International

• Monday, April 23rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  British Airways May Make Iberia Bid With Equity Group

  

  British Airways Plc, Europe's third- largest airline, may make an offer for Iberia Lineas Aereas de España SA with a group of private equity investors to protect its interest in the Spanish carrier.

• Saturday, April 21st 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Finland: President and 60% of cabinet ministers, women

  

  A century after becoming the first country in the world to grant women full voting rights, Finland on Thursday marked another milestone by appointing the world's most female-dominated cabinet.

• Friday, April 20th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Decisive stage of South Pacific Regional Fisheries Organisation

  

  Representatives from 22 countries will meet in Chile's coastal town of Reñaca, Region V, at the end of this month to discuss creation of a regulatory body to monitor fishing in the South Pacific. The fishing industry – represented by Sonapesca — is expected to agree with ecologists on the need to limit currently unrestricted fishing of scad (horse mackerel) in the Pacific's open waters.

• Thursday, April 19th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Australian farmers face “unprecedentedly dangerous” water shortage

  

  Australia's “food bowl” along the Murray-Darling rivers basin, which accounts for the country's 41% agriculture produce faces an “unprecedentedly dangerous” situation if it does not rain in the next six to eight weeks warned Australian Primer Minister John Howard.

• Thursday, April 19th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chinese impressive growth keeps surprising and rattling markets

  The Chinese economy grew an impressive 11.1% in the first quarter of 2007, but inflation in March rose to 3.3% and fears that rapid expansion will drive interest rates higher weighed on stock markets.

• Wednesday, April 18th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  UN forecasts 7% Asia-Pacific growth but risks ahead

  Asia-Pacific countries are set to grow by over 7% this year, although the region will face several economic challenges, primarily the management of exchange rates, according to the the United Nations annual regional economic review.

• Monday, April 16th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  British pound ready to break the 2 US dollars benchmark

  

  The British pound hit a 14-year high of 1.9938 against the dollar, with many experts believing it will break through the 2 dollars benchmark in the next few days.

• Monday, April 16th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  NYT calls for the resignation of World Bank president

  

  The New York Times has called for the dismissal of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz who is entangled in a scandal over securing a huge pay raise awarded to a close female friend.

• Friday, April 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  EU will not join US in WTO complaint against China

  The European Union does not plan to join United States complaint to the WTO about intellectual property rights and piracy in China despite agreeing with its substance, a senior European official said on Thursday.

• Friday, April 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  European Central Bank leaves interest rate on hold at 3.75%

  

  The European Central Bank decision on Thursday to leave key interest rates at 3.75% came as no surprise to money markets. However the ECB said it would monitor the risks to price stability “very closely”, avoiding the stronger word “vigilance”.