International

Monday, November 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
China pledges to act on trade imbalances and the Yuan

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged Monday to resolve trade imbalances after the country's surplus hit a record high in October and work to let the Yuan move more freely.
Monday, November 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Beijing asks banks to “strictly control” granting new loans

China's banking regulator has ordered commercial banks to “strictly control” the granting of new loans for the rest of the year in an attempt to prevent overshooting this year's lending growth target and overheating the world's fourth economy.
Sunday, November 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Japan begins whale hunt with Greenpeace on its heels

A Japanese whaling fleet has begun a five-month expedition that environmentalists say will hunt humpback whales for the first time in decades.
Sunday, November 18th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Ban challenge with stark new warning on climate change

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has challenged the world's policymakers to start devising a comprehensive deal for tackling climate change at next month's summit in Bali, Indonesia, after a United Nations report released today found that global warming is unequivocal and could cause irreversible damage to the planet.
Saturday, November 17th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chavez warns US at Opec summit but is rebuked by Saudis

In his opening address at a rare Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) summit in the Saudi capital, Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, has warned the US over rising oil prices.
Friday, November 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Sustainable tourism to contain climate change, warns UN

United Nations World Tourism Organisation secretary-general Francesco Frangialli issued his strongest warning yet of the threat to the industry. ”A rise in global temperatures beyond 2C will threaten the existence of our industry.
Friday, November 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Environment friendly tourism promoted at London travel fair

The world's largest travel fair opened this week in London with a strong focus on green issues highlighting the ever-increasing pressure on the tourism industry to promote environmentally friendly ways of seeing the world.
Friday, November 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
“Weak US dollar” at the heart of the OPEC Riyadh summit

A blunder by OPEC on Friday exposed serious discrepancies between Saudi Arabia and Iran about whether the oil exporters' group should address the issue of the falling dollar at a rare summit of leaders this weekend in Riyadh.
Friday, November 16th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Chinese markets prepare for tighter and costlier credit

Chinese spending on factories, roads and other fixed assets has risen by 27% this year suggesting official efforts to restrain the economy are failing and a new hike in interest rates can be expected.
Thursday, November 15th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Australians fear for only known white humpback whale

Australians fear that the world's only known white humpback whale could be slaughtered as Japan's whaling fleet prepares to embark on its annual hunt in the Southern Ocean, reports the Sydney press.