International

• Thursday, April 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  World Bank warns about rising food prices and poverty

  World Bank President Robert Zoellick called Thursday for a “New Deal” on global food policy to address hunger and emergency situations in developing countries such as Haiti because of rising food prices.

• Wednesday, April 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile and England have the highest wave energy potential

  

  Chile is the country with the highest wave energy potential in the world, the British engineering consultant Baird & Associates reported last week. According to company officials, wave energy along Chile's coast can satisfy up to 24% of the country's energy demand in summer and 26% in winter.

• Wednesday, April 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF forecasts one in four chance of global recession

  

  International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that the world economy will grow much more slowly in the next two years as a result of the credit crunch. In its latest economic forecast, the IMF says that world economic growth will slow to 3.7% in 2008 and 2009, 1.25% lower than growth in 2007.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ban Ki-moon: climate change, major threat to human health

  

  Top United Nations officials have warned that global warming and its effects, including a rise in air and sea temperatures and extreme weather patterns endanger not only the planet but also pose a major threat to human health.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  EU divided over maritime safety laws and civil liability

  

  European Union ministers rejected Monday two Brussels maritime safety laws by a large majority. The proposed directives on flag state control and civil liability for ship owners received the support of fewer than seven of the 27 EU member states at a council of ministers meeting in Luxembourg, according to Lloyd's List portal.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean Patagonia dams controversy reaches NY Times

  

  Another controversy has erupted in The New York Times involving Chile and a project to build hydroelectric dams in Patagonia, an initiative which is being questioned by international environmentalists groups.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chinese banks may now invest in US stocks and funds

  

  Chinese banks may now invest their clients' money in United States stocks and mutual funds, China's banking regulator has said allowing them to diversify their portfolios at a time of increasing market volatility. The decision announced this week is also expected to help ease inflationary pressures in the world's fastest growing economy.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Spain to halt economic decline with US style incentive package

  

  Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero promised short-term measures and US style incentives to halt an economic decline, especially in the construction sector, over his second term.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF blames credit crunch on “collective failure” & liquidity spiral

  

  The International Monetary Fund has warned that potential losses from the credit crunch will reach 945 billion US dollars and could be even higher as losses are spreading from sub-prime mortgage assets to other sectors, such as commercial property, consumer credit, and company debt.

• Tuesday, April 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Two human fatal cases of mad cow reported in Spain

  

  The human variant of the mad cow disease, (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), BSE killed two persons, one three months ago and the other last week, Spain announced this week on public radio.