http://www.earthtimes.org The Earth Times online newspaper, serving the planet with general news and current affairs that matter en-us PHP/4.4.4 http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314958,preview-deja-eu-as-greek-drama-holds-summit-hostage.html Brussels - An acrimonious discussion on what to do about Greece's financial problems hijacks plans to hold strategic talks on the future of the European Union's economy.... Finance,General Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:05:27 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314958,preview-deja-eu-as-greek-drama-holds-summit-hostage.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314934,barroso-proposes-eurozone-loan-mechanism-for-greece.html Brussels - Eurozone member states should set up a system of bilateral loans to help Greece out of its debt crisis, the head of the EU's executive, Jose Manuel Barroso, said Friday.... Finance,General Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:47:13 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314934,barroso-proposes-eurozone-loan-mechanism-for-greece.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314688,porn-booths-are-not-cultural-venues-eu-court-rules.html Luxembourg - Sex shops which allow customers to watch pornographic films in individual booths cannot be counted as cultural venues in order to get a VAT break, the EU court ruled Thursday. The ruling centred on a decision that cultural venues are int... Finance,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:38:06 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314688,porn-booths-are-not-cultural-venues-eu-court-rules.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314685,bulgaria-adds-ministry-for-control-over-eu-funds.html Sofia - Bulgaria's conservative government grew by one member Thursday with the addition of the minister for the absorption of European Union funds. Parliament voted 130-56 in favour of the new minister, Tomislav Donchev, previously mayor of Gabrovo,... Finance,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:32:16 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314685,bulgaria-adds-ministry-for-control-over-eu-funds.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314665,greek-premier-pleads-for-cheaper-market-rates-to-refinance-debt.html Brussels - Greece is not asking for a eurozone bail-out, but needs political support to be able to refinance its debt at cheaper rates, the country's prime minister said Thursday. Athens has been forced to offer more than 6 per cent return on its g... Finance,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:02:13 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314665,greek-premier-pleads-for-cheaper-market-rates-to-refinance-debt.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314645,new-zealand-fraudster-jailed-victim-tipped-off-by-madoff-programme.html Wellington - A banker who was New Zealand's biggest thief and spent millions of stolen dollars on two prostitutes was caught after a wealthy investor recognized his tactics in a TV documentary about US fraudster Bernie Madoff, a court was told on Thu... Finance,General Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:22:07 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314645,new-zealand-fraudster-jailed-victim-tipped-off-by-madoff-programme.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314502,imf-boss-worried-by-lack-of-unity-on-finance-reform.html Brussels - The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a plea for unity to world powers Wednesday as differences between the European Union and the United States threatened to hamper a long-awaited reform of global finance. I am a bit w... Finance,General Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:59:11 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314502,imf-boss-worried-by-lack-of-unity-on-finance-reform.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314366,2nd-eu-backs-greek-austerity-plan-leaves-rescue-to-leaders.html Brussels - European Union finance ministers Tuesday approved the Greek government's draconian austerity plan, but appeared at odds over how the bloc should help Athens in case of crisis. The issue is now expected to overshadow the next EU summit due ... Finance,General Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:38:12 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314366,2nd-eu-backs-greek-austerity-plan-leaves-rescue-to-leaders.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314170,eurogroup-to-hold-off-on-greek-bail-out-diplomats-say--update.html Brussels - Finance ministers of the 16 countries which share the euro are to stop short of offering crisis-hit Greece a bail-out package, but will instead provide promises of unspecified future support, European Union diplomats said Monday. Greece's ... Finance,General Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:52:15 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314170,eurogroup-to-hold-off-on-greek-bail-out-diplomats-say--update.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313965,chinas-parliament-approves-economic-policy-budget--update.html Beijing - China's nominal parliament on Sunday endorsed policies designed to bolster the economy against the global recession and approved an annual budget that included a 7.5-per-cent hike in military spending. Reports on the budget and economic per... Finance,General Sun, 14 Mar 2010 02:48:08 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313965,chinas-parliament-approves-economic-policy-budget--update.