International

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Trichet calls for bank transparency and infers no rate cuts

  

  The European Central Bank president Jean Claude Trichet anticipated “high inflation for a relatively longer period” than originally expected and defined growth outlook for the European Union a “unusually uncertain”.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Australia considering new anti illegal fishing legislation

  

  New legislation granting the Canberra government more power to crack down on illegal fishing was introduced to the Australian parliament last week by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Rice prices become a ticking time bomb for Asian countries

  

  The spiral in rice world prices has become an extraordinary source of revenue for exporters Thailand and Vietnam but for the rest of Asian countries is a ticking time bomb that could lead to social chaos. Rice is the staple food for hundreds of millions in Asia and the Pacific basin.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Abu Dhabi and Qatar create 2 billion sovereign global fund

  The Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi government-owned International Petroleum Investment Co Ipic and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) will invest 2 billion US dollars in a new fund for global acquisitions. Ipic and QIA will each spend 1 billion in the fund and investment will be leveraged to make best use of acquisition potential.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Tata Motors takes over Jaguar and Land Rover this week

  

  Ford is expected to announce on Wednesday the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India's Tata Motor's reported the Financial Times. The approximately 2 billion US dollars deal will include a pledge by Ford to contribute to the two brands' pension fund, and by Tata to continue buying engines from Ford, sensitive points with trade unions.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  South Korea bans mozzarella imports from Italy

  

  South Korea has banned the import of Italy's best mozzarella after reports some cheese was made with milk contaminated with cancer-causing dioxin, an official announced Monday in Seoul.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Incredible scientific finds in Ross Sea cruise survey

  

  Scientists who conducted the most comprehensive survey to date of Antarctic waters close to New Zealand were surprised by the size of some specimens found, including jellyfish with 12-foot tentacles and 2-foot-wide starfish, and fields of ”sea lilies

• Sunday, March 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Pope celebrates Easter Day Mass

  Thousands of pilgrims have packed into St Peter's Square in Rome to hear Pope Benedict XVI celebrate Easter Mass.

• Saturday, March 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  March 22: World Water Day

  The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro.

• Friday, March 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Claims of illegal trade of polar bear hides in Russia

  

  Illegal trade in hides of polar bears, a species in steady decline throughout the Arctic is on the rise in Russia, the World Wildlife Fund said on Thursday.