International

• Wednesday, October 8th 2014 - 03:58 UTC

  Inventors of new energy efficient LED light bulbs, awarded Nobel for Physics

  

  An American of Japanese origin and two Japanese scientists won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics on Tuesday for inventing a new energy-efficient and environment-friendly light source, leading to the creation of modern LED light bulbs.

• Wednesday, October 8th 2014 - 03:50 UTC

  Brazilian and Chinese banks support for Argentina in bonds litigation confirmed

  

  Brazil’s PTG Pactual Bank and the China Construction Bank are at the forefront of the initiative to buy up the 1.6 billion dollars of debt which Argentina owes “holdouts” NML-Elliott and Aurelius, according to a report from Buenos Aires Ambito Financiero, the country's leading financial newspaper.

• Wednesday, October 8th 2014 - 03:46 UTC

  World Bank supports Argentina, favors institutional frame for 'holdouts'

  

  World Bank Chief Economist for Latin America and the Caribbean Augusto De la Torre has said the ongoing conflict between Argentina and holdout creditors is due to the “lack of international debt regulation frames”, and favored Argentina's initiative in the UN to “solve the situation.”

• Wednesday, October 8th 2014 - 03:43 UTC

  IMF lowers Latam growth forecasts: declining exports and domestic constraints

  

  The International Monetary Fund cut its global economic growth forecasts for the third time this year, warning of weaker growth in core Euro zone countries, Japan and big emerging markets like Brazil.

• Wednesday, October 8th 2014 - 03:40 UTC

  Ebola outbreak threatens Africa with dramatic consequences, says IMF

  

  Saharan Africa's economic growth remains strong and should accelerate to 5.8% in 2015 but if the Ebola outbreak in its western corner is protracted or spreads it will have “dramatic consequences” for that zone, the IMF said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, October 7th 2014 - 22:08 UTC

  Enhancing safe navigation in polar waters

  

  The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and the International Association for Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), in cooperation with Lindblad Expeditions, have found a way for cruise operators to share years of depth soundings from the Arctic and Antarctica.

• Tuesday, October 7th 2014 - 19:45 UTC

  Matthew Rycroft has been appointed as UK Permanent Representative to UN

  

  Matthew Rycroft CBE has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York in succession to Sir Mark Lyall-Grant KCMG, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Rycroft will take up his appointment during April 2015.

• Tuesday, October 7th 2014 - 06:16 UTC

  Ambassador Castro criticizes 'holdouts' and thanks UK unions' support for Argentina

  

  Argentine ambassador in the United Kingdom, Alicia Castro has fiercely criticized the conduct of holdout investors and thanked UK unions for their support in the dispute with 'vulture funds', during an address to the British umbrella trade union UNITE.

• Tuesday, October 7th 2014 - 06:04 UTC

  IMF urges changes in sovereign bonds' contracts, following Argentina's case

  

  The International Monetary Fund on Monday urged changes in sovereign bond contracts as Argentina remained mired in a US court battle with holdouts or “vulture funds” years after its massive debt restructuring.

• Monday, October 6th 2014 - 18:10 UTC

  UK protests incursion of Gibraltar waters by Spanish research vessel

  

  The Foreign Office reacted strongly to the 5 October 2014 serious incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) by a Spanish state research vessel. In response to the incident, the Minister for Europe, the Rt Hon David Lidington MP, earlier called Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Gonzalo de Benito to express his grave concern.