International

• Friday, April 4th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Heathrow “chaos” T5 cost B Airways loss of 2.8% pax in March

  The London Heathrow airport Terminal 5 debacle hit British Airways' monthly passenger figures for March 2008. Despite the benefit of an early Easter, BA carried just fewer than 2.72 million passengers last month, a 2.8% dip on the March 2007 total according to reports in the British press.

• Friday, April 4th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Antarctica tour operators meeting in Punta del Este

  The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators, IAATA, will be holding its19th Annual General Meeting in Punta del Este, Uruguay from April 28 to May first. The changing industry and challenges, particularly environmental and safety will figure top of the agenda.

• Thursday, April 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  World rice production forecasted to increase 1.8% in 2008

  UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has predicted that world rice production is expected to rise by 12 million metric tonnes or 1.8% in 2008, assuming normal weather.

• Wednesday, April 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Sarkozy appeals directly to FARC for release of Betancourt

  

  French President Nicolas Sarkozy has implored Colombia's rebel group FARC to free ailing hostage Ingrid Betancourt, saying she is in danger of dying. Mr Sarkozy has also announced a French mission to Colombia to try to get access to the hostage.

• Wednesday, April 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Latam air accident rate double world average claims IATA

  

  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called on Monday for the Latin American aviation industry to redouble its efforts to drive down the accident rate in the region and better coordinate safety regulations.

• Tuesday, April 1st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Sub-prime crisis costs top Swiss bank 37 billion US dollars

  

  Swiss financial giant UBS has reported that its write-downs as a result of the sub-prime crisis have more than doubled to about 37 billion US dollars. It is the largest write-down by any bank since the credit crunch began.

• Tuesday, April 1st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ministry of Defence praises RAF on its 90th anniversary

  

  Britain's Under Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence Derek Twigg paid tribute to the Royal Air Force on its 90th anniversary praising the “professionalism and bravery” of all the men and women who have served in the RAF since April first 1918.

• Monday, March 31st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  British Airways £4.5 billion Chaos Terminal in Heathrow

  

  British Airways' passengers are this morning waking up to news that 54 flights at Heathrow's Terminal Five have been cancelled, with the airline admitting it could not predict when the crisis would end.

• Monday, March 31st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Environmentalist call for curb on Antarctic shipping

  

  Environmental campaigners are calling for greater restrictions on shipping around Antarctica in order to prevent damage to its unique ecosystems.

• Monday, March 31st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  WTO rules against EU import ban of beef with hormones

  

  The World Trade Organization on Monday backed United States and Canadian arguments against the European Union's import ban on beef treated with hormones.