Yuan debate overcomes Boao boredom factor

China's President Hu Jintao travels to Washington this week to attend the nuclear summit.On the southern Chinese island of Hainan, where 2,000 business leaders, senior politicians and academics have been meeting, the consensus was that his decision...

read more...

Are cracks emerging in Thailand's military?

When a prime minister needs to hold a special TV broadcast to assure watchers that his government is united and in control, it is often the opposite message that is conveyed.Far from celebrating Songkran, the Thai New Year, Thailand's top generals...

read more...

'World needs a barometer of life'

The world needs a "barometer of life" to prevent ecosystems and species being lost forever, scientists have warned.Existing schemes, they said, did not include enough species from groups such as fungi and invertebrates to provide a detailed picture...

read more...

Rio Tinto joins BHP and Vale to end annual ore pricing

Rio Tinto has followed rival mining firms and says it is negotiating new iron ore supply contracts priced for three months rather than a year.The move ends years of tradition and is seen as a demonstration of the power the miners have over their ...

read more...

Pret a Manger plans more shop openings as sales rise

Sandwich and salads chain Pret a Manger has reported rising sales and said it plans to open a record number of new outlets this year.Its comments came as it reported a 12% rise in overall sales for 2009. When sales from new stores were excluded, ...

read more...

Dorset's fierce political battleground

The land of Thomas Hardy is blessed with a wonderful climate and beautiful countryside.Two good reasons so many people like to move there to retire. But Dorset is about a lot more than pensioners and agriculture - it is a land of fierce battles and...

read more...

Conservatives outline £12bn public sector savings plan

The Tories have outlined for the first time how public spending could be cut by £12bn - to help fund their pledge to curb the rise in National Insurance.Tory adviser Sir Peter Gershon said spending on IT projects, office costs, contracts and recruitment...

read more...