Politics

Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 09:29 UTC
Argentina delays bond maturity date from 13 Feb to 30 Sept: “the country will not be held hostage by foreign investors”

Argentina said it won’t make a local bond payment on time after failing to refinance the debt, declaring it won’t be “held hostage” by foreign investors demanding their money back. The maturity date for the note will be delayed to Sept. 30 from the original Feb. 13, the Economy Ministry said in a statement.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 09:28 UTC
Challenging week for the Fernandez administration as the IMF mission arrives in Buenos Aires

A challenging week for the administration of Argentine president Alberto Fernandez and his foreign debt strategy. IMF negotiators land in Buenos Aires this Wednesday for their first mission since Fernandez took office in December. Before agreeing to any changes in the terms, negotiators will want to see Fernandez’s blueprint for tackling more than US$ 320 billion in total debt and for rescuing an economy that’s forecast to shrink for a third straight year.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 09:25 UTC
The Danish central bank experience with record negative interest rate could be coming to an end

Denmark and Switzerland have long shared the world record in negative interest rates, at minus 0.75%. But that may be about to change. Economists at some of the biggest Nordic banks say Denmark, which pegs the krone to the euro, is likely to raise its key rate in the coming months.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 09:19 UTC
Trump has a top Treasury official as candidate for the IMF No. 2 job

President Donald Trump’s administration is considering nominating a top U.S. Treasury official for the No. 2 job at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, according to people familiar with the matter.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:58 UTC
US and German intelligence services had direct access to secret communications from governments

US and German intelligence services raked in the top-secret communications of governments around the world for decades through their hidden control of a top encryption company Crypto AG, US, German and Swiss media reported on Tuesday.
Wednesday, February 12th 2020 - 08:36 UTC
Ex Ecuadorean president and several ministers on trial for accepting millions of dollars in bribes

Former President Rafael Correa went on trial before Ecuador’s highest court starting Monday on charges of campaign finance fraud and accepting millions of dollars in bribes.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 08:01 UTC
Trump plans to slash foreign aid and invest funds to counter threats from China and Russia

President Donald Trump will propose cutting billions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid in his fiscal 2021 budget while seeking an increase in funds to counter developing economic threats from China and Russia, senior administration officials revealed.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:58 UTC
US government wants Canada and Mexico to help ship coal, avoiding west coast states ban

U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said that Canada and Mexico could help export U.S. coal to Asia to get around the blocking of shipments by West Coast states concerned about the impact of the fuel on climate change.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:43 UTC
Scotland taking steps to hold a referendum on independence, First Minister Sturgeon tells Brussels

Scotland is already taking steps to hold a referendum on independence and believes it is a matter of when rather than if the country separates from the rest of Britain, Scotland's First Minister said on Monday.
Tuesday, February 11th 2020 - 07:36 UTC
Political turmoil in Germany: Chancellor Merkel's handpicked successor is quitting

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Chancellor Angela Merkel's protégée and leader of their conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), will not run for chancellor in Germany's federal election next year, a source in her party said on Monday.