Berlin - Dwindling inflation and a dramatic economic slowdown is likely to pave the way for the European Central Bank (ECB) to deliver another hefty rate cut Thursday, trimming borrowing costs to an historic low of 1 per cent.

Thursday's widely forecast 50-basis-point reduction in the cost of money in the 16-member eurozone will bring the total rate cuts made by the ECB since October to 325 basis points reflecting its effort to spur economic growth.

London  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged world leaders Monday to "rise to the challenge" of beating the global recession but admitted that "tough negotiations" would be necessary to reach agreement at this week's Group of 20 (G20) summit.

"We no doubt have some long days of negotiation ahead. These are difficult and complex problems. It will not be easy to reach the conclusions that I believe are necessary for the world economy," said Brown.

London - Three men and two women, aged between 16 and 25, have been arrested in Britain under the Terrorism Act, just days before Thursday's summit meeting of Group of 20 (G20) nations, police said Monday.

Police said the arrests were made over the weekend in the port city of Plymouth, south-west Britain, after a man was caught painting graffiti on a wall.

However, police would neither confirm nor deny media reports that the arrests were linked to demonstrations planned in London against the G20 summit later this week.

Berlin  - The German government denied rumours Sunday that it had deliberately leaked a draft document, prepared by the British hosts of next week's G20 summit, outlining multi-trillion-dollar spending targets to be agreed by the world's 20 leading economies.

The document, obtained by German Spiegel news magazine, said the G20 leaders planned to agree to economic stimulus measures amounting to 2 trillion dollars (1.5 trillion euros) in London on April 2.

These measures were estimated to increase economic growth by 2 per cent and create 19 million jobs, according to the leaked statement.

Vina del Mar, Chile  - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday at a summit in Chile told off representatives of the United States, Britain and Spain for causing the global economic crisis.

"My dear Gordon Brown, my dear Biden, my dear Zapatero, unfortunately you are more responsible (for the downturn)," he said, addressing them directly.