International

Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
IMF blames credit crunch on “collective failure” & liquidity spiral

The International Monetary Fund has warned that potential losses from the credit crunch will reach 945 billion US dollars and could be even higher as losses are spreading from sub-prime mortgage assets to other sectors, such as commercial property, consumer credit, and company debt.
Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Two human fatal cases of mad cow reported in Spain

The human variant of the mad cow disease, (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), BSE killed two persons, one three months ago and the other last week, Spain announced this week on public radio.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Norway developing eco-friendly trawl technology

The Norwegian fisheries magnate Kjell Inge RÃ¸kke and the industry have lately spent around NOK 10 million (EUR 1.25 million) on developing eco-friendlier trawls. One trawler operating off the West coast of Norway and a shrimp trawler fishing in the Oslo fjord in Eastern Norway are helping to develop the new trawl technology.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
UN recommends more natural production agriculture

Modern agricultural practices have exhausted land and water resources, squelched diversity and left poor people vulnerable to high food prices, even though they are also highly productive, according to a report announced Monday by the United Nations scientific agency.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
IMF tightens budget and decides to sell 403 tons of gold

The International Monetary Fund's executive board approved Monday a broad financial overhaul plan that includes the sale of 403 tons of its gold holdings as part of a radical plan to shore up its finances.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Credit crunch and hunger in WB and IMF spring meetings

The Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank open this week amid rising concerns about the impact of the credit crunch on the global economy and uneven progress towards such human development goals as wiping out hunger and malnutrition.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Food prices could lead to increased unrest warns “as in Haiti”

The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) called Monday on donors to respond to the agency's appeal for additional funds to deliver lifesaving assistance, warning that the global surge in food prices could lead to further tensions such as those witnessed recently in Haiti and other countries.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
New Zealand breaks ground signing free trade pact with China

New Zealand became on Monday the first developed nation to sign a free-trade agreement with China. Prime Minister Helen Clark and her Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, witnessed the signing of the pact in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
Sunday, April 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Ben-Hur actor Charlton Heston dies at 84

Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing “Ben-Hur” and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.
Sunday, April 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Wealthy China is good for the world, says Bill Gates

China's growing wealth is good for the world, and there will come a time when the influence of the United States shrinks to the level of its share of the world population, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said at a meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank, IDB in Miami.