International

Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UK's Brown calls for a “grand bargain” at next G-20 summit

World leaders must strike a “grand bargain” to deal with the economic downturn, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Wednesday. He called for more cooperation on banking reform and fiscal stimulus packages as he outlined his hopes for the G20 summit of world leaders in London in April.
Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Telecoms innovation, dynamo for global recovery says UN

The global financial crisis could provide entrepreneurial opportunities for budding information and communication technology (ICT) businesses, which in turn can power economic recovery, according to a new United Nations report.
Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UK government exploiting terrorism says former MI5 chief

Britain's former head of intelligence, MI5 head Dame Stella Rimington has claimed the Government had exploited people's fear of terrorism to restrict civil liberties. In an outspoken interview she said ministers risked handing a victory to terrorists by making people “live in fear and under a police state”.
Thursday, February 19th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Climate change net advances, but so loss of rain forest

New releases from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) this week show two sides of the human effect on climate change, with a report revealing hastened degradation of the earth's largest forest zone and the Danish city of Copenhagen becoming the 100th member of a climate-friendly network.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
First proven case of “mad cow disease” in haemophilic patient

The United Kingdom Health Protection Agency has confirmed the first case of the human form of “mad cow disease” in a patient with haemophilia. A post-mortem showed the man, who was “over 70” and had received plasma products before rules were introduced to limit contagion, died infected. However he died of other causes and had not shown any symptoms, the HPA said.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
IMF insists main immediate goal is to clean-up banks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that global recovery efforts are being undermined by the presence of “toxic” assets on banks' balance sheets. IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in an interview to French radio France-Inter that this undercuts stimulus efforts by various governments.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UK annual inflation falls to 3% in Jan; deflation fears

A smaller-than-expected drop in inflation has failed to ease fears that the UK could soon be in the grip of deflation. The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed a fall in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to 3% in January from 3.1% in December, which was far lower than experts had predicted.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Zero-emission, energy self sufficient Antarctic base

Belgium opened a new 20 million Euro “zero emissions” polar science station in Antarctica on Sunday, returning to the continent to study climate change 42 years after closing its first base there.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
A Falklands area ice-block breaks off in Antarctica

A 14.000 square km ice block, almost the area of the Falkland Islands (12.173 sq. km.), has broken off Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf and fragmented into smaller icebergs reported on Tuesday the Spanish National Research Council, CSIC.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Knighted billionaire faces “Ponzi-wicket” fraud charges

Billionaire financier and cricket entrepreneur Sir Allen Stanford has been charged by US regulators over an alleged multi-billion dollar fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a complaint in a Dallas Court against Sir Allen and three of his companies for “orchestrating a fraudulent, multi-billion dollar investment scheme”.