Stories for April 2014

Friday, April 11th 2014 - 04:27 UTC
Japan/Australia trade agreement cracks tariffs on frozen and chilled beef

United States beef shipments to Japan may drop after the largest Asian buyer inked this week a deal with Australia to begin reducing import tariffs as early as next year, the Japanese agriculture ministry said.
Friday, April 11th 2014 - 04:22 UTC
Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged as UK recovery picks up

UK interest rates have been held at their record low of 0.5% for another month by the Bank of England. On Thursday the Bank also kept the size of its bond-buying stimulus program unaltered at £375bn. No changes had been expected to either rates or the bond-buying measure, despite recent evidence that the UK economy is continuing to recover.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:28 UTC
Brazil's March inflation marks the steepest increase for the month since 2003

Brazil’s rate of inflation in March picked up at the quickest pace in 11 years for that month, challenging the central bank’s plan to stop raising interest rates soon and complicating President Dilma Rousseff chances of re-election.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:22 UTC
Venezuela invites Cardinal Parolin to become “mediator of good will”

The Venezuelan government formally invited today the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to join the exploratory talks with the opposition as “mediator of good will” in order to find a solution to the violent situation in the country.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:17 UTC
Argentine top minister in Washington attending the 'ideologically bias” IMF assembly

In a strong reply to the IMF report on the Argentine economy forecasting 0.5% expansion in 2014, the administration of President Cristina Fernandez said the multilateral organization suffers of an 'ideological bias' and its recipes only prompted the 'worst social and productive crisis in the history of Argentina'.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:07 UTC
Gibraltar after closer political and cooperation links with Malta

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo met with top officials from Malta this week during a two day visit focused on building links with the island state. The officials included Foreign affairs minister George Vella, Speaker of the Maltese Parliament Angelu Farrugia and Financial Services and Gaming Minister Albert Isola.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:02 UTC
Mas defies Madrid: Catalonia will go ahead with the independence referendum

Catalonia President Artur Mas said he would forge ahead with his region's plans to hold a referendum on independence in November after Spain's parliament overwhelmingly rejected the petition. After a seven-hour debate in Madrid, and despite heavy support for the separatist movement in the wealthy northeastern region, 299 lawmakers voted against, 47 voted for and one abstained.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 05:56 UTC
Argentine unions anticipate massive support and turnout for Thursday's national strike

Argentina will witness on Thursday a new test of political clout and influence between the administration of Argentine president Cristina Fernandez and dissident organized labor, headed by teamster Hugo Moyano who has called for a national strike, anticipating it will have “a resounding massive support and turnout from the Argentine people”.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 05:46 UTC
Pope Francis joins the lynching outbreak debate in Argentina

In a letter addressed to two Argentine humanists living in Sweden, Pope Francis deeply regretted the murder of an 18-year-old who was beat to death by a group of Rosario citizens after he had allegedly stolen a woman’s purse. “The worst that can happen to us is to forget about that scene,” the pontiff said.
Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 05:37 UTC
China has become Latam's banker loaning 102bn dollars from 2005 to 2013

China loaned 102 billion dollars to Latin America between 2005 and 2013, mainly to Venezuela and Argentina, while Mexico seems to be going the same way, according to a release from the Global Economic Governance Initiative which depends from the University of Boston.