International

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 21:29 UTC

  Fed continues with bond purchases: shutdown of US government affected reliable stats

  

  The Federal Reserve decided on Wednesday to press on with the 85 billion dollars in monthly bond purchases, saying it needs to see more evidence that the economy will continue to improve.

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 07:13 UTC

  Turkey opens railway tunnel linking the Asian and European continents

  

  A railway tunnel underneath the Bosphorus Strait has been opened in Turkey, creating a new link between the Asian and European shores of Istanbul. The Marmaray tunnel is the world's first connecting two continents, and is designed to withstand earthquakes.

• Wednesday, October 30th 2013 - 06:57 UTC

  Petrobras negotiating sale of assets in Peru to Chinese company for 2bn dollars

  

  China National Petroleum Corp., the country’s largest oil producer, is nearing an agreement to buy Petrobras assets in Peru for more than 2 billion dollars. The proposed deal may be announced as soon as next month, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 20:16 UTC

  Foreign Office Director Europe is the new British ambassador in Spain

  

  Simon Manley CMG, a member of the UK’s Diplomatic Service since 1990 on Monday 28 October succeeds Giles Paxman as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Spain and non-resident Ambassador to Andorra.

• Monday, October 28th 2013 - 13:50 UTC

  China capitalist reforms: break up state monopolies, land reform, Yuan reserve currency

  

  A Chinese top government think tank has unveiled a detailed road map for a series of far-reaching economic policy changes, in one of the strongest indications yet that the Communist Party intends to stay on the path of reform

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 15:54 UTC

  Argentina appeals New York Judge Griesa's order regarding banks' disclosures

  

  The Argentine government yesterday appealed an order by US Judge Thomas Griesa who asked some private banks to turn over information about Argentina’s assets abroad. The case had been started by hedge fund Elliott Management Corp’s NML Capital Ltd which is demanding in court full 100% payment of Argentine sovereign bonds face value.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 04:59 UTC

  Paraguay will lead Mercosur trade negotiations with the EU next December

  

  The Paraguayan foreign affairs ministry will represent Mercosur next December when the exchange of proposals with the European Union for a long pending free trade agreement, announced Uruguayan president Jose Mujica on Friday following private talks with his visiting peer from Paraguay, Horacio Cartes.

• Saturday, October 26th 2013 - 00:25 UTC

  Paraguayan president ratifies full political support for Mercosur

  

  President Horacio Cartes although admitting he is heart and mind committed to Mercosur, Paraguay's full return to Mercosur is in the hands of diplomacy since as head of state he must abide strictly by the rule of the law.

• Friday, October 25th 2013 - 14:29 UTC

  Germany and France demand a “no spying” agreement from Washington

  

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded that the United States strike a “no-spying” agreement with Berlin and Paris by the end of the year, saying alleged espionage against two of Washington's closest EU allies had to be stopped.

• Friday, October 25th 2013 - 06:06 UTC

  British universities road-show in Chile to promote study opportunities

  

  Representatives from six British top universities will be visiting Chile to promote the study opportunities available in the United Kingdom. The six leading British universities attending the road-show between 24-30 October are all world-renowned research-intensive institutions.