POLITICS & POLICY

China is mulling to invest nearly 18 billion Yuan ($2.82 billion) to exploit minerals in Eastern Tibet's Qinghai region in the next five years. This came almost three months after Beijing announced in August plans to intensify mining efforts in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

It's now all systems go for BHP Billiton Ltd after the South Australian Parliament on Tuesday passed a controversial legislation that would expand its Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine project into the world's largest open-cut operation.

It certainly was another volatile session for the Australian sharemarket today. In the first hour of trade stocks rose by around 0.5 pct however at around 1pm the market crept into negative territory. In the last 10 minutes of trade, stocks gained impressively to lift the All Ordinaries index (XAO) by 1 pct or 41.5 pts to 4167.3.

If Hollywood has Botox, the UK High Street has Bee Venom in a pot - a more holistic approach to keep crow's feet and wrinkles at bay.

In the recently concluded British Fashion Awards, the women dominated as they took home the major prizes of the night. Fashion icon Victoria Beckham was especially thrilled with her award as she won the Designer Brand prize.

Angola LNG is eyeing to market to non- U.S. buyers its first production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) that is expected to come out early 2012.

Australian gold miner Gold One International had announced it is confident of meeting 2011 target goals of producing 120,000 gold ounces. It said its actual output could even overtake the target quota in the next few weeks.

Difficulties in sourcing funds as well as seeking buyers and regulatory approvals have taken a toll on Woodside Petroleum Ltd., Australia's second-biggest oil company after BHP Billiton Ltd.

Defying predictions, Kate Middleton wasn't the star of the 2011 British Fashion Awards, but Victoria Beckham proved her reign as London's original fashion queen.

The Duchess might have not reigned over the British Fashion awards, but she sure did wow Buckingham palace guests in an emerald green dress from Mulberry.

Airlines are offering free re-booking of flights to London on Wednesday to spare passengers from the expected long delay in customs clearance at the city's airports due to participation of customs officers in a one-day general strike.

China has accelerated the ‘internalization’ of its controversial Yuan as Beijing decided on Monday to pit the currency against the Australian and Canadian dollars, a move seen by foreign exchange experts as the country’s gradual ploy of making the money more acceptable for international trade.

The Australian sharemarket is managing to hold on to some of its gains at lunch, with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 0.2 pct or 6.9 pts to 4132.7. Shares opened higher and continued to gain for the first hour of trade however started to pullback at around 11am (AEDT) following the Federal Government's mid-year budget review.

The United Nations has accused the Syrian military of torturing, raping and killing hundreds of civilians, including children and women, as part of its crackdown on protesters demanding a new government.

Australia may well sit back and relax as its mining sector will continue to support its economic stability in the next five years at least.Latest data from the 'Mining Industry Major Projects - October 2011' report of the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE) showed committed capital investment into the country's already booming resources industry grew 34 per cent to A$231.8 billion (US$229.8 billion) in the six months ended Oct. 31.

A two-minute video to promote gay marriage produced by Australian lobby group GetUp has gone viral in YouTube. Since it was posted on the video sharing site on Sunday, the video had almost 1.9 million views as of Tuesday noon.

Australia could soon face legal woes once the country’s leadership insists on shipping uranium to India, an international law expert suggested on Tuesday.

Global markets rallied overnight as European leaders drafted a framework for a bailout fund for the region. Strength shown in the Asian session resonated in the US and Europe, as investors got a chance to react to the positive developments from the weekend. Investors are increasingly optimistic that European leaders will draft a comprehensive bailout plan which involves better fiscal integration, plus insure bonds of debt-stricken countries with guarantees of 20% to 30%.

The European financial crisis has cut Australia's budget by $20 billion. However, Treasurer Wayne Swan, who will release on Tuesday the midyear budget review, forecasts a return to surplus.

US new home sales rose by 1.3pct in October - marking the fastest pace of growth in five months. The supply of new homes on the market eased modestly from 6.4 to 6.3 months' supply. The Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index rose from 2.3 to 3.2 in November.

2011 was a great, overly-fashionable year for Kate Middleton, and here are some of her most memorable looks.

The Duchess had undergone some treatment for her pearly whites, and this explains her slightly crooked, 'un-American' smile.

The Duchess of Cambridge has become one of the most followed fashion icons of this year, and here's a style guide so everyone can dress like a royal as well.

China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co. have struck an agreement with Namibia's Epangelo Mining Co. to try to secure a ten per cent stake in Husab, the world's fourth biggest uranium deposit.

China has no plans to lift the limitations it set on its property market. At least not yet.

After a very tough week and a half the Australian sharemarket has managed to hold onto the majority of its gains for the duration of the session. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) jumped 1.7 pct or 68.2 pts to 4125.8. All sectors improved today with the big banks the standout performers of the day.

The rare earth metals (REM) earlier discovered from the Kwale project in Kenya's coastal region have been found to extend beyond the 30 meters reported earlier, giving estimations the country has the potential to earn more than the Sh270 billion anticipated from the project

More and more mining companies are scrambling to join the rare earth metals (REM) bandwagon. And the faster they get to produce the elements and sell to the market, the better the global demand will neutralize away from China's hands.

Insider trading is apparently on the rise in Australia. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) disclosed on Monday that it in investigating 35 alleged insider trading cases.