International

• Friday, January 18th 2013 - 00:20 UTC

  Dengue fastest growing tropical disease; represents ‘pandemic threat’, says WHO

  

  Dengue is the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease and represents a “pandemic threat,” infecting an estimated 50 million people across all continents, the World Health Organization (WHO) said this week.

• Thursday, January 17th 2013 - 23:45 UTC

  European Parliament calls for speeding EU/Mercosur trade negotiations

  

  The European Parliament regretted that negotiations for an association agreement between the European Union and Mercosur remain stalled or have hardly advanced since they officially resumed two years ago.

• Thursday, January 17th 2013 - 15:38 UTC

  Atlantic countries concerned with UK presence in Falklands; call for talks with Argentina

  

  Twenty one countries from South America and Africa strongly supported their commitment to keep the South Atlantic free of arms of massive destruction and expressed concern over the British military presence in the Falklands/Malvinas, which are claimed by Argentina.

• Thursday, January 17th 2013 - 08:26 UTC

  World Bank says global economy remains fragile: forecasts GDP growth at 2.4%

  

  Four years after the onset of the global financial crisis, the worst appears to be over. However, the global economy remains fragile, as high-income countries continue to suffer from volatility and slow growth, says the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects, issued on Wednesday.

• Thursday, January 17th 2013 - 08:18 UTC

  Lifetime speech for Cameron: how much Europe Brits are willing to tolerate

  

  British Prime Minister David Cameron came under renewed pressure to loosen his country's ties with the European Union today, two days ahead of a major speech in which he will spell out plans to renegotiate Britain's membership of the EU.

• Thursday, January 17th 2013 - 00:37 UTC

  Britain’s prized AAA credit rating under ‘significant pressure’; review in March

  

  Britain’s prized AAA credit rating remains under “significant pressure”, the Fitch rating agency warned this week. David Riley, the head of global sovereign ratings at the agency, said Chancellor George Osborne’s admission in last month’s autumn statement that he would miss his 2016 target date for public debt to start falling had been a “negative event” for the UK.

• Wednesday, January 16th 2013 - 06:35 UTC

  Argentina and United Arab Emirates sign nuclear energy agreement

  

  Ministers from Argentina and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a memorandum of understanding on peaceful uses of nuclear energy during the official visit to Abu Dhabi of Argentine president Cristina Fernandez.

• Tuesday, January 15th 2013 - 22:00 UTC

  Cuba admits 51 cholera cases in Havana; travel warnings from UK and US

  

  Cuba's Public Health Ministry on Tuesday acknowledged 51 new cases of cholera in the capital Havana amid growing concerns about the illness' spread and disappointment in the diplomatic community over the government's lack of transparency.

• Tuesday, January 15th 2013 - 02:57 UTC

  UK considers “highly unlikely” Argentine invasion of the Falklands but is taking no chances

  

  The British government considers ‘highly unlikely’ Argentina will attempt to invade the Falkland Islands, according to Defense Minister Andrew Robathan. But the UK is prepared for any outside contingency that might want to interfere with the March referendum on the Falklands’ future.

• Monday, January 14th 2013 - 06:49 UTC

  UK contingency plans to ensure no outside disruptions of Falklands’ March referendum

  

  The United Kingdom defence chiefs have drawn up new contingency plans designed to prevent hostile action by Argentina towards the Falkland Islands, ahead, during or after the March referendum, according to reports presented by English newspaper The Telegraph.