International

Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Ban Ki-moon reflects on first year as UN Secretary General

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today looked back on his busy first year in office, which took him to nearly 40 countries or territories on six continents to push for progress in four main areas – UN reform, climate change, human rights and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and international security
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Japan leaves rates unchanged on fears of global debt crunch

The Bank of Japan has kept interest rates on hold at 0.5% amid worries over the global credit crisis and dips in domestic business confidence. The expected move came as the central bank revised down its economic growth forecast for Japan for the year to March 2008.
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
China raises interest rates and subsidizes pork farmers

China's People's Bank (central bank) has raised interest rates for the sixth time this year, adding to its efforts to cool the country's surging inflation. The benchmark lending rate will rise to 7.47% from 7.29% with effect from Friday, while the main deposit rate will increase to 4.14% from 3.87%.
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
UK Foreign Office reasserts Gibraltar's territorial waters

The United Kingdom's position on Gibraltar's territorial waters was made clear in unequivocal terms to a group of MPs charged with scrutinizing British foreign affairs, it has emerged, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
W. Bank “downsized” India's economy to fifth world largest

The World Bank says India and China are not what they are pumped up to be. The Bank has “downsized” the economies of the two Asian giants by nearly 40% under new metrics, which it says are more reliable and accurate than previous estimates
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
NYT on Bali: “No real breakthroughs in climate change”

Earlier this week we published an article from the United Nations which expressed satisfaction with the recent Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Basically the UN said that after “the successful conclusion of the landmark conference” in Bali, “developed and developing countries alike must continue to build on the momentum generated by the meeting”.
Thursday, December 20th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Gibraltar Government House moves to 150 Strand

The Gibraltar Government has signed contracts for the purchase of a £3.4 million freehold property in London to house the Gibraltar Government Office.
Wednesday, December 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
UN announces global standards for internet television services

The lead United Nations agency for information and communication technology (ICT) announced Tuesday the first set of global standards for providing television services over the Internet, a move that is expected to fuel innovation and competition in an emerging field.
Wednesday, December 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
EU Central Bank ready to pump 348 billion Euro liquidity

The European Central Bank has allocated 348.7 billion Euros, (502 billion US dollars) to banks at a below-market rate in a refinancing move to ease tightened credit markets.
Wednesday, December 19th 2007 - 20:00 UTC
Australia to monitor by air and sea Japanese whalers

Australia urged Japanese whalers and environmental activists heading for a showdown in the Southern Ocean to act with restraint, warning deaths could occur if anything went wrong.