Politics

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 17:53 UTC

  General Motors abandons Europe: sells Opel and Vauxhall to Peugeot

  

  United States General Motors is dropping its unprofitable European car business to the French maker of Peugeot, marking the American company's retreat from a major market and raising concerns of job cuts in the region.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 17:41 UTC

  The Economist Argentina summit: Reemerging on the global stage

  

  The Economist’s Argentina Summit taking place in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, 8th March, will bring together more than 200 government and business leaders to evaluate Argentina's progress over the last year and to discuss the country's social, political and economic future in the year ahead.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 17:25 UTC

  Kirchner family in court: Florencia, Maximo and Cristina charged with corruption and money laundering

  

  The two children of Argentine ex president Cristina Fernandez, Florencia and Maximo Kirchner, showed up in court on Monday morning to be questioned on a case involving a family company which owns several hotels and allegedly has been involved in money laundering and unlawful association among other crimes.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 10:47 UTC

  China lowers growth target to 6.5% and pledges to tackle “zombie enterprises”

  

  The Chinese growth target for this year has been cut to around 6.5%, down from 6.5 to 7% last year, Premier Li Keqiang has announced addressing the country's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), which has gathered in Beijing for its annual session. The Chinese economy expanded at its slowest pace in 26 years in 2016.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 10:37 UTC

  Fed says rate hike in March would be “appropriate” if US economy evolves as expected

  

  Federal Reserve chair Janet L. Yellen said a March rate hike would be “appropriate” if the economy continues to evolve as expected, signaling that the central bank will likely raise its benchmark interest rate sooner than many economists and investors had expected just a few weeks ago.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:52 UTC

  Russia displaces Saudi Arabia as world's largest supplier of crude oil

  

  Russia has taken over from Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest supplier of crude oil, according to the Riyadh based Joint Organizations' Data Initiative. Russia pumped 10.49 million barrels a day in December, with Saudi Arabia just behind at 10.46 and the US third at 8.9 million barrels. Iraq came up in fourth place with 5 million barrels.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:43 UTC

  Theresa May sends strong warnings to Scottish government: “UK will not drift apart in post-Brexit”

  

  United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May has warned the Scottish Government that control over policy areas such as fishing and agriculture might not come to Holyrood in the wake of Brexit. PM May said while no powers will be taken away from Scottish ministers as a result of the decision to leave the European Union, responsibilities that transfer back to Britain from Brussels “must sit at the right level to ensure our United Kingdom can operate effectively”.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:33 UTC

  If no post-Brexit deal is reached, 'UK can leave without paying a penny', says Lords' report

  

  Britain can legally walk away from the European Union without paying a penny if there is no post-Brexit agreement, a House of Lords inquiry has concluded. The Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub Committee said the UK would be in a “strong” legal position if the two-year Article 50 withdrawal negotiations ended without a deal.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:19 UTC

  Chancellor warns EU that UK will “fight back” if it does not reach a Brexit deal it wants

  

  Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned the EU that Britain will “fight back” and not “slink off like a wounded animal” if it does not get the Brexit deal it wants. In some of the toughest talking yet ahead of the UK triggering the Article 50 negotiations on terms of withdrawal, the Chancellor said Britain would “do whatever we need to do” to be competitive in the event of leaving the EU without a trade agreement.

• Saturday, March 4th 2017 - 11:47 UTC

  “There are no secret flights” between Falklands and Brazil, says Ambassador Kent

  

  There are no secret flights between Falklands and Brazil, and any landings which have occurred are because of medical or mechanical emergencies, said UK ambassador in Argentina Mark Kent, in fluent Spanish, currently visiting the province of Mendoza on official business and for the grape harvest and wine festival.