
Brazilian companies are moving into Africa amid a government drive to build closer economic ties with the continent. A year ago Vale, the Brazilian mining giant, exported its first overseas coal shipment from Mozambique.

Global meat production rose to 297 million tons in 2011, an increase of 0.8% over 2010 levels, and is projected to reach 302 million tons by the end of 2012, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute.

While the mantle of the world largest beef exporting nation has traditionally been a three-way race between Australia, Brazil and the US, 2012 has seen India race ahead of the pack, with expectations for Indian beef exports to grow again in 2013.

Milton Keynes North MP Mark Lancaster will be in the Falkland Islands for Remembrance Sunday as the British Government’s representative. HRH the Duke of Kent will also be attending the ceremonies.

Mexican economist Alejandro Werner was named on Tuesday to the position of IMF Director, Western Hemisphere Department. His appointment will become effective early in January 2013. Mr. Werner succeeds Mr. Nicolas Eyzáguirre, who resigned effective July 26, 2012.

International tourist arrivals grew by 4% between January and August 2012 compared to the same period of 2011 according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. The resilience of international tourism in a continuing uncertain economy is further confirmed by the positive data on tourism earnings and expenditure.

New Zealand scientists have made a world first discovery when they identified two skeletons belonging to the spade-toothed beaked whale, which is so rare that nobody has seen one alive. A 17-foot whale mother and her calf beached themselves in New Zealand in 2010 and were buried misidentified for a much more common type of whale that occasionally strands on NZ beaches.

Argentina will use all legal means to defend its position against a US court ruling that would force the country to repay creditors who sued to collect on defaulted Argentine bonds, Economy Minister Hernan Lorenzino reiterated in Mexico.

The world's leading economies gave themselves a bit more space on Monday to meet targets for cutting budget deficits rather than risk worsening a slowdown in many countries, chief among them the United States.

A Ghanaian court authorized on Monday to have Argentina’s ARA Libertad navy training frigate, impounded over a lawsuit filed by a US based fund, removed from Tema’s commercial port to another local pier in order to liberate space that’s crucial for the in and out of cargo liners.