International

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 09:23 UTC

  UK car sales in March plunge 30%; calls for scrappage plan

  

  UK car sales fell by 30.5% in March, compared with the same month last year, the latest industry figures have shown. The number of new UK registrations in March was 313.912, down from 451.642 the year before, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 07:06 UTC

  Another stimulus shot for Japan: this time 100 billion US dollars

  

  Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso announced a fresh spending plan of 100 billion US dollars to rescue the world's second-biggest economy from its deepest recession since the Second World War. The figure amounts to more than 2% of Japan's GDP, Finance Minister Kaoru Yosano told reporters Monday after meeting with Aso.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 06:58 UTC

  Controversial expenses anticipate “big changes” for British MPs

  

  British Members of Parliament have been warned they face “big changes” in their system of pay and expenses as Housing Minister Margaret Beckett became the latest member of the Government to become embroiled in controversy.

• Tuesday, April 7th 2009 - 05:20 UTC

  “US is not at war with Islam” Obama tells Turkish parliament

  

  During his first visit to a Muslim nation United States president Barack Obama said the US ”is not and will never be at war with Islam''. In an address to the Turkish parliament in Ankara on Monday, he called for a greater partnership with the Muslim world.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 10:38 UTC

  Latam positive about G20 results, but implementation is also vital

  

  The G-20 summit decision to inject 1.1 trillion US dollars to the global economy to prop trade and overcome the financial collapse can be beneficial for Latinamerica but measures have to be implemented and proven efficient, according to experts from the region.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 10:23 UTC

  HSBC shareholders support bank with 17.7 billion US dollars

  

  Britain’s HSBC bank shareholders have bought 96.6% of the new shares they were offered. Unlike many of its rivals, HSBC has not received government support, but it still needed some extra funding as a result of the credit crunch.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 09:41 UTC

  Tokyo’s plan to ship back 400.000 “nikkeis” to South American

  

  The Japanese government is planning to combat unemployment by sending back to their countries of origin 400.000 South American immigrants of Japanese stock. The idea is to pay them a small subsidy and a one way ticket to South America, an initiative that has generated some controversy in the Japanese press.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 09:00 UTC

  Brazil prepared to support IMF with 10 billion USD

  

  Brazil is prepared to support the International Monetary Fund, IMF, with ten billion US dollars, --5% of its international reserves--, with the purpose of boosting its position in the multilateral financial organizations, --votes and veto power--, in the framework of what was decided last week at the G20 summit in London.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 08:52 UTC

  Russia and Chile committed to boost trade and defence cooperation

  

  Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and visiting Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet said during a meeting at the Kremlin that they were committed to bolster their countries bilateral ties in different areas, including trade and defence cooperation. Both leaders signed a joint declaration and two cooperation accords in culture and defence.

• Monday, April 6th 2009 - 08:30 UTC

  Recession “worse than predicted” admits UK Chancellor Darling

  

  British Chancellor Alistair Darling admitted that he failed to foresee the severity of the recession and warned recovery was unlikely before the end of the year. He also warned that the deal struck by PM Gordon Brown and other world leaders at London's G20 summit last week would only be effective if countries stuck to their promises.