The global economy is in the grips of a deepening

recession that isn’t likely to turn around until sometime next

year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. The IMF,

which had been slow to apply the word to the current

downturn, also released a new definition of global recession.

Overall, the world economy is now expected to

contract 1.3% this year — a sharp reduction from the IMF’s

January estimate of 0.5% growth for 2009 — and then grow

just 1.9% in 2010, well below the global growth rate before

the economic crisis hit.

“By any measure,” the IMF’s twice-yearly World

Economic Outlook concluded Wednesday, “this downturn

represents by far the deepest global recession since the Great

Depression.”

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that “only

of the 182 economies followed by the IMF are expected

to grow faster this year than they did last year. Some 71 —

including 30 of the world’s 34 advanced economies — are

expected to shrink.”

Ahead of a gathering of Group of Seven finance

ministers and central bankers this week, as well as the spring

meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the IMF urged

global leaders to keep up the momentum that began at the

Group of 20 summit this month.

The fund is anticipating that G-20 countries will

pursue fiscal-stimulus measures totaling about 2% of gross

domestic product this year and 1.5% next year, but said that

may not be enough.

“It is now apparent that the effort will need to be at

least sustained, if not increased, in 2010, and countries with

fiscal room should stand ready to introduce new stimulus

measures as needed to support the recovery,” the IMF said.

Internet: online.wsj.com (adapted)

The global economy is in the grips of a deepening

recession that isn’t likely to turn around until sometime next

year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. The IMF,

which had been slow to apply the word to the current

downturn, also released a new definition of global recession.

Overall, the world economy is now expected to

contract 1.3% this year — a sharp reduction from the IMF’s

January estimate of 0.5% growth for 2009 — and then grow

just 1.9% in 2010, well below the global growth rate before

the economic crisis hit.

“By any measure,” the IMF’s twice-yearly World

Economic Outlook concluded Wednesday, “this downturn

represents by far the deepest global recession since the Great

Depression.”

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that “only

of the 182 economies followed by the IMF are expected

to grow faster this year than they did last year. Some 71 —

including 30 of the world’s 34 advanced economies — are

expected to shrink.”

Ahead of a gathering of Group of Seven finance

ministers and central bankers this week, as well as the spring

meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the IMF urged

global leaders to keep up the momentum that began at the

Group of 20 summit this month.

The fund is anticipating that G-20 countries will

pursue fiscal-stimulus measures totaling about 2% of gross

domestic product this year and 1.5% next year, but said that

may not be enough.

“It is now apparent that the effort will need to be at

least sustained, if not increased, in 2010, and countries with

fiscal room should stand ready to introduce new stimulus

measures as needed to support the recovery,” the IMF said.

Internet: online.wsj.com (adapted)

The global economy is in the grips of a deepening

recession that isn’t likely to turn around until sometime next

year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. The IMF,

which had been slow to apply the word to the current

downturn, also released a new definition of global recession.

Overall, the world economy is now expected to

contract 1.3% this year — a sharp reduction from the IMF’s

January estimate of 0.5% growth for 2009 — and then grow

just 1.9% in 2010, well below the global growth rate before

the economic crisis hit.

“By any measure,” the IMF’s twice-yearly World

Economic Outlook concluded Wednesday, “this downturn

represents by far the deepest global recession since the Great

Depression.”

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that “only

of the 182 economies followed by the IMF are expected

to grow faster this year than they did last year. Some 71 —

including 30 of the world’s 34 advanced economies — are

expected to shrink.”

Ahead of a gathering of Group of Seven finance

ministers and central bankers this week, as well as the spring

meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the IMF urged

global leaders to keep up the momentum that began at the

Group of 20 summit this month.

The fund is anticipating that G-20 countries will

pursue fiscal-stimulus measures totaling about 2% of gross

domestic product this year and 1.5% next year, but said that

may not be enough.

“It is now apparent that the effort will need to be at

least sustained, if not increased, in 2010, and countries with

fiscal room should stand ready to introduce new stimulus

measures as needed to support the recovery,” the IMF said.

Internet: online.wsj.com (adapted)

The global economy is in the grips of a deepening

recession that isn’t likely to turn around until sometime next

year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. The IMF,

which had been slow to apply the word to the current

downturn, also released a new definition of global recession.

Overall, the world economy is now expected to

contract 1.3% this year — a sharp reduction from the IMF’s

January estimate of 0.5% growth for 2009 — and then grow

just 1.9% in 2010, well below the global growth rate before

the economic crisis hit.

“By any measure,” the IMF’s twice-yearly World

Economic Outlook concluded Wednesday, “this downturn

represents by far the deepest global recession since the Great

Depression.”

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said that “only

of the 182 economies followed by the IMF are expected

to grow faster this year than they did last year. Some 71 —

including 30 of the world’s 34 advanced economies — are

expected to shrink.”

Ahead of a gathering of Group of Seven finance

ministers and central bankers this week, as well as the spring

meetings of the IMF and the World Bank, the IMF urged

global leaders to keep up the momentum that began at the

Group of 20 summit this month.

The fund is anticipating that G-20 countries will

pursue fiscal-stimulus measures totaling about 2% of gross

domestic product this year and 1.5% next year, but said that

may not be enough.

“It is now apparent that the effort will need to be at

least sustained, if not increased, in 2010, and countries with

fiscal room should stand ready to introduce new stimulus

measures as needed to support the recovery,” the IMF said.

Internet: online.wsj.com (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)

Press freedom — many preach it and many try hard

to really promote the concept but very few news

organizations are really able to actually practise it in the real,

transparent, non-negotiable sense of the term. In most

instances there is the element of compromise — of having to

sacrifice editorial integrity to satisfy established vested

interests.

Earlier this week on Sunday, May 3, World Press

Freedom Day was celebrated though it was muted in many

places where press freedom is an anathema to the powers that

be. The celebration highlights the fact that, unless there is

unhindered access to accurate information, the value of all

other rights is diminished; especially so when we now live in

the so-called information age where the access to information

is vital to navigate our way successfully and achieve our

objectives. Managed news is no substitute for the real thing.

This key access to information is further accentuated by

access to information and communication technology.

News organizations have a major role to convey the

events taking place as well as the decisions made by the

powers that be in their own countries and around the world

to the man in the street. And the man in the street who equips

himself with the latest key bits and bytes of information has

an edge over his uninformed neighbour and is always able to

make the better or the right decision — be it business or

personal.

Internet: bt.com.bn (adapted)