International

• Thursday, October 4th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  “Risk reappraisal” leaves Euro rate unchanged at 4%

  

  The Governing Council of the European Central Bank meeting in Vienna decided to leave interest rates unchanged at 4%. The decision comes despite the strength of the Euro against the US dollar and calls from some European leaders to cut rates and boost European competitiveness.

• Thursday, October 4th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Interest rate in UK on hold at 5.75%; eyes set on November

  

  The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted Thursday to maintain UK interest rates on hold at 5.75%. The decision comes despite pressure to follow the example of the US Federal Reserve to cut the cost of borrowing and help with the credit crunch.

• Thursday, October 4th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  iPod sale: try Hong Kong, US but avoid South America

  

  Want to buy an iPod? Try Hong Kong and if in Europe, Switzerland, and if in the Americas, United States or Canada but please avoid Brazil. That is the suggestion of Commonwealth Bank, one of Australia's largest, which checked the cost of a digital music 4GB iPodNano in 55 different countries.

• Wednesday, October 3rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Business newspapers on website for free competition

  

  Pearson, the world's largest education publisher announced this week it was partially opening up free access to its Financial Times newspaper as it adopted a new online business model.

• Wednesday, October 3rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  First production contract for Royal Navy's new carriers

  

  Britain awarded this week the first contract for the new equipment that will be fitted to the 65,000 tonne aircraft carriers Ministry of Defence has announced it is to order.

• Tuesday, October 2nd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Big Ben chimes for the first time in seven weeks

  

  London was reacquainted on Monday with one of its iconic sounds when Big Ben finally chimed for the first time in seven weeks. After almost two months of maintenance work, London's most famous landmark was once again fully functional - to the delight of millions of tourists and residents alike.

• Monday, October 1st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Multilateralism, only way to tackle global concerns says UN

  

  Whether it is resolving conflicts, protecting human rights, achieving development goals or safeguarding the environment, the only viable way to effectively tackle today's complex global challenges is through multilateral cooperation, underlined United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

• Monday, October 1st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF is no longer “policeman” says Strauss-Khan

  

  “The IMF can no longer play the role of policeman” admitted incoming International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn who added that the global economy is drastically different from when the IMF was created, and therefore “must adapt to change”.

• Monday, October 1st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush and Chavez in the same bag: worst regional image

  

  United States president George Bush and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez are the regional leaders with the worst image, according to a public opinion poll published this week end in the influential Brazilian daily O Estado de Sao Paulo.

• Monday, October 1st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Turbulence: strong € displaces concern with weak US dollar

  

  As the Euro hits new highs against the US dollar conflicting signals seem to be coming from Europe as to how address the issue, but much will depend on what happens next Thursday when the European Central Bank and the Bank of England hold monthly meetings.