Stories for March 2008

Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazilian officials optimistic in spite of US recession

Brazil economy grew more than 5% in 2007 on high global demand for agricultural products, ethanol and iron ore and a booming domestic market, Finance Minister Guido Mantega said Friday in a press conference.
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Virulent wheat fungus spreading in Asian grain areas says FAO

The United Nations food agency has asked wheat-producing nations in Asia, including India and Pakistan to be on high alert following a report that a new virulent wheat fungus has moved to major wheat-growing areas in Iran.
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Falklands' conflict Foreign Secretary Lord Pym dies

Former British Conservative Foreign Secretary Lord Pym died Friday at the age of 86 after a prolonged illness, his family has said. He served in the role during the 1982 Falklands War following the resignation of Lord Carrington, reports BBC.
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Fertilizer production expected to outstrip demand says FAO

World fertilizer production is expected to outstrip demand over the next five years and will support higher levels of food and bio-fuel production, FAO said in a new report entitled “Current world fertilizer trends and outlook to 2011/12”, published this week.
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Spanish real estate boom funded by black money claims US

The United States State Department 2008 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report makes a link and describes Spain as the “grand European centre for money laundering”, according to the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
“Green Passport” campaign launched at Berlin Tourism Fair

A “Green Passport' campaign” was launched Friday at a world tourism fair aims at shrinking the environmental footprint of vacation travelers, according to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP).
Friday, March 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Many women round the world “still face discrimination”

Almost every country in the world still has laws that discriminate against women, and promises to remedy this have not been kept, the top United Nations human rights official said on Friday, speaking on the eve of International Women's Day.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Colombian assessing impact of trade loss with neighbors

Colombia is assessing the economic impact of the current diplomatic conflict with Ecuador and Venezuela which represented 9 billion US dollars in trade last year and a significant boost for the country's economic expansion.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Hard times for some of Europe's leading financial institutions

Some of Europe's leading banks are also facing problems as a consequence of the downfall from the US credit crisis and for having possibly breached US rules banning banks from doing business with countries on a terrorist blacklist.

France's biggest retail bank Credit Agricole made a loss in the last three months of 2007, hit by a hefty charge at its Calyon investment banking arm.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
McCain ready to take Hillary-Obama or Obama-Hillary ticket

Encouraged by her big primary victories Hillary Clinton hinted on Wednesday at the possibility of sharing the United States Democratic presidential ticket with Barack Obama as vicepresident hopeful. But Obama stressed that he still holds the lead in number of delegates.