Politics

• Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:04 UTC

  Mexico breaks 75-year myth: opens energy sector to private and foreign investment

  

  Mexico's Congress approved on Thursday early morning a historic energy reform aimed at luring foreign investment and ending the state's 75-year-old oil monopoly following a heated debate. After a marathon session that lasted nearly 24 hours, the lower house voted 353 to 134 for the legislation championed by President Enrique Peña Nieto, one day after it passed the Senate.

• Friday, December 13th 2013 - 09:01 UTC

  Congress and White House agree on budget bill which should end clashes

  

  The US House of Representatives has approved a two-year federal budget bill in a strong showing of cross-party support, further avoiding the specter of another government shutdown. The measure, written by the Republican and Democratic heads of the House and Senate budget committees respectively, was approved by a 332-94 vote.

• Friday, December 13th 2013 - 08:52 UTC

  FAO food price index in November unchanged: dairy up 23% over a year ago

  

  The FAO Food Price Index averaged 206.3 points in November 2013, almost unchanged from the revised value of 206.6 points in October, but 9.5 points (4.4%) below its November 2012 value. A sharp decline in sugar prices last month nearly offset the rise in oils. Cereals averaged slightly lower but meat and dairy values were stable.

• Friday, December 13th 2013 - 08:47 UTC

  Keeping up with inflation in Argentina: after calming police, who's next in the queue

  

  Police protests and widespread looting in 19 of the 24 Argentine provinces has, in a few weeks, shattered expectations about the new cabinet of President Cristina Fernandez and a stabilization of the economy, since as can be anticipated government employees and unions will be demanding similar conditions as their blue uniformed colleagues to keep up to date with inflation, running at an annualized 26% according to the November reading.

• Thursday, December 12th 2013 - 21:16 UTC

  Foreign Office updates Parliament on major UK/Overseas Territories conference

  

  The commitment of the governments of the Overseas Territories and the UK to continue to work together in partnership was underlined by Foreign Office minister Mark Simmonds MP when he updated Parliament on the outcome of this year’s Joint Ministerial Council, which was attended by leaders from eleven OTs including the Falkland Islands.

• Thursday, December 12th 2013 - 06:54 UTC

  EU admits difficulties and requests Mercosur to delay the exchange of tariff proposals

  

  The European Union has formally requested that the exchange of tariff proposals with Mercosur for the creation of a cooperation and free trade zone, originally scheduled for next week, be delayed until 2014. The message was received by the Brazilian delegation at the recent WTO Bali discussions.

• Thursday, December 12th 2013 - 06:39 UTC

  London conference on Pacific Alliance; UK granted observer status

  

  Over 150 representatives of British companies and businesses attended the conference on the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico) organized by the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Financial Times. The Alliance is considered one of the newest and most promising political and economic blocks is emerging from Latin America.

• Thursday, December 12th 2013 - 06:33 UTC

  Latam forecasted to expand 3.2% in 2014 after a 2.6% this year, says Eclac

  

  The economies of Latin America and the Caribbean will expand by 3.2% in 2014, which is higher than the 2.6% for 2013, according to the latest report from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, launched on Wednesday in Santiago, Chile.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 23:17 UTC

  Argentina will unveil new inflation and GDP stats in February and March

  

  Argentina will unveil its new consumer price index (CPI) in February and a revised GDP index in March, Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich announced. The dates effectively comply with the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that had extended a deadline for Argentina to improve the quality of its economic data.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 22:56 UTC

  The humble Pope Francis named “Person of the Year” by Time magazine

  

  Time magazine named Pope Francis as its Person of the Year on Wednesday, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church while capturing the “imaginations of millions” who had become disillusioned with the Vatican.