International

Tuesday, December 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
2008, tenth warmest year on record since 1850, says WMO

The year 2008 is likely to rank as the 10th warmest year on record since the beginning of the instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
Tuesday, December 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK November retail inflation drops to 4.1%; deflation fears

United Kingdom consumer price index fell to 4.1% in November from 4.5% in October. As a result, the Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King wrote his third letter of the year to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, explaining why inflation was so far above its target level (2%) and what the Monetary Policy Committee was planning to do to bring it back down again.
Monday, December 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK retired military claim further defence budget cuts ahead

Two of Britain's former heads of the military have accused the Government of failing the Armed Forces following a cash-saving review of the defence budget.
Monday, December 15th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Siemens admits bribery payments and is fined 1.4 b. USD

Electronics giant Siemens AG has agreed on Monday to pay 1.4 billion US dollars to US and German authorities after the company allegedly engaged in bribery, the SEC said in a release.
Sunday, December 14th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
China stimulus targets five areas; admits slowdown

For the coming fiscal year China will put the bulk of its investment on the development of agriculture, low-cost housing projects, infrastructure, energy conservation and social welfare, according to the Sunday edition of the People's Daily (Communist Party official newspaper).
Saturday, December 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Leaders of the European Union reach new climate deal

European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming.
Saturday, December 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Top UN official welcomes EU climate change deal

The top United Nations climate change official has welcomed a plan agreed by European Union leaders to fight global warming, which was announced today as international negotiations led by the world body toward a new agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions wrapped up in Poznan, Poland.
Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
WTO admits not enough consensus for world trade talks

World Trade Organization (WTO) chief Pascal Lamy has abandoned attempts to restart the world trade talks. Lamy told ambassadors in Geneva that he has decided there was not sufficient consensus among major economies to call new ministerial talks on a trade deal.
Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
London police accepts full responsibility for Menezes death

London's Metropolitan Police accepts “full responsibility” for the death of Jean Charles de Menezes, its acting head said on Friday. Sir Paul Stephenson, the acting commissioner of the force, said officers made a “most terrible mistake” when they shot the innocent 27-year-old dead in Stockwell on July 22 2005.
Thursday, December 11th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Obama transition team supports call for Latam free trade

United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Latinamerica to continue fighting poverty and avoid the temptation of closing off trade. Rice said on Wednesday countries should not “repeat the mistakes of the Great Depression when nations deepened that crisis by turning inward”.