
China's inflation rate remained subdued in January, despite rising food prices during the New Year celebrations. Consumer prices held steady at 2.5% from a year earlier, which was slightly higher than many economists expected.

The much delayed Mercosur summit, originally scheduled for last December could take place in March, according to Paraguay's foreign minister Eladio Loizaga who this week visited his Venezuelan peer Elías Jaua. Venezuela currently holds the Mercosur rotating chair and will be hosting the event when (and if) it finally takes place.

French oil giant Total will be drilling its first well in Uruguay's continental shelf in October 2015, announced the president of the country's oil and gas government owned company ANCAP. Jose Coya also revealed that the company he leads is working on the third Uruguay Round which will implement in the last quarter of next year.

Pravda, Russia’s political newspaper associated with the Communist Party, welcomed Gibraltar into UEFA’s family in an article publish online on Thursday.

At the Annual General Meeting of UKOTA (United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association) held on Wednesday, Gibraltar was elected Chair of UKOTA. Albert Poggio the Gibraltar Government’s United Kingdom Representative, will represent Gibraltar in this role.

Next Tuesday February 25th the Falkland Islands governor Nigel Haywood and Mrs. Haywood will be returning to London at the end of tour of duty. In April Colin Roberts CVO will take his appointment as Governor of the Falklands and Commissioner of South Georgia and South Sandwich. Governor Haywood took office in October 2010.

The Colombian government and FARC guerrilla negotiators said that they had made progress toward an agreement on combating illegal drug trafficking, a sign that peace talks were making headway before elections.

The Argentine government has condemned what it terms clear efforts of destabilization in Venezuela, following Wednesday's clashes which left three dead and dozens injured on the streets of Caracas.

Argentine President Cristina Fernández attended on Thursday evening the Favaloro Foundation Hospital in Buenos Aires for a medical check-up, including a brain scan and an electrocardiogram which were described as satisfactory.

The Argentine Foreign Ministry denied in a statement released on Thursday that Buenos Aires sea port authorities threatened Bermuda registered 'Queen Victoria' Cunard cruise ship with hefty fines if it did not lower its “red duster” flag, the ensign for the United Kingdom merchant vessels.