French PM marshals troops ahead of titanic battle

Friday, July 11th, 2008

French Prime Minister Francois Fillon has called on the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) and its parliamentary allies to prepare well and remain mobilized ahead of a titanic battle over planned institutional reforms. "We ar ...

Pakistan says UN agrees to probe Bhutto’s killing

Friday, July 11th, 2008

The United Nations and Pakistan have agreed on a broad understanding on the establishment of an inquiry commission on Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Thursday. Speaking to report ...

Iran to raise oil export

Friday, July 11th, 2008

Iranian Oil Minister Gholam-Hossein Nozari said that Iran will raise oil export to 3.5 million barrels a day by the end of March 2010, Iran's satellite Press TV reported on Friday. "Iran's oil export level will be raised to 3.5 mil ...

French government to cut 30,000 jobs next year

Friday, July 11th, 2008

The French government will not have new employees to succeed over 30,000 civil servants who are due to retire next year, Eric Woerth, minister for the Budget, Public Accounts and the Civil Service, said Thursday. Some 30,000 to 32,0 ...

EU to step up regulation of credit rating agencies

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

European Union (EU) finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to step up the regulation of credit rating agencies by requiring them to register in Europe. "There is an agreement on rating agencies," French Finance Minister Christine Lagar ...

EU finance ministers agree to publish weekly oil stocks data

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

European Union (EU) finance ministers agreed on Tuesday to publish oil stocks data on weekly basis in an effort to improve market transparency in face of soaring oil prices. "We now have political agreement on improving transparency ...

Ecuadorian president appoints replacement FM

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa appointed Wilma Salgado as finance minister Tuesday, to replace Fausto Ortiz, who resigned amid disagreements with Correa on the closure of two private TV stations and one radio station. The two TV ...

New Zealand, Australia to attend PIF ministerial meetings in Fiji

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

The chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has confirmed Australia and New Zealand will be allowed to participate in ministerial meetings in Fiji next week, the Suva-based Pacnews regional news agency reported Wednesday. Tongan ...