International

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:32 UTC

  Former Swiss leader next UN General Assembly president

  

  After two presidents who irritated Israel and the United States, the UN General Assembly elected a leader unlikely to ruffle Western feathers -- Joseph Deiss, a former president of Switzerland.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:04 UTC

  Viral epidemic for third year in a row ravages French oyster farms

  

  French oyster-growers are facing ruin because of a viral epidemic that for a third year in a row has been wiping out millions of baby shellfish. From the Mediterranean coast to the bay of Arcachon on the Atlantic and now Brittany, farmers have been watching in dismay in recent weeks as the virus once again moved northwards, keeping pace with the rising sea temperature.

• Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:00 UTC

  Russia became world’s leading oil producer in 2009 ahead of Saudi Arabia

  

  Russia overtook Saudi Arabia to become the world's leading oil producer in 2009, while global oil consumption fell the most since 1982, BP has said. According to the oil giant's latest Statistical Review of World Energy, Russia increased oil production by 1.5% in 2009, claiming a 12.9% market share.

• Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:31 UTC

  UK Deputy PM Clegg reaffirms Falklands’ British sovereignty

  

  Britain’s Deputy Primer Minister Liberal-Democrat Nick Clegg said in Spain there will be no change in the stance of the Falkland Islands sovereignty and the Islanders wish to remain British.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 20:50 UTC

  Japan in “risk of collapse” under huge debt mountain says new PM

  

  Japan is at “risk of collapse” under its huge debt mountain, the country's new prime minister has said. Naoto Kan, in his first major speech since taking over, said Japan needed a financial restructuring to avert a Greece-style crisis.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 06:31 UTC

  FIFA declares profit of 196 million USD and over 1 billion equity

  

  FIFA made a profit of 196 million US dollars in 2009 and has equity of over 1 billion thanks mainly to massive and still growing income from the sale of TV rights, soccer's governing body said on Thursday.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 06:21 UTC

  World Cup in South Africa Bypassed ‘Plan B’

  

  The following piece was written by Pravin Gordhan, South African Minister of Finance and published in Bloomberg Business Week.<br />
  The 2010 World Cup soccer tournament that kicks off Friday represents much more than just a sporting spectacular for South Africa.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 06:03 UTC

  Euro-zone rates unchanged; strong ECB support for budget austerity measures

  

  The European Central Bank kept interest rates in the Euro zone at 1% on Thursday as expected. June was the thirteenths month running that rates have been left on hold. ECB also supported the recent budget deficit cuts announced by several EU countries.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 06:00 UTC

  Finland is the first Euro-zone economy to re-enter recession

  

  Finland's economy slipped back into recession during the first three months of 2010, official figures have shown. During the January to March quarter, its economy contracted by a seasonally-adjusted 0.4%, after a decline of 0.2% in October to December of last year.

• Friday, June 11th 2010 - 05:49 UTC

  Swiss researchers uncover microscopic fungus which speeds rice growth

  

  Researchers at a Swiss university said Thursday that they have uncovered a microscopic fungus that is able to increase the speed of rice growth by five times. In a study published by Switzerland's University of Lausanne, researchers claimed that the fungus mycorrhiza would not only cut the use of phosphate fertilizers, it was also “completely natural” or GM-free.