International

• Wednesday, August 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  UK: Foot-and-mouth disease, 'possible sabotage investigated'

  

  Experts are investigating the possibility that the foot-and-mouth outbreak was caused by sabotage linked to the Pirbright laboratory site.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Climate change could intensify hunger risk warns FAO

  

  Climate change could lead to potential food shortages and increase the risk of hunger in developing countries, the head of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said Wednesday.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  OPEC contrary to increasing crude output in September

  

  Despite calls from consumers for more crude to lower prices from near record highs, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, does not believe it's necessary to raise output when it meets next September 11.

• Tuesday, August 7th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Second FAM case confirmed at another Surrey farm

  

  A second case of foot-and-mouth has been confirmed at a farm in Surrey with up to 100 cows culled at the settlement in the 3km protection zone set up around the site of the first outbreak.

• Monday, August 6th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  UK: House prices 'to soar by 40% and will reach £300,000'

  

  The cost of an average home in England is set to soar by 40% during the coming five years, to break through the £300,000 barrier by 2012, a report has warned.

• Monday, August 6th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  UK Probes Laboratory as Source for Foot-and-Mouth Outbreak

  

  U.K. health and safety authorities extended their investigation into a vaccine laboratory southwest of London owned by Merck and Sanofi-Aventis as a possible source of foot-and-mouth disease after cattle became infected at a farm near the site. Merial Animal Health said that so far no breach in its procedures had been discovered.

• Sunday, August 5th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  UK: Foot-and-mouth disease disease strain linked to nearby lab

  

  The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease on a farm in Surrey is being linked to a nearby animal research laboratory, with fears the virus could have leaked from the facility

• Sunday, August 5th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Caruana would win fourth consecutive election, says poll

  

  Gibraltar Social Democrats would be returned to power with a comfortable 17-18 point lead if an election were held now, according to the results of an opinion poll conducted by marketing and PR company Copywrite Ltd.

• Friday, August 3rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  ECB rates unchanged at 4% but September hike is forecasted

  The European Central Bank (ECB) left Eurozone interest rates on hold at 4% for the second month in a row. The Thursday decision however also anticipated that the ECB will be hiking rates next September or October

• Friday, August 3rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England “wait and see” policy leaves rate at 5.75%

  The Bank of England decided Thursday to leave the cost of borrowing at 5.75%. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had been widely expected to keep rates on hold this month, as it waits to see the impact of the rises so far, but many economists predict rates will go up to 6% later this year.