International

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:45 UTC

  China’s exports, imports soar in February, in spite of New Year festivities

  

  China's exports jumped by 46% in February compared with a year ago, raising hopes of a strong recovery in global trade. The increase was higher than analysts' expectations of a rise of between 35% and 40%.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 23:33 UTC

  Many governments use internet “to curtail freedom of expression”

  

  Many governments have used the internet to curtail freedom of expression at home, the US state department says in its latest annual human rights report.

• Thursday, March 11th 2010 - 04:34 UTC

  Lloyd’s Register, Maersk on program to test bio-diesel for marine engines

  

  Lloyd's Register is to play a major role in a two year program to test the suitability of bio-diesel for use in powering marine engines. The feasibility study will take place on board the Maersk Line container ship, Maersk Kalmar.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 23:10 UTC

  Minister Bryant at Piñera’ inauguration praises Chilean resilience

  

  British Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant visits Chile for the inauguration of President-elect Sebastian Piñera, Thursday March 11 and to see areas of Chile affected by the recent earthquake.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 19:30 UTC

  Spanish opposition willing to accept advances in Spain/Gibraltar relations

  

  The Mayor of the Spanish town of La Linea, Alejandro Sanchez has declared that relations with Gibraltar and “attaining the maximum level of cross-border understanding and cooperation” should be pursued by an incoming PP (Partido Popular) (conservative) Government in Madrid.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 19:24 UTC

  China plans to buy 218 commercial aircraft this year

  

  China mainland carriers plan to order as many as 218 commercial aircraft this year in order to cope with an expected surge in demand for air travel in the coming years, state media reported this week.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 06:31 UTC

  Hung parliament, likeliest outcome of UK election indicate opinion polls

  

  No political party has enough support to win outright control of parliament in Britain's forthcoming election, raising the prospect of a period of unstable minority government, opinion polls showed.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 06:26 UTC

  China looks into developing vast resources of “combustible ice”

  

  China's western Qinghai Province, containing major deposits of the country's “combustible ice,” will see increased explorations for this emerging clean energy, Provincial Governor Luo Huining said on Saturday quoted by Xinhua news agency.

• Wednesday, March 10th 2010 - 00:42 UTC

  Germany wants “Graf Spee” Nazi eagle displayed in a museum

  

  German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called Tuesday for wreckage from a Nazi-era warship recovered off the coast of Uruguay to be displayed in a museum rather than auctioned to the public.

• Tuesday, March 9th 2010 - 18:59 UTC

  “European Monetary Fund” to cope with Greece type crises

  

  The European Union is considering creating a rescue fund that could anticipate fundamental changes in the 27-country bloc and bring closer economic cooperation following Greece's debt crisis.