International

• 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.

• 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.