
United Nations specialists are to look again at the contribution of meat production to climate change, after claims that an earlier report exaggerated the link. A 2006 report concluded meat production was responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions - more than transport.

Major financial institutions are embroiled in the UK's biggest ever probe into insider dealing, it has emerged. The City is reeling after learning three of its top financiers are among six men arrested on suspicion of being involved in a sophisticated and long-running insider dealing ring.

The Euro sank to a 10-month low against the dollar and US stocks fell on Wednesday after a downgrade of Portugal's credit rating raised worries about Europe's growing debt burden.

Once a flashpoint in India-Bangladesh ties the New Moore Island or Purbasha in the Bay of Bengal, which Dhaka called the South Talpatti, has ceased to exist consumed by hungry tides and the rising sea.

Brazil’s Central Bank believes it is better for the country to hold its own foreign exchange reserves than to rely on credit lines from international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund.

Spain’s economic crisis had devastating effects on the quality of life of the population during 2009. According to a damning survey on living conditions in the country published by the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadisticas) 13.7% of households in Spain had “great difficulty” in making ends meet at the end of each month.

Lower prices of toys and games have contributed to a fall in the UK's headline rate of inflation to 3% - closer to the Bank of England's 2% target. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell to 3% in February from 3.5% in January, new figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show.

Brazilian president Lula da Silva said he is willing and available to begin talks with the Palestine Hamas organization, as well as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and even Iran, to reach peace in the Middle East.

More people die from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday, calling for better protection and sustainable management of one of the Earth’s most precious resources on the occasion of World Water Day.

Google Inc. is “totally wrong” in stopping censorship of its Chinese-language search results and blaming China for “alleged hacker attacks,” Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday, citing an unidentified government official.