International

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 19:18 UTC

  Euro central bank expected to increase interest rates next month

  

  The European Central Bank (ECB) has signalled that it will raise interest rates next month, from 1.25%. Earlier on Thursday, the ECB kept rates unchanged for the second month in a row, after increasing them in April for the first time in almost two years.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 05:42 UTC

  OPEC fails to reach agreement on production targets for the first time in 20 years

  

  Oil rose for a third day in New York after OPEC failed to reach an agreement on production targets for the first time in at least 20 years and U.S. crude inventories fell more than analysts forecast.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 04:20 UTC

  FAO forecasts world food prices are likely to remain high in 2011 and 2012

  

  Citing dwindling stocks and only small production increases for the majority of crops, a new United Nations report released Wednesday world food prices are likely to remain high for the rest of this year and into 2012.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 04:03 UTC

  Access to Internet is the right of all human beings, says UN Special Rapporteur

  

  United Nations has declared that access to the Internet is the right of all human beings. Nations should not institute any laws that prevent its citizens from accessing the Internet, according to a recent document published by the UN Human Rights Council. The document is a report by Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 02:54 UTC

  Pressed by outraged farmers EU increases compensation for E.coli outbreak losses

  

  Pressed hard by outraged farmers, the European Union farm chief on Wednesday increased his offer of compensation for the E. coli outbreak to Euro210 million.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 02:46 UTC

  UN calls to protect world’s oceans for future generations

  

  United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today (Wednesday June 8) called on all governments and peoples to play their part to ensure that the world’s oceans are protected for future generations, warning that they face major threats in the years ahead.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 01:58 UTC

  UK supports Ban Ki-moon for second mandate as UN Secretary General

  

  United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Wednesday his support for Ban Ki-moon's candidacy for a second term as Secretary General of the United Nations. Ban Ki-moon announced his candidacy for re-election on Monday. His first term ends on 31 December 2011.

• Thursday, June 9th 2011 - 00:54 UTC

  Bernanke argues strong demand for commodities is depressing US dollar value

  

  US Federal Reserve rejected criticism that its actions (‘accommodative monetary policy’) have pushed down the foreign exchange value of the US dollar and thereby boosted the price of commodities, adding that the Fed is “fully committed” to maintaining the dollar’s purchasing power and to keeping inflation in check.

• Wednesday, June 8th 2011 - 23:16 UTC

  Brazil, India, Russia increased global proven oil reserves by 0.5% in 2010 says BP

  

  Global proven oil reserves rose by 0.5% in 2010, boosted by increases in Brazil, India and Russia, according to British Petroleum. Deposits advanced to 1.3832 trillion barrels at the end of last year from a revised 1.3766 trillion in 2009, BP said in its annual Statistical Review of World Energy.

• Wednesday, June 8th 2011 - 16:36 UTC

  Uruguay considers China a ‘strategic partner’ and supports a Beijing-Mercosur trade accord

  

  Uruguay sees China as a ‘strategic partner’ and has kept good relations with Beijing since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1988, said Uruguayan Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro, a former ambassador to China from 2007-2009. Almagro made the statement as Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping begun his official visit to Uruguay.