Stories for May 2011

Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 07:00 UTC
BRIC countries slam Europe’s ‘obsolete grip’ on the IMF top job

Top emerging economies joined forces to slam Europe's “obsolete” grip on the IMF top job, even as France's finance minister appeared to strengthen her lead in the race to replace Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 06:56 UTC
Chinese credit rating agency downgrades UK with a negative outlook

UK's credit rating has been cut by the Dagong rating agency of China. The agency blamed the UK's sluggish growth, which it said would be stuck in the 1.3%-1.5% range for two more years, hurting government finances.
Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 06:50 UTC
Israel desalination plant will provide 20% of the country’s households water needs

Israel's Finance Ministry has approved funding for the construction of the largest water desalination plant in the world. Under construction in Sorek, central Israel, the plant is scheduled to be completed in 2013 at a cost of 400 million US dollars.
Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 06:44 UTC
Brazil plans to invest heavily in wind farms natural gas fired plants

Brazil which gets about 80% of its energy from hydroelectricity is considering a record investment of 4.1 billion Real (2.5 billion USD) for wind farms this year to diversify its power supply.
Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 00:29 UTC
G20 largest economies are avoiding protectionism says UNCTAS-OECD-WTO

The Group of 20 (G20) largest economies are largely keeping their pledges to avoid protectionism as a reaction to the recent global recession, but the rest of the world is increasing trade barriers, a new report co-authored by the UN said Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 25th 2011 - 00:27 UTC
Transparency blasts OECD on poor results from the Anti-Bribery Convention

A new report from the anti-corruption organization Transparency International (TI), shows no improvement in the enforcement of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in the past year and warns that this could signal a dangerous loss of momentum in the fight against corruption.
Tuesday, May 24th 2011 - 23:45 UTC
Paraguay and European MPs address impasse in Mercosur/EU trade talks

The apparent impasse in the European Union/Mercosur trade talks was addressed by the Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo at a meeting on Tuesday with Members of the European Parliament and the EU delegation to Mercosur negotiations.
Tuesday, May 24th 2011 - 22:15 UTC
Sexual health and safe sex tags could be mandatory in Brazilian underwear

Brazil's congress has passed a law that -- if approved by President Dilma Rousseff -- would require sexual health messages to be placed in underwear manufactured and sold in Brazil.
Tuesday, May 24th 2011 - 22:04 UTC
New York Times says sacrificing Chilean Patagonia for a power is an irreparable mistake

The New York Times has joined the Aysén region project controversy in Chilean Patagonia which was recently approved but has triggered massive protests from environmentalists and an overwhelming rejection from the majority of the population according to public opinion polls.
Tuesday, May 24th 2011 - 20:02 UTC
HMS Edinburgh leaves for South Atlantic, Falklands and South Georgia patrolling

HMS Edinburgh leaves Wednesday for a seven months patrol of the British South Atlantic Islands, including the Falklands and South Georgia. She will be conducting maritime security patrols, policing and protecting Islanders living in the British Overseas Territories.