International

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 20:11 UTC

  UN warn austerity measures and deficit cuts is pushing the world towards disaster

  

  The pursuit of austerity measures and deficit cuts is pushing the world economy towards disaster in a misguided attempt to please global financial markets, the annual report of the United Nations economic think-tank UNCTAD said on Tuesday.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 20:08 UTC

  Swiss central bank puts a cap to the Franc to combat massive overvaluation

  

  The Swiss central bank announced Tuesday a ceiling on the currency by setting an exchange rate minimum against the Euro. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) boldest move states that the exchange rate between the Swiss franc and the Euro must not drop below 1.20 Euros. And if it does, the Swiss bank is prepared to enforce the minimum by selling francs and buying up euros “in unlimited quantities.”

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 16:37 UTC

  International Literacy Day: 793 million adults can neither read nor write

  

  This year’s International Literacy Day, celebrated world-wide on 8 September, will focus on the link between literacy and peace.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 06:31 UTC

  A China/Mercosur trade agreement would be “something extraordinary”

  

  A free trade agreement, (FTA), between China and Mercosur could be “something extraordinary”, said Argentine Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman who next Thursday begins a political and business mission in Beijing.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 06:28 UTC

  European markets plunge on renewed Euro fears and lack of confidence

  

  World shares fell Tuesday morning and the Euro came under pressure following a huge sell-off in Europe as renewed Euro zone debt woes added to already weak confidence in the global economy.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 03:05 UTC

  Argentina’s future closely knit as supplier to China’s growing middle class

  

  The growing Chinese middle class which could reach 500 million people by 2025 will be the great locomotive for commodities demand in the coming decades benefiting countries such as Argentina according to an Asian affairs and trade expert.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 00:49 UTC

  World safer than in aftermath of 9/11, say EU and NATO officials

  

  The world is safer today than in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the United States, with global terror groups weaker than 10 years ago, senior EU and NATO officials said Monday.

• Tuesday, September 6th 2011 - 00:36 UTC

  Central Bank urges EU members to press ahead with financial reforms

  

  The current and incoming head of the European Central Bank demanded that European governments quickly implement a strengthening of a regional bailout fund and press ahead with wider reforms.

• Monday, September 5th 2011 - 05:53 UTC

  Doubts Italy’s divided government can pass measures to cut budget and debt

  

  ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet kept up warnings over Italy's strained public finances telling the struggling centre-right government it must act quickly to reassure nervous markets.

• Monday, September 5th 2011 - 01:18 UTC

  The big questions China still has to answer according to World Bank chief Zoellick

  

  The world’s economic leaders need to “rebalance” their thinking as well as their economies. Fiscal and monetary policies have dominated. That makes sense to a degree: decisions on deficits, debt and the Euro zone this autumn may well determine whether the global economy slides deeper into danger, or begins the long climb back.