International

• Thursday, May 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil market has gone “crazy” says OPEC secretary

  OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah El-Badri maintained on Thursday that the oil market has gone “crazy” and blamed the situation on geopolitical tensions, speculation and the weak US dollar. “We want moderate prices”.

• Thursday, May 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  UN warns about devastation of animal species

  The extinction of animal species, as well as the reliance on a narrow range of crops, is a major threat to the planet's development and security, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday in a statement to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity.

• Wednesday, May 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  World trade talks boosted by new “negotiating texts”

  World Trade Organization Director General Pascal Lamy said on Tuesday that the negotiating documents put forward this week on agriculture and industrial goods trade proved a platform for intensified work in the coming weeks.

• Wednesday, May 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  French aid package to fishermen striking over fuel prices

  The French government has offered the fishing industry 110 million Euros after days of protests by fishermen over rising fuel costs. The president of the national fishing committee has called on crews to return to work.

• Monday, May 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Heart diseases and strokes, world's largest killers

  Chronic conditions such as heart disease and stroke have taken over from infectious diseases as diarrhea, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis as the leading causes of death around the globe, the United Nations World Health Organization, WHO, says in a new report.

• Monday, May 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Soros forecasts “severe” slowdown in real economy

  US, UK citizen, Hungarian born billionaire investor George Soros has given his gloomiest assessment of the state of the US and world economies in an interview with the BBC business editor Robert Peston

• Monday, May 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  FARC Colombia leader rebel urges others to surrender

  A day after surrendering to the army, a one-eyed, battle-hardened female rebel commander urged other guerrillas Monday to follow her example and abandon their decades-long struggle

• Sunday, May 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguayan players miss out on Champions League

  Uruguayan International players Luis Suarez and Bruno Silva have expressed their disappointment at missing out on the opportunity to play in next season's Champions League as their team Ajax of Amsterdam surprisingly missed out after a series of play-off games.

• Saturday, May 17th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Saudis reject oil production increase request from Bush

  Saudi Arabia rejected on Friday an appeal by visiting US President George W Bush to raise oil production reported a US official. Saudi officials said they were already meeting demand, and had increased production by 300,000 barrels per day earlier this month.

• Saturday, May 17th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chinese investor eyeing 9% stake in BHP Billiton

  Shares in mining giant BHP Billiton have jumped on fresh speculation a Chinese investor is eyeing up a 9% stake in the company. The Australian press reported that “Chinese interests” have approached an Australian investment fund to help buy into the world's biggest miner.