International

• Thursday, October 8th 2009 - 01:03 UTC

  Late bookings are making Gibraltar cruise season unexpected success

  

  The cruise sector in Europe seems to have shrugged off the economic crisis and Gibraltar, in common with many key Mediterranean passenger ports, is reaping the benefit, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 10:10 UTC

  Peru’s Machu Picchu among list of world cultural sites threatened

  

  Peru's Machu Picchu ancient ruins, Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona and a New Orleans elementary school are among the cultural heritage sites threatened by neglect or overdevelopment, a preservationist group said.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:42 UTC

  Australia breaks G20 monetary trend and raises main interest to 3.25%

  

  Australia has raised its main interest rate to 3.25% from 3%, becoming the first G20 nation to do so as the global economy begins to recover. The move by its central bank was not unexpected as the Australian economy was the only one in the developed world to expand in the first half of 2009.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:38 UTC

  France and Arab countries deny ditching the US dollar in oil market

  

  France dismissed on Tuesday as “speculation” a British newspaper report that it was in secret talks with Gulf Arab states, Russia, China and Japan to replace the US dollar with a basket of currencies in trading oil.

• Wednesday, October 7th 2009 - 05:17 UTC

  Gold soars to new all-time record on fears of financial instability

  

  The price of gold has hit a new all-time high of 1,043.77 US dollars an ounce after a decline in the greenback boosted the attractiveness of metals to investors. Copper prices also rose above 6,000 USD a ton, as the weaker dollar made metals cheaper for non-US investors.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 11:39 UTC

  IT set to create 5.8 million new jobs and 75.000 new businesses by 2013

  

  Worldwide growth in the Information Technology sector will create 5.8 million new jobs and 75,000 new businesses in the next four years, research from Microsoft has forecast.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 11:33 UTC

  Dairy farmers’ cow protest in Brussels, which is divided over milk policy

  

  Hundreds of farmers protested Monday in Brussels to put pressure on European Union (EU) agriculture ministers meeting to discuss low milk prices. The talks came after weeks of protests across Europe, with farmers dumping milk stocks and withholding supplies at what they see as uneconomic prices.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 06:55 UTC

  Saudis want US government to sell its stake in Citigroup

  

  Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a main investor in Citigroup, urged the US government to sell its stake in the bank as soon as this year to boost investor confidence, Emerging Markets magazine reported.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 06:38 UTC

  “Historic day” for Brazil which for the first time becomes IMF creditor

  

  Brazil became on Monday for the first time ever a creditor of the International Monetary Fund when it formalized a decision to buy 10 billion US dollars worth of IMF notes nominated in SDR.

• Tuesday, October 6th 2009 - 01:19 UTC

  Desire’s un-risked oil prospect in Falklands’ waters over 3 billion barrels

  

  Desire Petroleum prospective un-risked recoverable resources net in Falkland Islands waters are over 3 billion barrels of oil in the company’s ten top prospects according to the recently completed Competent Person’s Report, CPR and released this week.