Economy

• Wednesday, December 12th 2018 - 06:37 UTC

  Mexico to invest US$ 30bn in the “Central American conundrum” and improve migration relations with US

  

  Mexico will invest more than US$ 30 billion in its poor southern states over the next five years, the foreign minister said, boosting the region economically as part of efforts to curb migration. Under pressure from the United States, Mexico is grappling to halt the northward flow of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America.

• Wednesday, December 12th 2018 - 06:28 UTC

  Ex PM John Major calls to revoke Brexit and involving parliament and people in “a serious reflection”

  

  Britain must revoke its notice to quit the European Union with immediate effect to allow for “serious and profound reflection” by both parliament and the people, former Prime Minister John Major said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, December 11th 2018 - 08:35 UTC

  French president yields to weeks of protests and rolls back most reforms

  

  French president Emmanuel Macron has promised a minimum wage rise and tax concessions in response to weeks of violent protests. France has seen four weekends of violent protests against fuel tax rises, living costs and other issues. Speaking in a televised address, Mr. Macron condemned the violence but said the protesters' anger was “deep, and in many ways legitimate”.

• Monday, December 10th 2018 - 06:02 UTC

  Mrs. May expected to lose the Tuesday vote on her Brexit deal, but will stay on

  

  Commons vote on Tuesday will not be delayed, the Brexit Secretary has said, amid growing calls for the PM to go back to Brussels to renegotiate. Stephen Barclay also said Theresa May could stay in post if, as expected, MPs reject her Brexit plan.

• Monday, December 10th 2018 - 05:51 UTC

  US/China trade negotiations have a deadline: March first, says Lighthizer

  

  U.S.-China trade negotiations need to reach a successful end by March 1 or new tariffs will be imposed, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Sunday, clarifying there is a “hard deadline” after a week of seeming confusion among President Donald Trump and his advisers.

• Monday, December 10th 2018 - 05:38 UTC

  Brazil incoming energy minister favors nuclear and wind power; “hydro has reached its limit”

  

  Brazil’s incoming mines and energy minister, Bento Albuquerque, supports more nuclear and wind power development to diversify the country’s energy matrix, while saying hydropower had reached its limit, newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported.

• Monday, December 10th 2018 - 05:30 UTC

  Ecuador expects to renegotiate debt with China; president off to Beijing

  

  Ecuador plans to renegotiate the terms of its debt to China, President Lenin Moreno said ahead of a trip to Beijing, adding that a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for additional financing was possible.

• Saturday, December 8th 2018 - 09:22 UTC

  The idea of a “Norway plus” plan is floated ahead of Tuesday's Brexit vote

  

  The UK should pursue the so-called “Norway plus” option - if Theresa May's Brexit plan is rejected by MPs on Tuesday, according to Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd. In an interview with The Times, Ms Rudd said she still supported the PM's plan - but added a variation of Norway's set-up was the best alternative.

• Friday, December 7th 2018 - 02:32 UTC

  Venezuela, Russia sign bilateral cooperation agreements in Moscow

  

  Venezuelan ruler Nicolás Maduro Thursday announced he had signed a series of bilateral agreements during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The cooperation accords are on mining, oil, telecommunications, weapons and food.

• Thursday, December 6th 2018 - 09:38 UTC

  Commons debate to be focused on Brexit's economic effects

  

  Brexit's economic effects will be the focus of a Commons debate later, as government whips work behind the scenes to gain support for Theresa May's deal. Ministers will say it creates a unique partnership with the EU, while Labour argues it will make people poorer.