Brazil's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate Wednesday to 10.75% from 10.5%, and left the door open for more rate increases while slowing the pace of the hikes. The move continues the bank's yearlong fight against inflation even as rising interest rates and the poor performance of the country's exporters jeopardize already feeble growth in an election year.
Russia is planning to expand its permanent military presence outside its borders by placing military bases or seeking permission for navy ships to use ports in a number of foreign countries, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday. The list includes Vietnam, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Seychelles, Singapore and several other countries
The booming world fish trade is generating more wealth than ever before, but countries must help small-scale fishers and fish farmers benefit too, says FAO.
Argentina praised some of the “positive and favorable comments” by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank regarding the country’s social and economic agenda, regretting that certain media “downplay” such news.
The total fortune of the 15 wealthiest Argentines has been estimated at 26.85 billion dollars, falling just shy of the 27.679 billion dollars currently in the Central Bank’s foreign reserve account, according to a list of the country’s richest people published recently by the local edition of Forbes magazine.
Income inequality can lead to slower or less sustainable economic growth, while redistribution of income, when measured, does not hurt and can even help an economy, IMF staff found in a research study released on Wednesday. Although the study by IMF economists does not reflect the Fund's official position, it is another sign of a shift in its thinking about income disparity.
The meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS), Permanent Council convened to evaluate the possibility of holding a meeting of ambassadors to address the current political situation in Venezuela, has been postponed after pressure from the Venezuelan Government, said Carlos Ponce, coordinator for the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad).
Minister of Defense Agustín Rossi said Argentina has no conflict hypothesis regarding the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, strongly denying statements from a British newspaper which argued the UK was closely monitoring Argentina's investment in military procurement.
Brazil would like free-trade talks between the European Union and Mercosur to include Argentina, but would be prepared to proceed without its regional ally if an understanding can't be reached on March 7, according to the head of Brazil's farming confederation.
Argentina celebrated on Tuesday 25 February, the Argentine Antarctica Day, which recalls the 110 years of uninterrupted presence of the country in Antarctica and included among the many activities displayed the scientific research cruise of May 2013 in waters adjoining the South Georgia islands.