International

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 12:13 UTC

  China poised to become world’s second largest economy in 2010

  

  China is expected to become in 2010 the world’s second largest economy displacing Japan according to economic forecasts from Beijing’s Statistics Office and reported in the China Daily.

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 12:12 UTC

  First signs Beijing is reassessing bank loans and interest rates

  

  China admitted fears about increasing inflation, resulting from the strong stimuli program, and also cautioned that Beijing will not yield to foreign pressures to let the Yuan appreciate.

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 08:36 UTC

  Massive stranding of whales in several New Zealand’s beaches

  

  More than 120 beached whales have died in two separate incidents in New Zealand, officials have said. Twenty one pilot whales that were beached on the North Island of New Zealand have been buried.

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 08:07 UTC

  Shifting global climate and temperatures has many species on the move

  

  From beetles to barnacles, pikas to pine warblers, many species are already on the move in response to shifting climate regimes. But how fast will they -- and their habitats -- have to move to keep pace with global climate change over the next century?

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 07:26 UTC

  Uruguayan organic beef at Shanghai’s world expo next year

  

  Uruguayan organic beef directly from the country’s natural pastures will be available at a restaurant catered by Uruguayans at the Shanghai World Expo next year.

• Tuesday, December 29th 2009 - 07:14 UTC

  Korea wins 40 billion USD mega-project to build nuclear plants in UAE

  

  A South Korean consortium has been awarded a contract worth an estimated 40 billion US dollars to build four nuclear power plants in the United Arab Emirates. The group, led by the Korea Electric Power Corp (Kepco), beat bids from a US-Japanese group and a French firm.

• Sunday, December 27th 2009 - 06:40 UTC

  Countdown for 2010 Argentina-Chile Dakar rally which takes off Jan first

  

  The countdown for the 2010 Argentina-Chile Dakar rally has begun with the arrival in Buenos Aires of all the participants and the over 400 vehicles registered for the grueling competition that will extend until January 17 in some of the most challenging terrains in Argentina and neighboring Chile, including climbing the mighty Andes cordillera .

• Sunday, December 27th 2009 - 06:07 UTC

  UK Nigerian student allegedly responsible for Detroit’s “attempted terrorist act”

  

  A Nigerian student reported to have links to al-Qaeda is being questioned after an attempted act of terrorism on a plane arriving in the city of Detroit, according to US officials.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:30 UTC

  Ecuador begins legal actions against Air Comet; thousands still stranded

  

  The Ecuadorian government filed an appeal against Spain's Air Comet for alleged fraud and requested board directors be put under preventive custody, announced Migration Ministry Alexis Rivas during a press conference in Quito.

• Saturday, December 26th 2009 - 13:13 UTC

  Royal Christmas speech dedicated to troops serving in Afghanistan

  

  Queen Elizabeth II used her Christmas speech to express sadness at the death toll among British troops in Afghanistan. The monarch offered her sympathy to the families of the 106 service personnel who have died this year.