International

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2011 - 00:00 UTC

  A fatiguing marathon ahead for debt strained Euro zone countries, says ECB

  

  European Central Bank policymaker Axel Weber said that debt-strained Euro zone countries must make the most of the breathing space bought by aid measures and warned them the hardest part of the reform process was still ahead.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 17:25 UTC

  Gold above 1.400 USD and silver at 30 year record as investors take refuge

  

  Gold climbed above 1,400 US dollars an ounce to the highest price in almost seven weeks in London as unrest in the Middle East and North Africa spreads. Silver reached a 30-year high and palladium advanced.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 17:11 UTC

  Pod of 107 pilot whales have died stranded on south New Zealand island

  

  A pod of 107 pilot whales stranded on New Zealand’s south island have died, including 48 killed by authorities, reports said Monday.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 15:11 UTC

  The world’s T100 arms producing companies skipped recession in 2009

  

  Despite the continuing global economic recession in 2009, the total arms sales of the SIPRI Top 100 of the world’s largest arms-producing companies increased by 14.8 billion USD from 2008 to reach 401 billion USD, a real increase of 8%, according to new data on international arms production released by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 14:58 UTC

  Oil at two year high triggered by Middle East and North Africa unrest

  

  Oil reached its highest price in more than two years in London as violence escalated in Libya given growing concerns supplies could be disrupted as turmoil spreads through the Middle East and North Africa.

• Monday, February 21st 2011 - 07:03 UTC

  G20 reaches deal on indicators to detect economic imbalances

  

  The G20 have reached a deal on indicators to detect economic imbalances, the French presidency said, after the meeting ended in Paris. The world's leading economies agreed on a compromise after “frank, sometimes tense” negotiations, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said.

• 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.