China today sought to play down a threat by Google to quit the country on hacking and censorship concerns, saying any decision by the internet search giant would not affect US trade ties.

Economist Paul Samuelson, who won a Nobel Prize for his effort to bring mathematical analysis into economics and helped shape tax policy for President Kennedy, has died at home aged 94.

President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are laying the groundwork for quick enactment in January of a giant, two-year economic rescue package that will total about a half-trillion dollars.

If a scintilla of disappointment was detectable in Lawrence Summers today as President-elect Barack Obama presented him as the next chief of the National Economic Council, everyone knew why. His big mouth was the reason he didn’t get that other job that used to be his, Treasury Secretary.

US President-elect Barack Obama has no time to waste and two wars and a deepening financial crisis have raised expectations that he will quickly announce picks for senior government jobs after winning the presidential election.

As the early voting in the US presidential election was getting under way, Barack Obama last night attempted to seize all possible advantage from the crisis on Wall Street announcing the approach he would take to restore confidence in staggering financial markets.

As the first early voting in the American presidential election was getting under way, Barack Obama today attempted to seize all possible advantage from the crisis on Wall Street announcing the approach he would take to restore confidence in staggering financial markets.

Travel to the Indian subcontinent will become much easier if a recommendation from a network of infectious disease specialists is adopted. The group, called TropMedEurop, says holidaymakers should forget malaria tablets and concentrate on avoiding bites. A study concluded that the dangers from taking prophylactic drugs rated higher than the risk of disease.

LAWRENCE SUMMERS, the US Treasury Secretary, called yesterday for wide-ranging reforms of the International Monetary Fund.

The Dow Jones' recent roller-coaster ride showed just how sensitive New York shares are

THE GLOBAL financial markets were left on edge by Group of Seven ministers and central bankers at the weekend, uncertain whether this week will bring joint intervention in the currency markets.

THE DOLLAR'S plunge against the yen was halted yesterday as expectations of official intervention in the currency markets climbed to fever pitch.

The Fed chairman's term runs out next year, and no one is saying whether he will stay on

THE DOLLAR jumped more than a yen against the Japanese currency yesterday after Kiichi Miyazawa, Japan's finance minister, raised the spectre of joint intervention with the US to prevent the yen strengthening too much on the foreign exchanges. Any joint action would be the first in more than a year.