International

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 22:00 UTC

  Beijing says financial aid to Euro zone has ‘no preconditions’

  

  Beijing's plan to provide financial aid to the European Union is not contingent on Europe supporting a proposal that could protect China from trade sanctions, a Commerce Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 21:48 UTC

  IMF lowers global 2011/12 growth estimates, but warns things can get worse

  

  The global economic recovery is slowing, with world growth projected at 4% in both 2011 and 2012, down from over 5% in 2010, the IMF said in its latest forecast. And even this lowered projection counts on a lot going well.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 21:33 UTC

  (Paymaster) Germany needs Parliament approval on deciding Euro zone bailouts

  

  Leading lawmakers in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition have agreed a draft law on an enhanced Euro zone bailout fund to give a greater say to parliament in line with a court ruling earlier this month.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 21:27 UTC

  Euro-zone growth forecasts plummet: 1.6% this year and 1.1% in 2012

  

  The IMF cut its growth forecast for the 17-nation Euro zone by nearly half a percentage point to 1.6% in 2011 and even weaker conditions are seen for next year with growth of just 1.1%. Currently the single currency region is scarcely growing at a 0.25% annual rate.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 09:09 UTC

  S&P downgrades Italy’s rating by one notch with negative outlook

  

  Standard and Poor's downgraded its unsolicited ratings on Italy by one notch to A/A-1 and kept its outlook on negative, a major surprise that threatens to add to concerns of contagion in the debt-stressed Euro zone.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 08:42 UTC

  ‘Falklands Sea’ could fall hostage to South Korea/Japan sea names dispute

  

  South Korea is considering using the Argentine name for waters around the British-Overseas Territory Falkland Islands, in retaliation for Britain's refusal to use Seoul's name for the sea off the east of the Korean peninsula, according to Seoul newspaper reports

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 08:39 UTC

  UN launches all-out attack on non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cancer

  

  The United Nations launched on Monday an all-out attack on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer and diabetes with a summit meeting devoted to curbing the factors, like tobacco and alcohol use, behind the often preventable scourge that causes 63% of all deaths.

• Tuesday, September 20th 2011 - 01:12 UTC

  US diplomatic measures to make Iceland desist of its whaling activities

  

  US President Barack Obama announced diplomatic measures to be taken by the United States against Iceland in condemnation of its whaling activities.

• Monday, September 19th 2011 - 21:30 UTC

  UNESCO drafts action plan to improve journalists’ safety and punish instigators

  

  Participants at a UN forum that met in Paris have drafted an action plan to improve the safety of journalists and ensure that crimes committed against them do not go unpunished.

• Monday, September 19th 2011 - 21:20 UTC

  EU and US debt crises contagion threatens developing world investor confidence

  

  The head of the World Bank on Monday said a drop in investor confidence was already feeding through to developing nations from a growing debt crisis in advanced economies and urged “cooperative action.”