International

• Wednesday, November 4th 2015 - 07:55 UTC

  Moody's bets are on Macri: upgrades Argentina's debt rating to 'stable' from 'negative'

  

  Following the first round of presidential elections in Argentina on Oct. 25, which the ruling party won by a lower-than-expected margin, credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service upgraded on Monday the country's debt rating to “stable” from “negative.”

• Wednesday, November 4th 2015 - 07:18 UTC

  Australia announces construction of new icebreaker and more funds for Antarctic research

  

  The Australian government has provided the first look at Australia's new icebreaker, a ship it says will offer scientists unprecedented and extended access to the Southern Ocean and Antarctica.

• Wednesday, November 4th 2015 - 06:45 UTC

  Falklands lawmaker meets Red Cross chief to discuss identification of Argentine soldiers remains

  

  The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, met on Monday with representatives of the authorities of the United Kingdom and of the Falkland Islands to discuss a process seeking to identify the remains of a number of unidentified Argentine soldiers buried at Darwin cemetery in Falklands/Malvinas Islands.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 12:38 UTC

  Chinese manufacturing contracts for third month running

  

  Chinese manufacturing has contracted for the third month in a row, according to the government's latest factory survey. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a reading of 49.8 for October, unchanged from last month. A figure below 50 indicates that factory activity contracted.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 10:03 UTC

  HSBC profits up following massive cut of jobs and sale of assets

  

  Lower costs from regulatory fines have contributed to higher profits for HSBC. Pre-tax profit at Europe's biggest lender jumped 32% from a year ago in the third quarter, beating analysts' expectations. Profit reached $6.1bn, up from $4.6bn in the same period a year earlier and above forecasts of $5.2bn.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 07:05 UTC

  Australia eliminates knights and dames under the country's honours system

  

  Australia will no longer appoint knights and dames under its honours system, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced, arguing that the titles were “not appropriate” in modern Australia, and that Queen Elizabeth had accepted the cabinet's recommendation to drop them.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 06:29 UTC

  Brazil and EU agree on biosecurity measures for horse sports in RIO 2016 Games

  

  Brazil and the European Union have reportedly settled biosecurity-related arrangements that will allow the passage of sport horses in and out of Rio de Janeiro for next year’s Olympics. However, details of any deal have yet to be posted on website of the Olympic Public Authority in Brazil, or the main Games website, Rio2016.com. Details of the deal are expected to be released this week.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 06:10 UTC

  Baroness Anelay marks Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists

  

  Minister of State of the Foreign Office, Baroness Anelay marks International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists and remembers the threat facing journalists. “A free media plays a vital role in a functioning democracy” said the Baroness in her message.

• Tuesday, November 3rd 2015 - 05:08 UTC

  UN honors journalists killed in the line of duty for 'reporting the truth'

  

  Marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon honoured journalists and media workers who were killed in the line of duty for merely ‘reporting the truth’ and is underscoring the importance of protecting their rights and ensuring they can report freely.

• Monday, November 2nd 2015 - 09:18 UTC

  China's Renmimbi has become world's second most used currency in trade finance

  

  As China establishes itself as the world’s second largest economy and top trading nation, its currency, the renminbi (RMB), is also gaining popularity around the world. According to the People’s Bank of China’s 2015 Renminbi Internationalization Report, the RMB was the world’s 5th most used payment currency, the 2nd most used trade finance currency, and the 6th most traded currency in 2014.