Greece pressured to settle private debt deals or miss EU bailout; Iran's latest uranium enrichment is "further escalation" says US; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday January 10
Iran sentences 28 year-old American to death; Iran appears to be bracing for war and driving up oil prices; Merkel & Sarkozy have 976th summit to discuss debt limits and tobin tax; IMF leak says Greece still unable to pay debts; EU running out of patience with Greece as Euro slides; Malaysian opposition leader found not guilty of sodomy; Despite global mockery, Arab League plans to grow observer mission in Syria; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday November 11
Greece appoints economist as new PM promising to pass EU package; Italy may follow suit with its own technocract PM; Italian bond yields soar; Asian markets fall over EU uncertainty; China posts massive trade surplus as imports fall; IAEA report says Iran building nuclear weapon; Iran condemns report while Russia rejects santions call; Palestine expected to lose Security Council vote on statehood; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday October 4
Greece won't make 7.6 percent deficit target, says prime minister; Greek government approves new austerity measures and a plan to force 30,000 public sector workers into early retirement; tribal fighting in Papua New Guinea leaves 15 people dead; International Criminal Court will investigate last year's election violence in Ivory Coast; US could gain $15 billion injection from trade pacts with South Korea, Panama and Colombia; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday September 27
New eurozone rescue plan would write down 50 percent of Greece's public debt; Euro itself now under threat, say experts; Islamist militants ambush Filipino soldiers on island of Jolo; suspected suicide bomber attacks church in central Java; World Bank triples aid to Horn of Africa; French Left wins majority in Senate for first time in 50 years, threatening Sarkozy's re-election bid; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 23
Palestinian Authority to submit UN membership application despite opposition; Global markets plunge on perception Fed is running out of ideas; Greece comes to a standstill due to strikes; Yemen deaths grow prompting fears of civil war; China opposes US-Taiwan fighter jet deal; and more
Read MoreGreek default? Yawn. Recession? Sigh. But here's a coincidence...
The unsurprising surprise of Europe's economic woes and the IMF's latest predictions gets the once-over from new Pundit Fiona McMillan, a London-based New Zealand business journalist.
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday September 16
Investors and markets queue up to predict Greece default as bank shares drop; Merkel warns German MPs about predicting Greek collapse while minister explores what would happen if Greece left the eurozone; New Libyan leaders call for democratic state with sharia law; Japan wants better defence relations with China; Religious violence in Nigeria; Republicans reject Obama tax plans; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Tuesday July 26
Police across Europe investigate far-right threats after Norway massacre; Breivik calls for new revoltuion against Muslim "animals" and pleads not guilty; Analysis of US blogs that influenced Breivik; Moody's downgrades Greece declaring default "virtually 100%" certain; US debt debate drives down Asian markets; North Korean diplomat to visit US; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 29
Greek workers strike ahead of parliament's decision on austerity (+ analysis: no easy solutions); International court issues warrant for Qaddafi and son; Afghan central banker flees after exposing embezzlement; Obama confident debt deal is close; Japanese PM promises to resign; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Wednesday June 30
US arrests Russian spies, rattling relationships with the Kremlin (+ analysis); Iran sets conditions on further nuclear talks and reserves right to defend ships; Protests in Spain and Greece as loans run out; Google backs down on China site; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday May 7
Fear of "contagion" spreads across Europe as Greek parliament passes austerity bill (+ analysis and background); High turnout reported in British election; Australia and India talk free trade; US turns to Pakistan for help in bomber case; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday April 30
Merkel u-turns on Greece bailout urging speed (+analysis); Thai Yellow Shirts demand military action; Iran to attend nonproliferation conference to put heat on Israel; Afghanistan instability "levelling off" but public support falling, says Pentagon; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday April 29
Greek debt downgraded to "junk status" as markets tumble and Germany delays (+analysis); Iraqiya bloc calls for caretaker government; Soldier dies amid further protests in Thailand; China takes stance on US chicken subsidies; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Friday March 26
Russian leak: US and Russia to cull hundreds of nuclear warheads under new treaty (+ analysis); EU on verge of Greece debt package; Chinese telco takes on Google; Dubai finds more money for Dubai World; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday March 4
Greece cuts spending and increases taxes, but markets still wary; China sends message to US; Arab leaders support last crack at Israel peace talks; Afghan authorities threaten to arrest journalists; and more
Read MoreWorld News Brief, Thursday February 11
US offers nuclear compromise as Russia turns on Iran; Security forces arrest journalists and opposition ahead of Iranian revolution anniversary; Honda latest automaker to issue recall; Germany steps in to rescue Greece; Russia ally wins Ukraine election; and more
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