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313772,poll-swiss-oppose-ending-banking-secrecy.html Geneva - An overwhelming majority of Swiss citizens oppose ending the strict bank-client confidentiality laws in the Alpine state, a new poll released Friday showed. The annual survey, conducted for the Swiss Bankers Association, found that 73 per ce... Finance,General Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:52:07 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313772,poll-swiss-oppose-ending-banking-secrecy.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313642,croatian-government-partially-scraps-extra-income-tax.html Zagreb - The Croatian government decided Thursday to partially scrap an extra income tax introduced in August, local media reported. Last August, Croats earning between 3,000 and 6,000 kuna (564 - 1,128 dollars) per month began paying a 2-per-cent s... Finance,General Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:08:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313642,croatian-government-partially-scraps-extra-income-tax.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313582,hsbc-private-bank-confirms-theft-of-15000-names--summary.html Geneva - HSBC Private Bank confirmed Thursday that data concerning some 15,000 clients was stolen by a former employee in 2007. It is now clear that the theft, which was perpetrated by a former IT employee about three years ago, involves approximate... Finance,General Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:46:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313582,hsbc-private-bank-confirms-theft-of-15000-names--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313516,asia-pacific-stages-strong-showing-in-list-of-worlds-billionaires.html Singapore - The Asia-Pacific region staged a strong showing in the latest list of the world's super-rich compiled by Forbes magazine, as the number of billionaires from the region jumped 80 per cent compared to last year, Forbes media said Thursday. ... Finance,General Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:38:14 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313516,asia-pacific-stages-strong-showing-in-list-of-worlds-billionaires.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313459,france-and-germany-mull-european-monetary-fund--summary.html Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that the establishment of a European Monetary Fund would not weaken the International Monetary Fund (IMF), after a meeting with the French prime minister in Berlin. The IMF surely won't mi... Finance,General Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:01:30 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313459,france-and-germany-mull-european-monetary-fund--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313361,german-government-approves-double-taxation-deal-with-liechtenstein.html Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's government approved a double taxation agreement with Liechtenstein in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, government sources said. The deal, which will enable a transparent exchange of taxpayer information, was ... Finance,General Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:25:10 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313361,german-government-approves-double-taxation-deal-with-liechtenstein.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313247,juncker-joins-merkels-call-for-european-monetary-fund--summary.html Luxembourg - Jean-Claude Juncker, the influential head of the group of eurozone finance ministers, lent his weight to German calls for a European Monetary Fund to maintain the stability of the euro after talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel o... Finance,General Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:42:19 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313247,juncker-joins-merkels-call-for-european-monetary-fund--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313041,greek-crisis-spurs-eu-reflection-over-european-monetary-fund--summary.html Brussels- The European Union's executive is considering ways to set up an EU or eurozone-wide monetary fund designed to make sure eurozone states never again risk default the way Greece has, officials in Brussels confirmed Monday. Greece's immense bu... Finance,General Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:32:12 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/313041,greek-crisis-spurs-eu-reflection-over-european-monetary-fund--summary.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312761,top-german-politicians-warns-no-blank-cheques-for-greece.html Cordoba, Spain - Greece does not deserve any blank cheque from European Union partners in helping it overcome its budget crisis, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Saturday. Westerwelle, who as leader of the Free democratic party (FD... Finance,General Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:46:16 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312761,top-german-politicians-warns-no-blank-cheques-for-greece.html http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312714,merkel-praises-important-step-to-battle-greek-crisis--summary.html Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel praised Greece's new austerity package as an extremely important step on Friday, after meeting Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou in Berlin. The chancellor congratulated the speed with which the measures... Finance,General Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:06:09 GMT http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/312714,merkel-praises-important-step-to-battle-greek-crisis--summary.html