Abu Dhabi, Dec. 15th, 2008)-The Emirates News Agency (WAM) and the Hankook Ilbo Media Group, the parent company of South Korea's leading English daily newspaper The Korea Times, today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) pertaining to a cooperative partnership.

Under the agreement, the two media conglomerates will exchange news reports, photographs and other forms of bilateral cooperation.

The agreement was signed and endorsed on behalf of WAM by Ibrahim Al Abed, Director General of Emirates News Agency and on behalf of Hankook Group by its Chairman Chang Jae-ku.

Madrid - International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said Monday that the global economy will continue "deteriorating," predicting a "very difficult" year 2009.

The forecasts that the IMF will make public in January will be even worse than the current ones, which predict a 2.2 per cent global growth next year, Strauss-Kahn said in Madrid, where he was attending a conference.

Moscow - The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) expects Russia to cut oil production to stymie tumbling prices, the head of Russia's largest private producer LUKoil said Monday.

Under OPEC's plan for what may be the cartel's deepest production cutbacks yet, Russia would be asked to cut its output by between 200,000 and 300,000 barrels per day
(bpd), LUKoil head Vagit Alekperov said.

He said LUKoil would support cuts on production and was looking at what wells would be least painful to suspend, if the Russian government went along with OPEC's plan.

Rome - Dark clouds hung over Brazilian striker Adriano as he headed back to his home country for an anticipated winter break that may not be followed by a return to Inter Milan.

The Emperor, as he was dubbed in the days when he wreaked havoc among defences, was to land in Brazil on Monday after leaving the Italian champions a week ahead of schedule with the official explanation of a muscular injury.

As virtually no commentator bought the excuse, coach Jose Mourinho said he expects the 26-year-old forward to rejoin the team when training resumes on January 2.

Abu Dhabi, Dec 15th, 2008 : The Emirati-German Friendship Society held its third meeting in Abu Dhabi on Monday under the joint chairmanship of UAE Deputy Prime Minister HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Gerhard Schroder, who is currently on a visit to UAE.

New Delhi - US Senator John Kerry said Monday there was "strong evidence" that the Mumbai attackers came from Pakistan and Washington's assistance to Pakistan will depend on its "behaviour" in dealing with militant outfits.

Kerry met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi, as Indian officials blame Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for the Mumbai carnage that left over 170 people dead.