International

Thursday, January 22nd 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Toyota breaks GM 77-year reign as top-selling car firm

United States carmaker General Motors sold fewer vehicles than Toyota last year, ending GM's 77-year reign as the world's top-selling car firm. GM said it sold 8,350,000 vehicles in 2008, while Toyota said sales totalled 8,972,000 vehicles.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UN meeting to address danger to global water supplies

Water supplies for over a billion people around the world are under threat from increasing populations, expanding cities, industrialization, climate change and even the rising demand for food, warned the United Nations, as delegates from more than 60 countries kicked off a meeting today in preparation for the upcoming World Water Forum.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Former KGB spy buys London Evening Standard

Russian ex-KGB agent turned businessman Alexander Lebedev announced Wednesday the purchase of the London Evening Standard newspaper for the sum of £1.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Strong global growth only in two to three years says IMF

The International Monetary Fund will sharply cut growth forecasts this month and the world will not return to strong growth for two or three years, IMF Managing-Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said on Wednesday.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
AIG ends sponsorship of Manchester United in 2010

The troubled US insurer AIG will not be renewing its shirt sponsorship deal with Manchester United that expires in May 2010.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf “hanging by a thread”

The continent of Antarctica is warming up in step with the rest of the world, according to a new analysis. Scientists say data from satellites and weather stations indicate a warming of about 0.6C over the last 50 years.
Wednesday, January 21st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UK unemployment nears 2 million, sends pound plunging

Unemployment in Britain has increased by 131,000 to 1.92 million between September and November, the country's office for national statistics (ONS) has said. Public finances also deteriorated sharply in December, putting them on track for their worst year since records began after the Second World War, the ONS said.
Tuesday, January 20th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Controversy over latest UK banks rescue plan; shares plunge

The UK government's latest plan to counter the economic downturn by encouraging lending has been criticised, and sent banks' shares tumbling. Opposition MPs argued that the government's measures were inadequate and too many details remained unknown.
Tuesday, January 20th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Informal poll shows St Helenians not interested in airport

When last December the British government put on hold plans to build an airport on the mid Atlantic island of St Helena, local councillors spoke of their “bitter disappointment”. But now a number of St. Helena residents say they want to stay cut off from the rest of the world, reports the BBC.
Tuesday, January 20th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
British banking sector suffers devastating share losses

The bloodbath in the British banking sector continued apace on Tuesday as Lloyds Banking Group joined Royal Bank of Scotland in suffering further devastating share losses.