Stories for March 2009

Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 17:45 UTC
HMS Northumberland helped feed 2.5 million in Somalia

Devonport-based frigate HMS Northumberland docked this week in her home city for the first time in six months. The ship returned from a grueling six month deployment which saw her crew tackle pirates and deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Somalia, in Africa.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 17:35 UTC
German president former IMF chief admits blame for global financial collapse

German president Horst Köhler in the annual Berlin Speech addressed the global financial collapse but also accepted part of the blame for not having been able to introduce major reforms and regulations to financial markets when the was head of the International Monetary Fund (2000/2004).-
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 12:20 UTC
Berlusconi blames world recession on the “American influenza virus”

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, taking the controls of a new high-speed train on Tuesday, said Italy was well placed to emerge from the global economic downturn, --which he described as the American influenza--, but urged his countrymen to work harder.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 09:40 UTC
Report confirms Botnia pulp mill has had no environmental impact

Water and air surrounding the Botnia pulp mill along the river Uruguay, next to the city of Fray Bentos, has not suffered any quality modifications and the plant complies with the environmental standards demanded by Uruguay, Argentina and the European Union, according to the latest international report
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 09:34 UTC
Air transport industry under intensive care during 2009

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced a revised outlook for the global air transport industry with losses of 4.7 billion USD dollars in 2009. This is significantly worse than IATA’s December forecast for a 2.5 billion loss in 2009, reflecting the rapid deterioration of the global economic conditions.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 08:02 UTC
Mercosur and EU preparing for a new round of negotiations

Mercosur and the European Union reaffirmed their commitment to reach a wide ranging agreement, --in spite of stalled negotiations--, and to push for the conclusion of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Doha Round talks.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 07:57 UTC
Brazil begins to cut natural gas dependency from Bolivia

President Lula da Silva said that Brazil can’t depend for its natural gas solely on Bolivia and anticipated that with the recent opening of a liquid gas plant, the fuel can be imported from the Caribbean. Anyhow “we will continue to purchase Bolivian gas until at least 2019”.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 07:56 UTC
China suggests new global reserve currency to replace US dollar

China's central bank has called for a new global reserve currency run by the International Monetary Fund to replace the US dollar. Central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan did not explicitly mention the dollar, but said the crisis showed the dangers of relying on one currency.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 07:54 UTC
Geithner, Bernanke reject suggestions to replace the US dollar as global currency

Unites States Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke dismissed on Tuesday suggestions by leading emerging economies that the global economy move away from using the dollar as the main reserve currency.
Wednesday, March 25th 2009 - 07:49 UTC
Abu Dhabi sovereign fund takes over 9.1% stake of Daimler-Benz

German car and trucks manufacturer Daimler- Benz sold a 9.1% stake to an Abu Dhabi sovereign investment fund. The fund, Aabar Investments, will invest 1.95 billion Euros becoming the biggest shareholder.