International

• Thursday, October 15th 2009 - 07:47 UTC

  China’s super rich linked to real estate and massive urbanization

  

  The super rich from China seem to have put the credit crunch behind them as the average wealth of China’s richest 1,000 people grew 30% in the past 12 months, surpassing the boom of 2007, according to a report released this week in Shanghai.

• Thursday, October 15th 2009 - 07:43 UTC

  “Alternative Nobel” honors for climate-change awareness

  

  Environmentalist David Suzuki has received a prestigious award known as the “alternative Nobel” for his work to raise awareness about climate change. Suzuki, 73, received the Right Livelihood Award, along with three other activists.

• Thursday, October 15th 2009 - 03:16 UTC

  UK unemployment predicted to continue soaring over 3 million

  

  United Kingdom unemployment is still on course to soar above three million despite better-than-expected jobless figures, experts have warned. Official data showed unemployment rising to 2.47 million in the three months to August, an increase of 88,000 on the quarter to May

• Thursday, October 15th 2009 - 03:13 UTC

  China’s reserves reach 2.273 trillion USD, including 800 billion US bonds

  

  China’s foreign-exchange reserves, the world’s biggest, climbed about 141 billion US dollars in the third quarter to a record 2.273 trillion USD, the People’s Bank of China said Wednesday on its Web site.

• Thursday, October 15th 2009 - 02:59 UTC

  Access to broadband connection becomes a right of citizens

  

  As of next July 2010, access to a 1 Megabit-per-second broadband connection becomes a right for all Finnish citizens according to a decree from the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

• Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 09:39 UTC

  OPEC optimistic about global recovery anticipates stronger demand for oil

  

  The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has predicted for next year an increase in global demand for oil driven by a global economic recovery. The 12-nation cartel said in its latest monthly report that 2010 world demand for crude would be 84.93 million barrels per day for an increase of 0.83%.

• Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 09:36 UTC

  “Naked” images scanner pilot test at Manchester airport

  

  A trial of a scanner that produces “naked” images of passengers has begun at Manchester Airport, Britain. The authorities say it will speed up security checks by quickly revealing any concealed weapons or explosives.

• Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 06:59 UTC

  Britain has the worst quality of life in Europe says uSwitch.com

  

  Despite having the highest incomes, people in Britain have the worst quality of life in Europe, a study shows. According to the uSwitch.com European Quality of Life Index, Britons have longer working hours, lower holiday entitlement and a higher cost of living than their counterparts in other European countries, placing them at the bottom of the list in survey.

• Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 06:54 UTC

  Brazilian diplomacy looks to a post G7 multilateral world

  

  The naming of Antonio Patriota, former Brazilian ambassador in United States as his Deputy, further strengthens the influence of Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim in the country’s foreign policy elaboration, according to reports in the Sao Paulo press.

• Wednesday, October 14th 2009 - 06:19 UTC

  UK rates to remain low for years amid tax rises and spending cuts

  

  UK interest rates will stay low for years amid tax rises and spending cuts, according to an economic forecast. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) believes the rate will remain at its current 0.5% level until 2011 and not reach 2% until 2014.