International

Wednesday, March 4th 2009 - 16:49 UTC
Brazil, Germany help boost car sales; US continues to plunge

Car sales in Brazil and Germany soared in February helped by tax breaks and a cash bonus to scrap old vehicles. In Brazil Fiat SpA reported its third straight sales increase in February and in Germany sales rose by 22% compared with the same month last year, reaching their highest level for 10 years.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
UK's top historian denied access to his MI5 file

The British government has been challenged to explain why Britain's most eminent historian has been barred from seeing a file kept on him by the domestic spy agency, MI5.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Chinese auto maker could acquire Ford's Volvo brand

China's Geely is expected to submit a bid to acquire Ford's Sweden's Volvo brand in a bold attempt to expand internationally. There are at least three other possible bidders, one of which is also a Chinese company, according to one of the people.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
FAO tells fishing industry to prepare for climate change

The world fishing industry and government authorities must plan ahead to deal with the impact of climate change on fisheries worldwide, according to a new United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO report.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Spain gateway for South American cocaine, says US report

Organised criminal networks have turned Spain into a major gateway into Europe for illegal shipments of cocaine and cannabis, according to the US State Department and published in the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Standard Chartered bank reports 19% rise in profits

Standard Chartered bank, which focuses on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, has defied the gloom afflicting the sector by reporting a rise in profits. The bank said pre-tax profit for 2008 was $4.8bn (?3.4bn), up 19% compared with a year earlier. Standard Chartered said that it was on a “firm footing” for 2009.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Number of unemployed in Spain stands at 3.5 million

The number of unemployed people in Spain jumped by 154,058 in February, as the deepening recession forced companies to lay off more workers. The total number of people out of work in Spain now stands at almost 3.5 million, official figures show.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Offshore tax havens skim UK treasury of ? 4 billion says TUC

United Kingdom is losing at least ?4 billion a year through wealthy residents holding their money in offshore tax havens, claims a research from the TUC (Trade unions congress).
Monday, March 2nd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Wall Street below 7.000 benchmark drags global markets

Markets have fallen worldwide, rattled by fears that turmoil in the financial sector is far from over. On Wall Street, the US Dow Jones index fell below 7,000 points for the first time since October 1997.
Monday, March 2nd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
British team treks to North Pole to measure ice sheet

British team has begun a gruelling trek to the North Pole to discover how quickly the Arctic sea-ice is melting.