International

• Thursday, May 14th 2009 - 07:56 UTC

  Bank of England anticipates slow protracted recovery

  

  The Bank of England says that the UK economic recovery is likely to be slow and protracted. The Bank has cut its growth forecast over the next two years and raised its estimate for inflation since February.

• Thursday, May 14th 2009 - 07:55 UTC

  Married Catholic Priests call on Vatican for “optional celibacy”

  

  The Latinamerican Federation of Married Catholic Priests called on the Vatican to accept “optional celibacy” for members of the Church and acknowledge as something natural that clergy members can marry.

• Thursday, May 14th 2009 - 07:44 UTC

  British police accuse MPs of “Third World dictatorship” expenses

  

  United Kingdom frontline police officers have accused Members of Parliament of enjoying expenses that would not look out of place in a “Third World dictatorship”. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was hauled over the coals by members of the Police Federation of England and Wales.

• Wednesday, May 13th 2009 - 15:50 UTC

  China’s exports down 22.6% in April, sixth month running

  

  China's exports in April were down 22.6% from a year ago, the sixth successive month of decline. April's fall in exports was also bigger than the 17.1% annual decline recorded in March

• Wednesday, May 13th 2009 - 15:36 UTC

  Restored iconic RAF Vulcan bomber set to soar at Air Tattoo show

  

  One of the stars of this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo in the Cotswolds, England has been unveiled by organisers. Visitors to RAF Fairford on July 18-19 will have a rare opportunity to see a display by one of the most iconic war-birds of the Cold War era.

• Wednesday, May 13th 2009 - 02:01 UTC

  UK adult minimum wage £ 5.80 an hour from next October

  

  The United Kingdom announced that the national minimum wage is to increase by 7p to £5.80 an hour. The new adult rate for workers aged 22 and over will come into effect in October.

• Wednesday, May 13th 2009 - 01:50 UTC

  Senior Tory MPs agree to repay “excessive” expenses

  

  Britain’s opposition leader David Cameron says he will lead senior Conservatives in repaying “excessive” expenses - warning that he will boot any MPs who refuse out of the party.

• Wednesday, May 13th 2009 - 01:48 UTC

  Record unemployment in UK, totals 2.2 million

  

  United Kingdom’s unemployment has jumped by almost a quarter of a million to take the total to 2.2 million, official figures have revealed. Data showed a quarterly rise of 244,000 - the biggest increase in the number of people looking for a job since 1981.

• Tuesday, May 12th 2009 - 10:39 UTC

  Nobel laureates warn about risks of a “lost decade”

  

  Nobel Economics laureate Edgard Prescott and Joseph Stiglitz warned Monday of a “lost decade” and a worsening of the global financial crisis in the short term during a forum in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The “lost decade” reference is to the stagnation of the economy as happened with Japan during the nineties.

• Tuesday, May 12th 2009 - 10:03 UTC

  Global economy close to “inflection point” says leading central bankers

  

  The global economy has stopped its steep slide and is on the verge of making the long, slow climb back toward stability, said European Central Bank President Jean Claude Trichet who chaired on Monday a meeting of the world's leading central bankers.