Economy

• Wednesday, December 20th 2017 - 08:48 UTC

  Protecting UK (and Falklands) fisheries in a post Brexit scenario

  

  In the midst of the Brexit debate in the UK, and its expected consequences, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has anticipated EU fishing quotas referred to UK will be scrapped and if things go as planned by the cabinet member, French, Spanish, Danish and other nations fishing fleets will be chased form illegally fishing in UK waters.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2017 - 08:37 UTC

  Despite the violence and protests, Argentina's pension reform bill is passed

  

  Argentina’s president defended a pension reform bill approved by Congress in the early hours of Tuesday that has prompted violent protests and a general strike, saying it seeks only to benefit retirees. The measure passed in the lower house by a 127-117 vote after more than 12 hours of debate, much of which came as demonstrators clashed with police outside the chamber.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 12:50 UTC

  Second chapter of Buenos Aires battle over pension overhaul; 24 hour general strike

  

  Police and protesters clashed on Monday outside Argentina’s Congress as lawmakers debated a proposed pension overhaul that has angered retirees and prompted union leaders to wage a general strike.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 12:48 UTC

  May admits that during the Brexit transition period, UK would still be bound by EU rules

  

  Theresa May has acknowledged that Britain will be unable to implement any new trade deals during a Brexit transition phase, telling MPs that although the country would have left the customs union it would still be bound by its rules.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 12:28 UTC

  Hard Brexit, soft Brexit, and the Irish question

  

  By Gwynne Dyer - Politicians never lie. Well, hardly ever. They're not into full disclosure, as a rule, but they know that if you lie, sooner or later you will be caught out, and then you are in deep trouble. So just change the subject, or answer a different question than the one you were asked, or just keep talking but saying nothing until everybody gets bored and moves on.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 12:06 UTC

  Any UK/EU trade agreement will not include financial services, warns Barnier

  

  The European Union has dashed the British government's hopes of carving out a special arrangement to allow City firms to trade freely in the EU if Britain leaves the single market. Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief Brexit negotiator, said he was not open to a free trade agreement including financial services.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 11:21 UTC

  Markets and investors cheer Piñera, but he faces a determined opposition in Congress

  

  Billionaire conservative Sebastian Piñera will begin a second term as Chile's president in March with a strong mandate after trouncing his center-left opponent in Sunday's election, and local markets soared on hopes of more investor-friendly policies.

• Monday, December 18th 2017 - 13:35 UTC

  Russia again becomes main supplier of oil for Cuban refinery

  

  Venezuela has pulled out of a partnership with Cuba in its Cienfuegos oil refinery and the Caribbean island has taken full ownership of the plant, Cuban state media said. Venezuela is grappling with an economic crisis that already forced it to slash cheap oil shipments to Cuba, which has had a knock-on effect on the island’s ailing economy.

• Monday, December 18th 2017 - 07:16 UTC

  Argentina ready for another attempt to approve the pension reform bill on Monday

  

  The government of Argentina has decided to vote on the pension reform bill on Monday amid speculation that President Mauricio Macri's administration could use a decree to fast-track the legislation.

• Friday, December 15th 2017 - 14:53 UTC

  Brazilian beef exporters expect a record year in 2018: 1.68 million tons

  

  Brazilian beef exporters expect shipments to grow 10% in 2018 after rising an estimated 9% this year despite corruption and food safety scandals that temporarily closed off major markets. Trade group Abiec on Thursday said Brazil, the world’s largest beef exporter, would likely sell 1.68 million tons of beef abroad next year, up from 1.53 million tons in 2017. Revenue is expected to rise about 11% to US$6.9 billion in 2018, after a 13% rise this year to US$6.2 billion.