United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced Tuesday the appointment of Chilean former president Michelle Bachelet as the Under-Secretary-General for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women).
The controversy over a Spanish town Mayor proposal for a toll on traffic to neighbouring Gibraltar has reached the European Union. Ashley Fox, Gibraltar’s Tory MEP, has asked the European Commission to state whether the proposal would breach EU rules on freedom of movement.
Many of the celebrations planned for Chile’s bicentennial are meant to mimic the centennial celebrations, such as President Sebastián Pinera’s recreation of a dinner with foreign ambassadors in Chile.
French Agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire reiterated Paris ‘strong rejection’ of European Union trade talks with Mercosur and said that Europe “is no dumping ground for Mercosur agriculture produce”.
EU trade chief Karel De Gucht said on Tuesday in Brazil that a EU-Mercosur trade pact could happen “in less than a year”, despite France's “firm” opposition to a deal with the South American block.
Alan Huckle retires this month as Governor of the Falkland Island. In an interview with Mercopress Mr. Huckle recalls some of the outstanding events of his mandate: a solemn, dignified 25th anniversary of the 1982 conflict; constitutional reform which transferred even greater responsibility to the Falklands elected Councilors and oil, “an issue not yet played out”.
The number of tour ships planning to visit South Georgia in the coming summer looks set to fall for the second year in a row, according to a report in the August edition of the South Georgia Newsletter.
Standard & Poor's raised on Monday its long-term foreign currency credit rating on Argentina by one notch, to B from B-minus, citing declining debt levels and an improving economy in 2010.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries turns 50 years old Tuesday having survived a tumultuous history of wars, embargoes and in-fighting. The world’s oldest and largest energy producer group is now enjoying prices close to the 75 USD a barrel level that its largest member Saudi Arabia considers “ideal.”
The global recession has created a “wasteland of unemployment” that is likely to leave scars on society for years to come, unless action is taken to address the jobs crisis, IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned.