International

• Saturday, April 12th 2014 - 08:29 UTC

  Memorial unveiling to commemorate the Battle of the River Plate

  

  With consular representation from New Zealand and Uruguay, survivors of the first major naval battle of the Second World War will gather at Britain's National Memorial Arboretum to unveil a memorial commemorating the event. The Battle of the River Plate took place 75 years ago and less than a dozen veterans are still alive from this, the only episode of the war to take place in South America.

• Saturday, April 12th 2014 - 08:21 UTC

  Atlantic patrol HMS Portland busy in Angola and South Africa

  

  The Plymouth based frigate, HMS Portland currently deployed on South Atlantic tasking reached this week South Africa's Cape Town where she was involved in promoting Britain and in charity activities. Previously she made a short stop in the Angolan capital, Luanda to highlight UK’s relationship with Angola and provide training to Angolan Navy personnel.

• Saturday, April 12th 2014 - 08:06 UTC

  Peruvian president Humala honoured as “Statesman of the Year” in Canada

  

  Peruvian President Ollanta Humala at the end of his three day visit to Canada was honoured in Toronto by the Canadian Council of the Americas with the “Statesman of the Year” annual award. On thanking the award President Humala said that Peru during this year is expected to expand over 5.5% while investment is set to increase by 8%.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 22:06 UTC

  Greece returns strongly to the bond market with a 3-billion Euro issue at 4.95%

  

  Two years after it nearly crashed out of the Euro zone, Greece returned to the bond market this week with yield-hungry investors rushing to buy its debt in a 3-billion Euro deal that could mark the beginning of the end of its bailout. Athens offered a yield of just 4.95% to sell five-year bonds, the second lowest borrowing costs for a bailed-out Euro zone state returning to market.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 22:01 UTC

  Olympic Committee top official sent to Rio to tackle delays in the 2016 Games

  

  The International Olympic Committee is sending its executive director Gilbert Felli to Brazil next week as part of a series of emergency measures to tackle the delays threatening the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. The announcement was made by IOC president Thomas Bach.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 12:19 UTC

  Coins to celebrate South Georgia's Grytviken Church centenary

  

  The Treasury of South Georgia & The South Sandwich Islands have issued a new crown which celebrates the centennial of one of the Island group’s most well-known and recognized landmarks: the Grytviken Church.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 04:31 UTC

  China's foreign trade falls sharply in March confirming economy's slowdown

  

  China's exports and imports fell sharply in March, adding to recent indicators pointing to a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy. The country's exports fell by 6.6% in March when compared with the previous year, while imports dropped by 11.3% in the same month, when compared with the same time last year.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 04:27 UTC

  Japan/Australia trade agreement cracks tariffs on frozen and chilled beef

  

  United States beef shipments to Japan may drop after the largest Asian buyer inked this week a deal with Australia to begin reducing import tariffs as early as next year, the Japanese agriculture ministry said.

• Friday, April 11th 2014 - 04:22 UTC

  Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged as UK recovery picks up

  

  UK interest rates have been held at their record low of 0.5% for another month by the Bank of England. On Thursday the Bank also kept the size of its bond-buying stimulus program unaltered at £375bn. No changes had been expected to either rates or the bond-buying measure, despite recent evidence that the UK economy is continuing to recover.

• Thursday, April 10th 2014 - 06:22 UTC

  Venezuela invites Cardinal Parolin to become “mediator of good will”

  

  The Venezuelan government formally invited today the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to join the exploratory talks with the opposition as “mediator of good will” in order to find a solution to the violent situation in the country.