Stories for 2008

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.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Conflict with the US is “inevitable” warns President Chavez

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez said on Wednesday that a conflict with the government of United Sates is “inevitable” since it has consistently supported economically “the oligarch states of Latinamerica” that are not interested in the equality of peoples.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
OPEC freezes oil output and blames US for high crude prices

OPEC accused the United States on Wednesday of economic “mismanagement”, which it said is pushing oil prices to new record highs and rejected calls to increase output. Oil prices surged for the first time past 104 US dollars a barrel after OPEC's announcement and a US government release showing a surprise drop in crude stockpiles.
Thursday, March 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Euro zone and UK leave interest rates unchanged

The European Central Bank (ECB) kept interest rates unchanged at 4% on Thursday as concerns about inflation persist. Earlier in London the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee adopted a similar decision keeping interest rates on hold at 5.25%.