International

Thursday, December 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
President Sarkozy unveils 30 billion USD stimulus plan

French President Nicolas Sarkozy unveiled Thursday a stimulus plan worth more than 30 billion USD to fight the economic and financial downturn. The French plan is the latest of a series of proposals by various European governments to earmark massive amounts of money to help reinvigorate their moribund economies.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UN calls to prepare for disasters caused by climate change

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched a campaign to raise awareness of the humanitarian implications of climate change, calling for improved disaster preparedness and response measures in countries that suffer most from extreme weather events.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK launches OT offshore financial centres review

The British Government announced that Michael Foot, currently Chairman of the UK office of Promontory Financial Group, will lead the independent review of British offshore financial centres, mostly in Overseas Territories, anticipated at Pre-Budget Report 2008.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Police had no warrant to search Tory MP office in Parliament

Britain's House of Commons Speaker Michael Martin said he “regrets” that police were allowed to search Conservative MP Damian Green's office without a warrant.

A parliamentary aide had allowed a raid - part of a government leaks inquiry - by signing a consent form, he added.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
German auto industry heading for worst year since 1990

The German auto industry's leading trade group said Wednesday it expects 2009 car sales to be the worst since the reunification of the country in 1990 as the global financial crisis takes its toll on consumers and economic growth.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
More than 100 countries sign treaty banning cluster bombs

Representatives of more than 100 countries gathered in Oslo, Norway Wednesday to sign a treaty banning cluster bombs. Norway, which has led efforts to ban cluster bombs, was the first to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which bans the use, production, and sale of the weapons.
Wednesday, December 3rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK mortgage market receives £ 1 billion to stem repossessions

British Primer Minister Gordon Brown has moved to stem growing repossessions with a £1 billion package to allow struggling homeowners to defer mortgage payments for up to two years.
Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Mumbai attacks leave India and Pakistan on edge of conflict

India on Monday made it clear that the deadly terror strikes in Mumbai were carried out by Pakistan-based militants and asked Islamabad to take “strong action” against the “elements responsible for this outrage” - a sign that ties between the two countries are headed for a rocky patch.
Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Another black Monday for the stock markets calendar

Wall Street suffered one of its worst days Monday, slicing 680 points off the Dow Jones industrial average as fears of a recession, or even worse, were confirmed by the latest data. Not only did stocks end their last week's five-day winning streak, they erased more than half the gains and the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index one of the broadest market gauges, lost nearly 9%.
Tuesday, December 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
US cruise vessel outruns hijacking pirates in Gulf of Aden

Pirates chased and shot at a US cruise liner with more than 1,000 people on board but failed to hijack the vessel as it sailed along a corridor patrolled by international warships, a maritime official said Tuesday.