News headlines in 2009, page 360

Russian leaders are looking for new opportunities for improved relations with the U.S. under President Barack Obama, after a period of increasing tensions between the two countries.

Russian leaders are looking for new opportunities for improved relations with the U.S. under President Barack Obama, after a period of increasing tensions between the two countries.

It would appear at first sight that Ratko Mladic, indicted for war crimes, has little to worry about. A survey shows that two-thirds of Serbs would not tip off the police about him, despite the million euros reward offered by the state.

The World Social Forum ended its ninth edition Sunday in Belém with its 'Assembly of assemblies' adopting dozens of resolutions and proposals to be the subjects of a programme of mobilisations around the world in 2009.

China is worried that the lingering financial crisis could unleash a spiral of protectionist policies across the globe, which could further dent its trade-dependent economy.

While the Indian economy has been relatively insulated from the international financial crisis, one particular sector that has been badly hit by the ongoing worldwide recession is the textiles and garments manufacturing industry.

Although Antarctica has hitherto been believed to be the only continent to buck the global trend of warming, new findings by United States-based scientists indicate that the coldest continent is indeed hotting up in a similar way to the rest of the world.

As the economic crisis bites deeper, a revolutionary outcome may be possible, in the view of French academic Alain Bihr. Everything depends on citizens' capacity for struggle, he told IPS in an interview during events at The Other Davos, in this Swiss city.

After strong polling for the provincial elections Saturday, Iraqis are looking out for new signposts of political recovery from the U.S.-led invasion and occupation.

The vast majority of the world's governments effectively deny citizens basic information they need to understand how public monies are being spent, according to a new report released here Sunday by the International Budget Partnership (IBP), a Washington-based project that works with civil society groups to promote government transparency and improve accountability.