International
InternationalIMF evaluates the spill-over impact of China’s growth for the rest of the world
Economic data suggest that a 1 percentage point increase in China’s growth rate sustained over five years means an extra 0.4 percentage point of growth for the rest of the world, two experts at the International Monetary Fund said after studying figures for the past two decades.
Falklands invites C-24 president to “balance” recent visit to Argentina
The Falkland Islands government has officially extended an invitation to the chairman of the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization Ambassador (C 24), Donatus Keith St. Aimee to visit the South Atlantic Islands with the purpose of ‘balancing’ a recent similar invitation from Argentina and to defend the Falklands’ people right to exercise self-determination.
Russia’s Putin says Assange arrest shows the West has problems with democracy
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has said the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange shows the West has its own problems with democracy.
Parmalat Calisto Tanzi sentenced to 18 years in prison for 18.6 billion bankruptcy
The founder of Italian dairy food company Parmalat, Calisto Tanzi, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the company's collapse seven years ago. Parmalat buckled in December 2003 under a18.6 billion US dollars hole in its accounts.
One in four admit having paid bribes last year, says Transparency International
Corruption has increased over the last three years, say six out of 10 people around the world, and one in four people report paying bribes in the last year. These are the findings of the 2010 Global Corruption Barometer, a worldwide public opinion survey on corruption, released on International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December, by Transparency International (TI).
Moody’s rates Uruguay just below ‘investment grade’ but next step 'distant'
Moody's Investors risk Service raised the sovereign foreign currency credit rating for Mercosur member Uruguay by two notches to Ba1 from Ba3 on Wednesday, leaving it just below investment grade, citing improved debt and fiscal indicators.
UK Treasury increases bank levies, ‘fair contribution to the public coffers’
The United Kingdom Treasury has raised the rate it will impose on banks under its new levy in 2011 and 2012. The Treasury said in draft legislation for the Finance Bill 2011 that the levy for 2011 will be 0.05% of total liabilities rather than the 0.04% announced in June. The levy for 2012 will rise to 0.075% instead of the previously proposed plan levy of 0.07%.
Bank of England decision on further liquidity injection expected for February
The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted Thursday to hold the base interest rate at its record low of 0.5%. As expected, the Bank did not extend its £200 billion program of quantitative easing and is not expected to make a decision on whether to follow the US Federal reserve with a second bout of economy boosting bond-buying – or QE2 – until February.
Foreign Secretary lays out policy to help Commonwealth achieve its potential
British Foreign Secretary William Hague laid a statement in Parliament on how the UK plans to reinvigorate the Commonwealth with a vision to strengthen the Commonwealth as “a focus for promoting democratic values and development”.
“Mario (Vargas Llosa) the only thing you’re good for is writing”
In his acceptance speech as winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, entitled “In Praise of Reading and Fiction”, (*) Peruvian writer Vargas Llosa paid tribute to his mother, his grandfather Pedro and his uncle Lucho.
