WASHINGTON, CMC – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says low-income countries (LICs), including the Caribbean, have “bounced back” in the past two decades.

An analysis in the Washington-based financial institution’s latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) suggests that “dynamic low-income countries are on a stronger economic footing today than before the 1990s, and, therefore, better placed to stay on course.”

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Apr 12, CMC – Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) countries have been urged to take advantage of the standby facility for capacity building under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) that was signed with the European Union in 2008.

Addressing a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) organised Technical Briefing Meeting on the EPA Standby Facility for Capacity Building, Clairvair Squires, said the facility is intended to assist CARIFORUM states by underpinning national institutional capacities

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Nation News - Tensions in the Korean Peninsula must be of concern to all of us even though it is on the other side of the world. So much so that uncharacteristically China, North Korea’s only ally, was forced to speak out. China’s new President Xi Jinping, at an economic forum in Hainan Province, though not calling names, said “no one should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gains”.

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea appeared to ease its stance on North Korea on Thursday by calling for dialogue to help defuse tensions, as its president moved to calm foreign investors whose confidence the North has tried to shake with increasingly belligerent maneuvers.

SEOUL/WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – South Korea said yesterday there was a “very high” probability that North Korea, after weeks of threats of war, would test-launch a medium-range missile at any time as a show of strength. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said South Korea had asked China and Russia to intercede with the North to ease tension that has mounted since the U.N. Security Council imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea after its third nuclear arms test in February. In Washington, U.S.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Guardian - The sudden death of a few fish and 150 or so corbeaux may not seem to be particularly alarming—especially the latter, as they are considered by many to have only nuisance value and are not blessed with the aesthetics of other birds. This may be one reason why the response of the authorities to date suggests they may not be treating the incidents sufficiently seriously.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer - OPPOSITION Leader Andrew Holness has warned Jamaicans to be cautiously optimistic as news emerges that an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) nears. Holness said yesterday that while the IMF agreement is likely to be approved by the end of April, the sentiment in some quarters that Jamaica’s problems were solved has been misguided. "We take note that the originally planned loan sum has increased by US$200-million.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Observer - IN a press briefing yesterday, Governor Brian Wynter expanded on Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) statement released that morning on the foreign exchange market. In the BOJ's press statement, they had noted that the fall in the exchange rate "had occurred in the context of extended negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new borrowing programme, and some uncertainty regarding the extent of the financial support".

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Gleaner - THE GOVERNMENT is beginning to get its critical economic pieces in their place. Last week, Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips tabled an expenditure budget that, taking into the account the effects of inflation, projects spending at more than a fifth less than the previous fiscal year.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Gleaner - The Business Processing Industry Association of Jamaica (BPIAJ) is among several interest groups scheduled to meet with tax administrators at the Ministry of Finance and Planning today to discuss the likely impact the removal of tax incentives could have on their members.

"Yes, we have been invited to a meeting in Kingston," Yoni Epstein, chairman of BPIAJ, told The Gleaner yesterday. "We are working assiduously to prepare our presentation and would prefer not to comment on the matter until we hear what they (the Ministry of Finance) have to say."