Stories for December 20th 2012

Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 20:39 UTC
Good news from the World Bank: China expected to bounce back next year

The World Bank has raised its growth forecast for China, saying stimulus measures and approval of infrastructure projects will help boost growth. It added that the pick-up in factory output and investment “suggested that China's economy was bottoming out”.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 20:38 UTC
Uruguay diversifies energy mix with 530 MW combined-cycle-gas-power plant

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a loan for 200 million dollars to Uruguay to help finance the construction of a 530 MW combined-cycle gas power plant to help diversify the country's energy mix in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 20:16 UTC
ICE buys NYSE Euronext propelling the commodities player

Intercontinental-Exchange agreed an 8 billion dollars deal to buy New York Stock Exchange owner NYSE Euronext, propelling the commodities player into the big league of European derivatives and helping it to take on arch rival CME Group.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 19:38 UTC
UK will take “all necessary and proportionate” measures in support of Gibraltar

As tension with Spain escalates the British Government made clear that it would take “all necessary and proportionate” measures to maintain the integrity British sovereignty of Gibraltar and its waters. Europe Minister David Lidington set out the position in a letter to the Governor, Sir Adrian Johns, in response to the petition organised by the Defenders of Gibraltar.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 18:00 UTC
ARA Libertad: Ghana port authority lost 7.6m dollars; could demand NML Capital

Ghana’s Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) admits to having lost 7.6 million dollars as a result of the Argentine frigate ARA Libertad's occupation of its prime berth for a period of 76 days, reports Accra’s Graphic Online.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 06:19 UTC
“Madame President: pls address inflation and rampant crime” demands Argentine organized labour

Argentine dissident organized labour concentrated at the emblematic Plaza de Mayo and claimed the government of Cristina Fernandez was applying IMF recipes by halting wage hikes for workers and called on the Lady to address inflation and rampant crime.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 06:02 UTC
Record killing of journalists doing their jobs in 2012, according to RSF

More journalists were killed doing their job in 2012 than in any year since monitoring started 17 years ago, with Syria and Somalia seeing a particularly heavy toll followed by Pakistan and Mexico, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Wednesday.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 05:45 UTC
Brazil re-launches industry to develop high precision rockets and missiles

Brazil is pursuing a multimillion-dollar program to revive and modernize its precision strike technologies with the aim of developing rockets and missiles both for domestic military use and exports.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 05:38 UTC
Brazil to investigate corruption allegations involving Lula da Silva

Brazil’s Attorney General said the country’s judiciary will investigate allegations that former President Lula da Silva took part in the cash-for-votes scheme that toppled several of his closest aides.
Thursday, December 20th 2012 - 05:33 UTC
Ecuador Central bank governor resigns admitting he has no Economics degree

Ecuador's central bank president, Pedro Delgado, resigned on Wednesday after admitting that he did not hold a university degree in economics.