
Brazil's Roberto Azevedo has won the race to become the next head of the World Trade Organization, the first candidate from Latinamerica and from the BRIC club of emerging economies to take the job.

Pope Francis will visit a favela (slum) and meet young prisoners when he travels to Brazil on his first international trip as pontiff in July, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. The Argentine born pope who has said he wants to make concern for the poor a hallmark of his papacy, will visit the Manguinhos slum in Rio de Janeiro on the fourth day of his July 22-29 trip to the world's largest Catholic country.

China has raised concerns about European Union plans to negotiate an ambitious free trade deal with the United States, fearing it is a protectionist move and at the same time Beijing new administration is doubling efforts towards Latinamerica and Africa.

The International Monetary Fund Director for the Western Hemisphere, Alejandro Werner, warned on Monday about the “negative effect” that the existence of two foreign currency exchange markets and protectionist policies bring to Argentina.

The Buenos Aires media is reporting a potential incident situation in South Georgia waters which could erupt into something more complicated from the moment the Argentine research vessel ‘Eduardo Holmberg’ has been involved in scientific activities in a zone which last year was declared by the UK as a Maritime Protected Area, MPA, and which Argentina does not recognize since it considers it ‘an area in dispute’.

The full squad of competitors representing the Falkland Islands at the upcoming NatWest Island Games taking place in Bermuda from July 13 to 19 has been announced.

The Arctic seas are being made rapidly more acidic by carbon-dioxide emissions, according to a new report. Scientists from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) monitored widespread changes in ocean chemistry in the region.

Paraguay made public in Geneva its support for Mexico’s candidate Herminio Blanco as the next Director General of the World Trade Organization. The other hopeful who reached the final round is from Brazil, Roberto Azevedo. On Tuesday it should be known who will succeed the current head Pascal Lamy as of next September.

“British sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands as such is not accepted by the European Parliament”, according to a visiting delegation of EU lawmakers who met with their Argentine peers in Buenos Aires.

Italy’s news daily “Corriere della Sera” said it will appeal a decision by that country’s court which ruled in favour of Argentine President Cristina Fernández in a “defamation” case involving alleged “luxury” purchases at Bulgari shops in Rome.