Germany leads surprise European growth spurt in first quarter
15 May 2008 - Europe's biggest economy, Germany, expanded at a stunning pace in the first three months of 2008 and strong French growth showed the wider region began the year far outperforming a near-stagnating US economy. Many economists believe things have already started to slow and officials have acknowledged this, but official data on Thursday suggested mainland Europe's large economies were in good shape when the global credit crisis hit, due primarily to business investment. (more)

Israeli Prime Minister sees progress in peace talks
15 May 2008 - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday that progress was being made in US-backed peace talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and that 'hopefully' a deal would be reached this year. Prime Minister Olmert told an audience in Jerusalem that his country is actively seeking peace with its Palestinian neighbours. (more)

Japan eyes doubling development assistance to Africa over next five years
15 May 2008 - Japan plans to double its official development assistance to African nations over the next five years, public broadcaster NHK reported on Thursday, as it gears up to host a conference for African leaders at the end of May. (more)

Northern Ireland: Ulster Volunteer Force ceasefire recognized
15 May 2008 - Members of one of Northern Ireland's largest loyalist paramilitary groups could be freed from prison early after the British government moved on Wednesday to recognize a ceasefire it declared last year. Northern Ireland is hoping to woo foreign investors after political foes agreed last year to share power in a regional government. That cemented the 10-year-old Good Friday agreement that largely ended decades of violence. The UVF declared an end to violence in May 2007. (more)

Politics aside, Taiwan gives generously in China quake aid
15 May 2008 - Taiwan, normally hostile to China, has offered its earthquake-hit neighbour one of its biggest outpourings of aid to demonstrate gratitude for help it received when it suffered a similar disaster in 1999. (more)

Russia, China, India join to halt Afghan anti-drug 'belt'
15 May 2008 - China, India, and Russia called on Thursday for the creation of a security belt around Afghanistan to halt the spread of heroin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a joint communique on boosting links between the three large developing countries would look at enhanced co-operation on humanitarian aid, fighting terrorism, and combating drug trafficking. (more)

Solar firms team up on recycling
15 May 2008 - Some of the world's top solar power companies have teamed up to launch the first large-scale recycling system for solar panels in Europe, to stay one step ahead of regulators by showing an industry-led scheme can work. (more)

South Africa: US fund invests US$175 million in South Africa housing
15 May 2008 - USA-based International Housing Solutions (IHS) has raised US$175 million (R1.3 billion) for the development of 30,000 affordable housing units in South Africa. South African property developers have found it difficult to raise capital for large-scale affordable housing developments, and IHS has helped developers finance affordable housing projects in the form of equity, which allows developers to obtain larger loans from the banks at a reduced borrowing cost, which in turn allows them to build bigger developments without having to phase them in or conduct large pre-sales. (more)

United Kingdom to have world's largest offshore wind farm
15 May 2008 - Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) will build the world's largest offshore wind farm and has awarded $3 billion (1.5 billion pounds) in contracts to US engineer Fluor and Germany's Siemens. The British government welcomed SSE's announcement saying the UK is one of the most attractive places in the world to invest in offshore technology. (more)