Politics

• Saturday, January 26th 2013 - 20:44 UTC

  Mercosur/Paraguay controversy reaches EU/CELAC summit in Chile

  

  Chile confirmed that Paraguay finally decided not to attend the EU/CELAC summit in Chile putting an end to a controversy when it emerged that several Mercosur and Unasur members insisted that the landlocked country should not be invited.

• Saturday, January 26th 2013 - 19:01 UTC

  EU27/CELAC trade experienced sharp decline in 2009 with strong recovery since

  

  The European Union27 international trade in goods with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, (CELAC), has been characterised in recent years by steady growth between 2003 and 2008, a sharp decline in 2009 and a strong recovery since then.

• Saturday, January 26th 2013 - 04:10 UTC

  Chancellor Osborne will ‘not run away’ from UK economic woes despite triple-dip recession signals

  

  Chancellor George Osborne has vowed not to “run away” from Britain's economic woes amid fresh signs the UK is heading for an unprecedented triple dip recession. The first official estimate from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the economy shrank by 0.3% between October and December, slamming the recovery into reverse after the 0.9% growth seen in the previous quarter.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 17:48 UTC

  Argentina easing imports’ restrictions mainly for Mercosur associates

  

  The government of President Cristina Fernandez has decided to revoke non-automatic licensing requirements which had been placed on certain products before they could be imported into Argentina for consumption, according to a resolution published Friday on the Official Gazette. But earlier in the week Argentina increased the import tariff on a hundred products to the maximum authorized by WTO, which is 35%.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 15:24 UTC

  Falklands to host Commonwealth lawmakers’ conference: ‘self determination and devolution’ in agenda

  

  The Falkland Islands will be hosting the 43rd British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) from the 11th to 15th February 2013. This is the second time BIMR holds its annual conference in the Falklands, last time was in February 2004.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 07:39 UTC

  Global economic rebound in 2014 following on a weakened 2013, says IMF

  

  An unexpectedly stubborn Euro zone recession and weakness in Japan will weigh on global economic growth this year before a rebound in 2014 that should deliver the fastest expansion since 2010, according to the International Monetary Fund.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 07:34 UTC

  Brazil development bank plans to invest almost a trillion dollars in next three years

  

  Brazil’s Social and Economic Development Bank (BNDES) has plans to invest 1.858 trillion Reais (approx 906bn dollars) between 2013 and 2016. In 2012, total investments amounted to approximately 156 billion Reais, up 12% compared to 2011, and a total of 2.394 trillion Reais was invested between 2008 and 2012.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 06:34 UTC

  Cameron at Davos called for a more competitive, open and flexible Europe

  

  British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted on Thursday he was not turning his back on Europe as the global elite at the annual Davos meeting gave his referendum plans a frosty reception.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 05:01 UTC

  Gibraltar Chief Minister Picardo met President Obama during his inauguration

  

  Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo had the opportunity to meet the President of the United States Barrack Obama during his five-day visit to Washington, No 6 said on Wednesday.

• Friday, January 25th 2013 - 04:54 UTC

  Germany, France and nine other EU countries approved tax on financial transactions

  

  France, Germany and nine other European Union states side-stepped British opposition this week and won approval for a tax on financial transactions, it emerged on Wednesday.