International

• Tuesday, September 14th 2010 - 03:08 UTC

  Wide ranging trade deal brings Taiwan closer to China

  

  A historic trade deal between China and Taiwan took effect Sunday signalling improvement in relations between the two countries after they were split by a civil war over 60 years ago.

• Monday, September 13th 2010 - 19:08 UTC

  Riots and arrests on Chile’s coup anniversary, “but calmer than in previous years”

  

  As President Sebastián Piñera spoke of national unity and moving past quarrels from recent history on the anniversary of the 11 September 1973 military coup that ousted democratically elected President Salvador Allende, protests and demonstrations occurred throughout Chile.

• Monday, September 13th 2010 - 04:00 UTC

  Central bankers agree new rules to prevent a repeat of the financial crisis

  

  Central bank governors and senior regulators have agreed new rules designed to prevent a repeat of the recent financial crisis. At a meeting in the Swiss city of Basle, they agreed a deal requiring banks to hold more capital in reserve.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 07:02 UTC

  World conference to address unemployment and creating decent jobs

  

  The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are hosting a joint conference on 13 September in Oslo, Norway to explore new ways of generating jobs as part of a sustainable recovery from the global economic crisis.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 06:57 UTC

  Glow of eyes could help detect mad cow disease, says Iowa university report

  

  Cattle infected with mad cow disease give off a tell-tale glow in their eyes, according to new research published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. In future, the discovery could lead to a long-sought test to detect infection with the agent that causes mad cow disease, preventing it from spreading throughout the food supply for humans.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 06:50 UTC

  USDA cuts forecast for global wheat 2010/11 harvest, 5.5% down from last year

  

  US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cut its forecast for global wheat production in 2010-11, but by less than expected. USDA now predicts total output of 643 million tonnes for the current agricultural year, down from its August forecast of 645.7 million.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 06:45 UTC

  China trade surplus down; US congress set to discuss value of the Yuan

  

  China's trade surplus narrowed in August as imports picked up at a faster pace and exports slowed although not drastically, official figures showed on Friday. The data is likely to keep up pressure on Beijing to ease currency controls.

• Sunday, September 12th 2010 - 06:41 UTC

  Public debate erupts in UK over the building of two (one?) air carriers

  

  British Ministry of Defence revealed that contracts worth about £1.25bn have been awarded for building two aircraft carriers even though the project may not go ahead, figures have revealed. The figures came in answer to a parliamentary question by a Labour MP.

• Saturday, September 11th 2010 - 18:22 UTC

  Developed nations slowdown “more pronounced than anticipated” says OECD

  

  The global economic recovery is slowing faster than forecast, but a return to recession is unlikely, a leading global economic group has said. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said the slowdown had been more “pronounced than anticipated”.

• Friday, September 10th 2010 - 04:29 UTC

  World Bank calls on governments to protect local land rights from large-scale acquisitions

  

  As rising food and fuel prices create incentives for large-scale land acquisitions around the world, it is more important than ever for governments and the international community to protect local land rights, according to a new World Bank study released this week.