International

Thursday, November 29th 2012 - 18:28 UTC
Ocean acidification taking toll of Antarctica marine snails, shows BAS research

The shells of marine snails – known as pteropods – living in the seas around Antarctica are being dissolved by ocean acidification according to a new study published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience. These tiny animals are a valuable food source for fish and birds and play an important role in the oceanic carbon cycle.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 - 13:02 UTC
Post-Sandy, why urgent preparation is needed for storms of the future

By Lord Julian Hunt and Professor Johnny Chan.(*) - The devastation wrought by super-storm Sandy (253 deaths in the Americas and over 50 billion dollars in economic damage and disruption), is prompting renewed thinking about climate change and national security.
Thursday, November 29th 2012 - 06:50 UTC
Cristina Fernandez described Argentina as the ‘counter model’ of IMF and the world’s masters

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner ratified on Wednesday that Argentina will continue to pay all its financial obligations and described as “absolutely unfair” the ruling from Judge Thomas Griesa who favoured the hedge funds to the detriment of 93% of bondholders who joined the 2005 and 2010 debt swaps.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 23:11 UTC
ARA Libertad can’t be impounded according to IMO, says Ambassador Castro

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) certified that the ARA Libertad frigate is a military vessel, therefore, it can not be impounded, Argentina's ambassador to the UK, Alicia Castro, reported.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 21:50 UTC
Chile and Mexico among the best performing members of OECD in next two years

Chile and Mexico will manage to a great extent to avoid the negative prospects from OECD members in the next two years. The half year report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development anticipates a serious weakening of activity in the Euro zone, the US and Japan, but the two OECD Latinamerican members as well as emerging power Brazil will have a contrasting performance.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 20:28 UTC
Argentina faces 65bn dollars in claims; plans to abandon international litigations court

Argentina faces 42 claims at the World Bank’s ICSID in which the plaintiffs are demanding compensations for almost 65 billion dollars, revealed Eduardo Barcesat legal advisor to the Argentine Treasury and one of several lawyers who has defended the country in those litigations.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 18:55 UTC
BP suspended from new contracts with US government

British Petroleum has been temporarily suspended from new contracts with the US government, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said. While it is unclear how long the ban will last, it follows BP's record fine earlier this month over the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 16:42 UTC
EC 37bn Euro check for Spanish banks but 50% of branches must go and hair cut for bond holders

The European Commission gave on Wednesday the go ahead for Spain to overhaul its stricken nationalized banks and opened the door for nearly 40 billion Euros in Euro zone aid to be disbursed, offering hope for an end to Spain's banking crisis.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 16:08 UTC
MP questions lack of “Territory Status” for BOTs in Commonwealth future report

Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell has written to the London representatives of British Overseas Territories to alert them to what he sees as a shortfall in a new report on the future of the Commonwealth.
Wednesday, November 28th 2012 - 05:37 UTC
Fitch downgrades Argentina’s credit rating fearing ‘probable default’

Fitch Ratings agency announced on Tuesday it has downgraded Argentina's long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating from “B” to “CC,” with a negative outlook, as it sees a “probable default” if the country misses its payment to holdout investors.