International

• Sunday, March 30th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  UN climate change talks kick off in Bangkok

  

  A fresh round of United Nations-sponsored climate change talks, expected to draw 1,000 participants, will kick off next week in Bangkok, Thailand.

• Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Airbus 330-200 to replace RAF TriStar and VC-10 tankers

  

  The Royal Air Force TriStar aircraft which for years have covered the Falklands/Brize Norton air link, together with the VC-10 tankers, will be replaced by a fleet of new Airbus A330-200s under a £13 billion PFI (Private Finance Initiative) deal signed this week with AirTanker Ltd, announced British Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor.

• Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Millions of Asians in poverty because of agriculture neglect

  

  Chronic neglect of agriculture in Asia and the Pacific has left over 200 million people in extreme poverty amid rising prices for foodstuffs and despite robust growth in other sectors, according to a United Nations report released Thursday.

• Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  EC warns Italy over contaminated mozzarella

  Italy has not done enough to ensure contaminated mozzarella cheese does not reach consumers said the European Commission and warned Italy to take further urgent action, or risk a ban on exports of the cheese from the Campania region, reports BBC.

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

  UK: Commons to get vote over war plans

  

  The Prime Minister will in future normally be required to obtain the approval of the House of Commons before sending British forces to war, under plans set out by the Government.

• 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.