
Thousands took to the streets of the Brazilian capital to march against corruption on the country’s Independence Day, along the same avenue where the main military parade took place on Friday.

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim announced the appointment of Indian national Kaushik Basu as the institution’s new Chief Economist and Senior Vice President.

Spain’s Foreign Minister issued a clear threat to Gibraltar in the latest salvo of words in the fishing dispute. Jose Manuel García-Margallo said Gibraltar’s stance in the row would lead to repercussions in other areas affecting the Rock.

Chancellor Angela Merkel defended the European Central Bank on Friday after its plan to buy the debt of troubled Euro zone states stirred outrage in Germany and threats from some in her own party to try and block the scheme.

Europe's trade chief threatened to take Russia to the World Trade Organization over a string of restrictive practices, saying Moscow needed to play by the rules now it was a member of the global body.

US President Barack Obama said on Friday the labour market is not hiring workers fast enough, following the release of a government report that showed weaker-than-expected employment figures.

Cuba's failure to encourage more foreign investment is crippling its economic performance and putting its goal of sustainable growth in danger unless changes are made, local experts and diplomats said this week.

Bolivia will begin the coming year formal talks for full membership of Mercosur, for which it has the support from Uruguay, said diplomatic sources from both countries, Bolivian Deputy Foreign minister Juan Carlos Alurralde met with his Uruguayan counterpart Roberto Conde in the framework of the “Bolivia-Uruguay coordination and consultation mechanism” sixth meeting in La Paz.

The Argentine government is further tightening the US dollar clamp. On Thursday the Central bank announced that state-run banks and agencies will be the only ones officially allowed to operate foreign currency exchange offices in airports and ports.

In the light of the referendum on the political future of the Falkland Islands scheduled for March 2013, Islander Eric Goss this week provided Penguin News with historical information relating to a Sovereignty Survey conducted in 1986 that revealed a 94.5% cent vote by Islanders in favour of British sovereignty.