International

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 07:04 UTC

  OECD warns global economy is threatened by a new low-growth era

  

  A widespread slowdown in global economic productivity is threatening to usher in a new low-growth era, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 06:21 UTC

  YPF and Repsol are expected to sign a compensation deal next week

  

  Spanish oil major Repsol said Friday that, as part of a preliminary compensation deal struck last year with the Argentine government for the seizure of its former unit, YPF, it will take a charge of 1.28 billion Euros (1.76 billion dollars) on its 2013 earnings.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 06:06 UTC

  Dilma invites the pope to the World Cup and presents him with a 'verde-amarella' jersey

  

  Pope Francis received Friday in a private audience Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who formally invited the Argentine pontiff to visit her country during the World Cup soccer championship, which begins June 12.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 10:02 UTC

  Barcelona charged with tax fraud when the purchase of Brazil's forward Neymar

  

  Barcelona have been charged by a Spanish court with committing tax fraud in the signing of Brazil forward Neymar last year in the latest twist to a saga that has already claimed the scalp of the club president.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 07:41 UTC

  HMS Portland involved in anti-narcotics training with the Cape Verde Coast Guard

  

  On her way to South Africa and the South Atlantic islands of Falklands and South Georgia, the Royal Navy's Atlantic patrol HMS Portland after a brief stop at the port of Mindelo sailed back out to sea with a boarding team from Cape Verde embarked.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 07:30 UTC

  Chancellor Osborne warns UK recovery 'is not yet secure' despite recent growth surge

  

  UK Chancellor George Osborne said next month’s Budget will continue to confront Britain’s problems as he cautioned the recovery was “not yet secure” despite a recent surge in growth.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 07:22 UTC

  Independence debate heats up: Scotland will be able to issue its own investment bonds

  

  The Scottish government will be given power to issue its own investment bonds, UK ministers have announced. The move will give the Holyrood administration an extra source of financing when it gets new borrowing powers, in 2015. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander called the move “historic”.

• Friday, February 21st 2014 - 07:15 UTC

  Chinese flair for France's second largest automobile group, PSA Peugeot-Citroen

  

  Struggling French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen has sealed a long-awaited rescue deal that will see its founding family cede control of the company. China's Dongfeng Motors and the French government will each invest about 800m Euros in return for 14% stakes. Another 1.4bn Euros will be raised from existing investors in Peugeot.

• Thursday, February 20th 2014 - 04:18 UTC

  IMF concerned with risks in emerging markets from pulling back stimulus too quickly

  

  Advanced economies, including the United States, must avoid pulling back stimulus too quickly given the weak global economic recovery and recent market volatility highlights key risks in some emerging markets, the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday.

• Thursday, February 20th 2014 - 04:11 UTC

  North American partners meet to celebrate NAFTA 20 years, but the agenda has many frictions

  

  US President Barack Obama joined the Mexican and Canadian leaders Wednesday for a North American summit focused on trade but marked by friction between the “three amigos”. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto shook hands with Obama in an ornate state government palace in Toluca, near Mexico City, for private one-on-one talks before Prime Minister Stephen Harper joined them later.