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The Asia-Pacific Sovereign Seesaw: If Oil Prices Soar, Some Ratings Could Fall

Tensions in the Middle East are likely to keep oil prices elevated in the near future despite recent declines. Most observers don't expect the U.S.-Iran standoff to escalate into conflict. Even so, it has already begun to hurt economically. A widely expected weak year for economic growth now has the potential to worsen. A further large increase in crude oil prices would adversely affect most Asia-Pacific economies. If prices stay above US$150 for more than a year, some sovereigns in the region could be downgraded.

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In the era of digital payment systems, technology firms are competing to work out an easy electronic approach for payments. Walmart, the giant has work out the way to pay cash while shopping online. Customers who don't have credit cards or bank accounts may find it easier to pay cash of their online purchases at walmart.com

Walmart has set up a system to allow online shoppers to pay with cash. Pay With Cash allows customers without credit cards to choose from Walmart.com's extended catalogue of items, and pay for their purchase at a nearby store. Their order then ships. It's geared towards customers without bank accounts or insufficient electronic banking access--those who "rely on cash transactions, as well as those who are wary of using credit cards online," Walmart explains in a release. Walmart built the system in-house, Walmart.com CEO Joel Anderson told AllThingsD. That's a strategy that online stores employ in other parts of the world like India and China, where a chunk of the population is underbanked, and where customers are still wary of using cards online and prefer to pay for purchases after inspecting them in real life.

By Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, Expert Resume Writer

New Delhi: The Congress has recommended cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's name for the Rajya Sabha and is now waiting for Tendulkar to respond to the same, according to sources. Sources say that Sachin Tendulkar may not accept the nomination. However, an official announcement was awaited.

Sources say that the Congress has offered to nominate him in the President's quota. Tendulkar along with his wife Anjali met Congress President Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath Residence in New Delhi.

Although officially the Congress said that Sonia wanted to meet Tendulkar and personally congratulate him on achieving the historic achievement of scoring 100 international centuries, but sources say the main agenda was his nomination for the Rajya Sabha.

Sachin has accepted a nomination for Rajya Sabha, according to the update from sources. He is the first active sportsperson and cricketer to have been nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Tendulkar along with his wife Anjali met Congress President Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi.

Although officially the Congress said that Sonia wanted to meet Tendulkar and personally congratulate him on achieving the historic achievement of scoring 100 international centuries, but sources say the main agenda was his nomination for the Rajya Sabha.

Reacting to the reports of Sachin Tendulkar's proposed nomination, BJP leader Najma Heptulla said, "We are very happy that Tendulkar's name has been proposed for the Rajya Sabha."

"Tendulkar is a great player, we are proud of him. If he is being nominated, surely he would devote some time to Parliament," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

However, the proposal didn't go well with people from the cricket fraternity. Cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle said, "I don't think it is the greatest idea. He doesn't have the experience of governing or doing social work. People are trying to gain mileage out of Tendulkar."

Meanwhile, the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) welcomed the government's nomination of Tendulkar as a member of the Rajya Sabha, saying that the iconic batsman deserves such an honour.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Prof. Ratnakar Shetty said that the Board was happy with the government's move. "We (BCCI) are happy that Tendulkar's services as a sportsperson has been recognised. He's been a true ambassador for the country and he deserves it," he said.

In the past, eminent personalities like directors Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and playback singer Lata Mangeshkar had been the nominated members of the Rajya Sabha.