International

• Friday, March 6th 2009 - 09:03 UTC

  China’s “most difficult year” sends shivers to Mercosur

  

  Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has said the current year will be the most difficult the country has faced this century because of the global economic crisis. Addressing parliament this week, Mr Wen reiterated that there would be a 585 billion US dollars investment program to stimulate the Chinese economy.

• Friday, March 6th 2009 - 09:01 UTC

  UK cuts rates to 0.5% and unveils plan “to ease” £ 150 billion

  

  The Bank of England slashed Thursday rates to 0.5% and unveiled plans to pump up to £150 billion into the economy in its boldest bid yet to tackle the recession. Official borrowing costs have now fallen for six months in a row but the Bank's Monetary Policy Committee believes rate cuts alone will not be enough.

• Friday, March 6th 2009 - 09:00 UTC

  Trichet promises “non standard measures” to prop Euro economy

  

  The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut its key interest rate to 1.5% from 2.0%, the lowest since it started setting euro rates in January 1999. It followed a cut in UK rates by the Bank of England. US and Japanese rates are, in effect, already at zero.

• Thursday, March 5th 2009 - 17:09 UTC

  Gibraltar & recession: “little Britain in the sun”, or the Rock?

  

  At the Gibraltar border, a steady stream of pedestrians and vehicles enters the territory. It is mid-morning, and the Spanish are coming. Overhead, the Union flag flutters nervously, as it has, in one form or other, since Spain ceded the Rock to the UK in 1713.

• Thursday, March 5th 2009 - 17:05 UTC

  Brown urges US not to succumb to protectionism

  

  Gordon Brown has received a standing ovation from the US Congress after he called for a renewal “of the special relationship for our generation”. Mr Brown, the fifth UK prime minister in history to address both houses on Capitol Hill, urged the US and UK to push for “essential” economic changes.

• Thursday, March 5th 2009 - 16:50 UTC

  Princess Anne in Gibraltar amid Spanish complaints

  

  HRH Princess Anne arrived in Gibraltar Wednesday on an official visit to the disputed territory that has stirred up old tensions between Britain and Spain. The Spanish government made an official complaint to British authorities ahead of the royal visit describing it as “inopportune” and an affront to Spain, which contests London's rule over the strategic territory.

• Wednesday, March 4th 2009 - 16:49 UTC

  Brazil, Germany help boost car sales; US continues to plunge

  

  Car sales in Brazil and Germany soared in February helped by tax breaks and a cash bonus to scrap old vehicles. In Brazil Fiat SpA reported its third straight sales increase in February and in Germany sales rose by 22% compared with the same month last year, reaching their highest level for 10 years.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  UK's top historian denied access to his MI5 file

  

  The British government has been challenged to explain why Britain's most eminent historian has been barred from seeing a file kept on him by the domestic spy agency, MI5.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  Chinese auto maker could acquire Ford's Volvo brand

  

  China's Geely is expected to submit a bid to acquire Ford's Sweden's Volvo brand in a bold attempt to expand internationally. There are at least three other possible bidders, one of which is also a Chinese company, according to one of the people.

• Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC

  FAO tells fishing industry to prepare for climate change

  

  The world fishing industry and government authorities must plan ahead to deal with the impact of climate change on fisheries worldwide, according to a new United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO report.