International

• Thursday, October 1st 2009 - 10:52 UTC

  Wealth of US richest 400 down 330 billion USD

  

  The collective wealth of the richest 400 US citizens has fallen by 300 billion US dollars over the past year, according to the latest Forbes 400 rich list. With downturn in the financial markets and wider economy taking its toll, this is an annual decline of 19%.

• Thursday, October 1st 2009 - 05:33 UTC

  The crisis is still here: IMF warns loan losses could rise forced by unemployment

  

  The International Monetary Fund lowered its estimate for global write-downs for banks and other financial institutions to roughly 3.4 trillion US dollars but warned that loan losses could rise in the face of stubbornly high unemployment and associated delinquencies.

• Thursday, October 1st 2009 - 05:07 UTC

  Four million HIV positive people receiving life-saving treatment

  

  More than 4 million people in low-and middle-income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the close of 2008, representing a 36% increase in one year and a ten-fold increase over five years, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 13:37 UTC

  Falklands’ government “integral part” of discussions with Argentina

  

  Even when Argentina ignores Falkland Islanders and the Islands’ elected government and privileges the United Kingdom, “we are always integral part to the three legged discussions” pointed out former member of the Legislative Assembly Andrea Clausen in an interview with the Argentine press.

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 08:03 UTC

  European Commission rejects use of designation for territorial disputes

  

  In a parliamentary response on the issue of Gibraltar waters last week, the European Commission said EU environmental designations should not be used to resolve territorial disputes, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 07:59 UTC

  Britain’s second quarter performance not as bad as expected

  

  The recession in Britain was not as deep as previously feared between April and June, official figures have confirmed. UK output shrank by 0.6% during the quarter - the second upward revision to official figures since July - the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 07:52 UTC

  PM Brown launches “make-or-break” campaign for Labour

  

  The coming general election will present Britain with its “biggest choice for a generation” between a Labour Party offering prosperity and hope and Conservatives who have “no hearts”, PM Gordon Brown said in his last conference speech before the poll expected in the spring.

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 07:16 UTC

  Major reshuffle in Spanish bank with strong interests in Latinamerica

  

  Spain's second-largest bank BBVA announced on Tuesday it was replacing its widely-respected CEO but confirmed that its powerful chairman Francisco Gonzalez was staying in place.

• Wednesday, September 30th 2009 - 01:39 UTC

  Latinamerican offshore banking industry ready for the future

  

  Mercopress had a chance to catch up with Nate Suppaiah, founder and managing editor of Alternative Latin Investor (ALI), a bimonthly digital publication that features information on alternative investments in the LatAm region. Some of their topics include: hedge funds, forex, private equity, real estate, renewable energy, art, wine, and philanthropy.

• Tuesday, September 29th 2009 - 13:18 UTC

  Weakening dollar and rising Euro and Yuan, anticipates World Bank

  

  The president of the World Bank cautioned US authorities on Monday against assuming the dollar would maintain its role as the world's reserve currency. Robert Zoellick said other currencies such as the Euro and the Chinese Yuan could win increasing acceptance in international currency markets.