As everyone from the US Congress to the general public hunts for explanations for the oil and food crises, the Federal Reserve Board, whose monetary policy is responsible, has exploited this state of ignorance for its own ends. The same

Official US responses to the subprime crisis and the war in Iraq are disconcertingly similar, a combination of surge and reality-avoiding rhetoric, with more of both required to move fewer and fewer people's attitudes. This is how bubbles grow and

Development of gas fields on East Timor's doorstep could bring vast wealth to Asia's youngest and by several measures poorest country. Yet its lack of a skilled population may prevent it from garnering those riches, and doom it to continued

Economies that link their currencies closest to the US dollar are seeing the biggest price increases as a follow-on from lower interest rates in the US. That means the home of the US dollar will take the biggest inflation hit

Viacom's US$1 billion copyright infringement lawsuit over clips made available on Google's YouTube prompted cries that the legal challenge threatens how people use the freedom of the Internet. Martin J Young surveys the week's developments in computing, gaming and gizmos.

Establishing national ages for sexual consent is a dicey proposition across the globe, and one increasingly muddied by religion, culture and globalization. In Asia, the average age for legal heterosexual sex is 14.5 years old, but that is about as

China and Latin American are making eyes at each other and looking to deepen an already expanding relationship. The economic potential is huge for both sides, but Beijing's involvement with Cuba and Venezuela has already unsettled things in "the backyard

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in provincial elections in the state of Karnataka gives it a stronghold in southern India for the first time. This has set alarm bells ringing in the ruling Congress party ahead of national polls.

This may be the most important American story of the new century: the Pentagon's massive expansion on just about every front during US President George W Bush's two terms in office. On seven major fronts, the Pentagon has expanded its

Reduced opium production in Afghanistan as a result of soaring wheat prices points the way both for the conduct of war in poor countries, and perhaps more importantly, handling emerging environmental issues. Change that is led by the markets will

With rumors swirling in Pakistan that President Pervez Musharraf is about to step down, and the two leading parties in the ruling coalition at odds, the country's efforts in the United States-led "war on terror" have all but ceased. Across

A new round of political chaos and the threat of violent street clashes between pro- and anti-government groups has renewed speculation that Thailand is ripe for yet another coup. But the military brass has little interest in an unpopular putsch,

Amazing Thailand!Nothing amaze me this week more than the latest Thai government I read that Commerce Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mingkwan Saengsuwan wants to patent the full moon party. He gave the reason that he wants to patent this

The government has given its strongest sign yet it is prepared to take the politically sensitive step of raising domestic fuel prices as it grapples with the soaring costs

When the rice problem hit the newsstands, the people living in Metro Manila where the ones affected the most since food hardly comes from that region. At this time where food is becoming scarcer by the day, people should take