Police in Brazil used tear gas, dogs and rubber bullets to scatter protesters against corruption who tried to interrupt Saturday’s Independence Day celebrations including military parades in Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and in dozens of other cities which led to scuffles between marchers and police.
The Group of 20 said on Friday they expect to begin automatically sharing tax information by the end of 2015. The system of information sharing forms part of plans to tackle global tax evasion. In a communiqué published on Friday, G20 leaders said they would take steps to close loopholes that allow legal tax avoidance by big businesses.
Argentina filed two appeals before the New York Appeals Court over the dispute with the so called ‘vulture (hedge) funds’. The presentation was made a few moments before the Friday deadline and in the petition Argentina requests the revision of the 23 August ruling which orders Argentina to make effective the full payment of 1.4bn dollars (full face value of defaulted sovereign bonds plus interests) to the claimants.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos named this week five new ministers to his cabinet of ‘peace and unity’ strengthen his government ahead of presidential elections next year and after heavy criticism of his handling of a protest in the farming sector that turned violent last week.
Australia's opposition has crushed the governing Labour party in a general election that has returned the Liberal-National coalition to power for the first time in six years. The coalition was on course to win 88 seats, compared with 57 for Labour. Liberal leader Tony Abbott said he looked forward to forming a competent and trustworthy government.
Paraguay as full member and in full exercise of that condition does not recognize Venezuela as president or full member of the group, according to a communiqué sent to all of Paraguay’s ministries and overseas representations.
International Labour Organization Director-General Guy Ryder welcomed the recognition by G20 Leaders that more must be done to reduce unemployment, which is hitting record levels in many G20 countries, and to tackle the underemployment that is slowing poverty reduction in many developing and emerging economies.
China’s government may cut the country’s annual growth target to 7% next year, although the actual pace of expansion will be higher, said Fan Jianping, chief economist at a state research institute. The drop would be in line with the goal set in the country’s 2011-2015 five-year plan for annual average expansion of 7%.
The Spanish delegation arrived in Buenos Aires as favourites to host the 2020 Olympics in Madrid. They had top credentials: the future King (Prince Felipe) himself a sports enthusiast; the least demanding and irritating budget, (based on Brazil’s ongoing experience) and ample public opinion support in Spain despite the economic situation and record unemployment.
As part of the policy looking to build closer links between the UK and Chile, particularly in education, the inaugural Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford was involved in a round of conferences and contacts in the South American country.