International

• Tuesday, January 13th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Spain's recession hits remittances from immigrants

  

  Immigrants' remittances from Spain to home countries totalled 1.95 billion Euros in the first three quarters of 2008, down 7% from the same period a year ago, reported the Banco de España.

• Sunday, January 11th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Successful trial in Antarctica of super pressure balloon

  NASA and the National Science Foundation have successfully launched and demonstrated over Antarctica a newly designed super pressure balloon prototype that may enable a new era of high-altitude scientific research. The super-pressure balloon ultimately will carry large scientific experiments to the brink of space for 100 days or more.

• Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  UN calls on Israel for immediate media access to Gaza

  The chief of communications and public information for the United Nations called Thursday on the Israeli Government to ensure immediate access for international media into Gaza, stressing the need for “full and independent” coverage of events unfolding in the territory which has been the target of an Israeli offensive launched nearly two weeks ago.

• Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Spain: unemployment is record; more to come admits minister

  The number of registered jobless in Spain topped 3 million for the first time ever in December and the government said unemployment would worsen in 2009 as the global economic crisis continues to wreak havoc on the country's construction and tourism industries.

• Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  UK expedition to study hot water vents in Antarctica

  United Kingdom scientists are set to be the first to investigate in detail the creatures living around hot water vents surrounding Antarctica. The team is scheduled to join the British Antarctic Survey's research ship the RRS James Clark Ross in Puenta Arenas, Chile.

• Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  “Ponzi” Madoff fraud investigation extends to UK

  An investigation has been launched into the British activities of alleged multi-billion-pound fraudster Bernard “Ponzi” Madoff. UK officials will focus on investors who lost huge sums when Madoff's financial business collapsed, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said.

• Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Euro zone officially in recession, first since founded in 1999

  The Euro zone economy entered its first official recession in the third quarter, EU data confirmed in a third reading on Thursday. The bloc's combined economy shrank by 0.2% in the third quarter after contracting by the same amount in the second quarter, the Eurostat data agency said.

• Thursday, January 8th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Bank of England cuts rates to lowest in 315 year history

  Bank of England on Thursday cut interest rates to 1.5%, the lowest level in its 315-year history, as it continues efforts to aid an economic recovery. The half percentage point reduction brings interest rates below 2% for the first time since the Bank of England was founded in 1694.

• Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Monaco's Prince begins month long visit to Antarctica

  

  Monaco's Prince Albert II spent the first two days of his month-long global warming awareness expedition to Antarctica visiting different country bases in King George Island. On Wednesday he's scheduled to fly over the area and return to Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile.

• Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC

  Women's clothing icon Viyella goes into administration

  Britain's women's clothing firm Viyella, which dates back to 1784, has become the latest well-established retail firm to call in administrators. There has been speculation for days that the future of the company, one of the UK's longest established clothing manufacturers, was uncertain.