International

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 12:04 UTC

  A Greek “headache” for the European Central Bank and interest rates

  

  The Euro-zone is facing one of its most serious internal crises ever as European Central Bank (ECB) governors meet on Thursday, with fiscal problems in Greece and other members of the bloc pushing interest rate issues to the background.

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 12:00 UTC

  Brazil elected to board of directors of Bank for International Settlements

  

  Brazil’s Central bank president Henrique Meirelles was elected to the board of directors of the Bank for International Settlements, a further sign of the country's increasing clout in the world economy.

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 11:56 UTC

  Germany experienced during 2009 the largest ever decline in 60 years

  

  Germany's largely export-driven economy recorded its biggest-ever decline since World War II in 2009: 5%. The country also breached the EU's deficit limit.

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 09:48 UTC

  Barramundi, the Sexy Green Seafood conquering the US

  

  There’s a new fish in town that’s heating up skillets US chefs: it was named a “Hot Culinary Trend for 2010”; The Daily Green and Fabien Cousteau call it “sexy” and the US Green Nutritionist Kate Geagan dubs it a “lean and green super-food”. Its name: Barramundi.

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 03:05 UTC

  UK economy could be crawling out of recession, according to latest data

  

  The UK economy grew in the fourth quarter of 2009 for the first time since the summer of 2008, according to forecasts published Wednesday.

• Tuesday, January 12th 2010 - 21:41 UTC

  China ups bank reserves and reiterates 2010 “moderate” credit growth policy

  

  China announced that banks will have to hold more cash in reserves to help cool the world’s fastest-growing major economy as a credit boom threatens to stoke inflation and create asset bubbles.

• Tuesday, January 12th 2010 - 04:29 UTC

  China’s foreign trade expands again becoming the world’s largest exporter

  

  China's exports rose 17.7% in December, state media have reported, suggesting the country has overtaken Germany as the world's largest exporter. The rise, compared to a year earlier, breaks a 13-month decline in trade as a result of the global downturn.

• Tuesday, January 12th 2010 - 04:19 UTC

  Vargas Llosa: OAS is “useless, inefficient and at times dangerous”

  

  “If there is an organization in Latinamerica which is inefficient, useless and at times dangerous precisely because of its inefficiency, it’s the Organization of American States, OAS”, said Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa.

• Tuesday, January 12th 2010 - 03:40 UTC

  French Caribbean Overseas territories voted against more autonomy

  

  Voters in the French overseas departments of Martinique and French Guiana rejected proposals that would have given them more autonomy from France. Martinique, in the Caribbean, voted 78.9% against greater autonomy in a Sunday referendum and Guiana, voted 69.8%, the Ministry of Overseas Collectivities said. Turnout was 55.35% in Martinique and 48.16% in Guiana.

• Tuesday, January 12th 2010 - 03:37 UTC

  Ashton promises “one coherent strategy” for EU foreign policy

  

  The European Union is in a position to assume a “stronger, more credible role in the world,” the nominee for the EU top foreign policy post says. The UK's Catherine Ashton was speaking to Euro MPs, who have started grilling the commissioners-designate on their new roles and qualifications.