Politics

Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 08:14 UTC
Spain facing its worst political storm in forty years: fears of social unrest in Catalonia

Spain’s political showdown with Catalonia is set to reach a new level on Thursday when political leaders in Madrid and Barcelona are expected to make good on pledges made to their supporters to stick to their tough positions over the region’s future.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 08:03 UTC
WHO meeting in Uruguay agree on a Montevideo Roadmap for NCDs

Heads of State and Government and ministers from around the world meeting in Uruguay committed to new and bold action to reduce suffering and death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), primarily heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes, the world’s leading killers.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:52 UTC
Election campaign suspended in Argentina following discovery of a body presumed to be missing protestor

Major parties running in Sunday’s mid-term congressional election in Argentina suspended their campaigns on Wednesday after a body, thought to be that of a young protester who went missing more than two months ago, was found in a river.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:47 UTC
Judges order arrest of a key official from Cristina Fernandez on alleged fraud

Three Argentine judges ordered that a key official in former President Cristina Fernandez's government be detained as part of a probe into an alleged case of fraud. The request to detain former planning minister and current lawmaker Julio De Vido comes five days before the country's parliamentary elections in which Fernandez is seeking a Senate seat.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:39 UTC
Mercosur/EU trade deal again faces French foot dragging with Irish support

France will propose changing the European Commission’s mandate to negotiate a trade deal with Mercosur bloc to include food safety provisions, its envoy to Brazil said on this week.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:17 UTC
UK banks allegedly involved in helping launder money stolen from South Africa

UK banks may have been used to launder money stolen from South Africa, a former cabinet minister has alleged in a letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond. Labour Lord Peter Hain said a South African whistle-blower had indicated the banks “maybe inadvertently have been conduits for the corrupt proceeds of money”.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 07:13 UTC
UK Creative Industries warn they rely heavily on freelance staff, mainly from EU

The Creative Industries Federation (CIF) said the £87bn a year the sector generated for the economy was at risk if immigration was restricted. The sector relies heavily on freelance staff, many of whom are from the EU, and the CIF is urging the government to negotiate free movement of UK and EU workers for short-term projects.
Thursday, October 19th 2017 - 06:57 UTC
China has entered a “new era” and should “take centre stage in the world”, Xi announces

China has entered a “new era” where it should “take centre stage in the world”, President Xi Jinping says. The country's rapid progress under “socialism with Chinese characteristics” shows there is “a new choice for other countries”, he told the Communist Party congress.
Wednesday, October 18th 2017 - 12:03 UTC
Political spring ahead for Macri, if opinion polls results are confirmed on Sunday

Argentine president Mauricio Macri seems to be in the threshold of a new political spring following on the expected results of next Sunday's midterm election when a third of the Senate seats and half the Lower House, plus several governorships will be on dispute.
Wednesday, October 18th 2017 - 11:56 UTC
UK inflation climbs to 3% in September, mainly because of the fall in sterling

The UK's key inflation rate hit its highest for more than five years in September, driven up by increases in transport and food prices. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) climbed to 3%, a level it last reached in April 2012, and up from 2.9% in August. The pick-up in inflation raises the likelihood of an increase in interest rates - currently 0.25% - next month.