Singapore / AFP Singapore announced a shock loosening of monetary policy on Thursday to kickstart the stuttering economy, as it forecast a slower growth outlook this year and analysts warned of a possible recession. The city-state’s central bank joined several others around the world in announcing easing measures as they battle sluggish global demand — particularly from key market China …

  Beijing / AP China will “facilitate” the planting of genetically modified corn and other plants on an industrial scale in the next five years, officials said, after not authorising any new commercial GM crops for a decade. The controversial science is a key trade issue with the US, whose biotechnology giant Monsanto is a global leader in the field, …

  Tokyo / Bloomberg Nikkei Inc.’s chief executive officer is taking the long view — the very long view — on the Japanese publisher’s $1.2 billion purchase of the Financial Times last year. While the deal took just five weeks to come together, Tsuneo Kita says it may take as long as 20 years to judge Nikkei’s investment in the …