France’s National Agency for Health Safety has been ordered by the government to investigate claims made by a study this week linking Monsanto’s NK603 genetically modified (GM) corn to cancer in rats, reported AFP on Thursday.
At least 53 percent of Brazil’s population – 104 million Brazilians – are now part of the nation’s middle class, compared to just 38 percent ten years ago, said an official study by the government on Thursday.
The document, produced by the Presidency’s Department of Strategic Affairs, said that at least 35 million people had emerged from poverty over the time period, while nearly 80 per cent of the new members of the expanding middle class were of African ancestry.
Chinese and European leaders meet in Brussels today for the high-level EU-China summit with the emphasis on increasing trade ties between the two. Trade between China and the EU, the world’s largest trading block, has doubled since 2003, reaching 428 billion euros ($554 billion) last year.
The summit will also be the last for Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao, who will be stepping down as head of the Communist Party’s powerful politburo standing committee later this year.
America’s super high net worth individuals saw their net worth grow by 13 percent in the past year to $1.7 trillion, according to Forbes annual wealth survey. Collectively, their wealth and assets are equivalent to Bhutan’s 2011 gross domestic product.
At the same time, the average net worth of the 400 wealthiest Americans rose to a record $4.2 billion, up more than 10 percent from a year ago, while the lowest net worth came in at $1.1 billion versus $1.05 billion last year, said Forbes.
Zambia’s President Michael Sata has announced a $5.6 billion plan to build and upgrade more than eight thousand kilometres worth of roads over the next five years to improve social and economic infrastructure in Africa’s top copper producer, reported Reuters on Wednesday.
Senegalese politicians have voted to scrap the nation’s Senate, or upper house, in order to save an estimated $15 million from the nation’s annual budget – that will go into a fund to help victims of recent deadly floods, reported the Associated Press on Thursday.
Ever received an ad or an email from a company that seemed to be designed specially for you? These days, many retailers are gathering and storing information about their clients through barcode technology, which will help them determine exactly how best to market to you, which coupons you’re most likely to use, and what you’re most likely to buy next based on previous purchasing habits.
The number of Asian millionaires surpassed that of North America’s for the first time ever last year, said a report by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management on Wednesday, though their combined wealth shrank slightly amid the global economic downturn caused by the eurozone crisis.
In 2011, Asia was the home to 3.37 million high net-worth individuals (HNWI), compared with 3.35 million in North America and 3.17 million in Europe.
A senior advisor to the Chinese government has called on authorities to impose “tough measures” on Japan, such as sanctions and bond market manipulation, so as to force Tokyo to reverse its decision to nationalise the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.
Russia has agreed to “forgive” nearly all of a $11 billion Soviet-era debt owed to it by North Korea, reported the Financial Times, as part of a deal that will allow Moscow to enter into new projects in the North Korean energy, health and education sectors.
