International

• Saturday, February 19th 2011 - 06:03 UTC

  G20 negotiators fail to agree targets to reduce global imbalances

  

  Negotiators have failed to agree targets to reduce global economic imbalances on the first day of the two-day G20 meeting in Paris. The countries want to better coordinate economic policies to avoid a repeat of the 2008 global financial crisis.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 23:47 UTC

  Massive decline of predatory fish in the last 100 years threatens ‘wild’ oceans

  

  Researchers at the University of British Columbia say they have the strongest evidence to date that humans are indeed “fishing down the food web,” citing data that show predatory fish such as cod, tuna, and groupers have declined by two-thirds during the past 100 years, while small forage fish such as sardines, anchovy and capelin have more than doubled over the same period.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 16:38 UTC

  China again raised bank reserves (eight times in 12 months) to rein inflation

  

  China’s central bank raised reserve requirements for lenders 10 days after boosting interest rates as Premier Wen Jiabao tackles accelerating inflation and the risk of asset bubbles in the fastest-growing major economy.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 14:11 UTC

  UK/Spain reaffirm commitment to Trilateral Dialogue on Gibraltar

  

  UK and Spain's foreign ministers reaffirmed Thursday their commitment to the Tripartite Forum (UK/Spain/Gibralar) for Dialogue following a bilateral meeting in London, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 06:00 UTC

  Japan announces the end of its annual whale hunt in Antarctica

  

  Japan ended its annual whale hunt in Antarctica early following clashes between its fleet and protesters, Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano said.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 05:05 UTC

  European Commission told to tighten controls on aid to avoid ‘waste and leakage’

  

  The European Court of Auditors has called on the European Commission to assess the high risks involved, including corruption, when large sums of EC aid are channelled directly through public budgets in developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 04:55 UTC

  EU/Korea trade agreement effective next July; eliminates 98% of barriers

  

  Having pushed through a strong safeguard clause to protect European industry and received guarantees from Seoul that the new Korean legislation on car CO2 emission limits would not be detrimental to European car makers, the Parliament on gave its consent to the most ambitious trade agreement the EU has ever negotiated.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 04:51 UTC

  IMF calls for fiscal discipline and a “weaker dollar” ahead of G20 meeting

  

  The International Monetary Fund will warn G20 finance ministers this weekend of growing risks to the world economy from surging food prices and public finances while also advocating a somewhat weaker dollar.

• Friday, February 18th 2011 - 04:17 UTC

  Ozone layer future recovery linked to climate change, says reports

  

  A report sponsored by the UN Environment Program finds that over the past decade, global ozone levels, and ozone levels in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are at a turnaround point -- no longer decreasing but not yet increasing.

• Thursday, February 17th 2011 - 22:54 UTC

  Gold, silver, platinum soar on fears of growing inflation

  

  Gold rose Thursday to a one-month high as rising consumer prices in United States and the UK boosted investor demand for an inflation hedge. Silver touched a 30-year high.