Stories for April 2012
Brazil/US discuss military technology transfer as part of defence cooperation
Brazilian Defence Minister Celso Amorim and his visiting US peer Leon Panetta considered an increase in cooperation in many different areas including cyber-security, science and military technology and humanitarian assistance during a bilateral meeting held in Brasilia.
Fitch upgrades rating outlook to positive; warnings about Argentina and inflation
Fitch Ratings revised Uruguay's rating outlook to positive from stable on Tuesday, citing the country's ability to cut external and budget vulnerabilities. However Fitch warns about the deteriorating situation in neighbouring Argentina and inflation.
G-20 membership attracts Chile, but not prepared to replace dissident Argentina
Chilean diplomacy has been active preparing for the next G-20 meeting in Mexico which it plans to attend as a “special guest”, but also because the future could hold an even greater prize if Argentina’s erratic behaviour finally is no longer acceptable for the rest of the group’s members.
Uruguay and Argentina reach agreement on tax information exchange
Uruguay and Argentina agreed to exchange tax data in a deal that gives Argentine inspectors the power to dig up information on savers with bank accounts in the neighbouring country, officials said on Tuesday.
Repsol says it has invested over 20 billion dollars since taking over YPF in 1999
Spain’s energy corporation Repsol describes as ‘false’ Argentine government allegations that its affiliate YPF “had not invested sufficiently” in its hydrocarbons interests in Argentina.
Vietnam displaces Australia as world’s largest wood chip exporter
Wood chip trade flows in the Pacific Rim have changed substantially the past five years. Vietnam, Chile, Thailand and Uruguay have all been increasing their shipments of chips, while Australia and South Africa have been losing their market share as fibre suppliers to the pulp mills in Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea.
Second incident involving US Defence personnel and prostitutes surfaces in Brazil
Another embarrassing ‘Colombian style’ incident surfaced involving US personnel and prostitutes in Latin America on Tuesday, as US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said that Marines had been punished for allegedly injuring a prostitute in Brazil in December.
Video on Chavez playing bocce to dispel rumours about his health condition
The Venezuelan government on Tuesday broadcast a video of President Hugo Chavez playing the European bowling game of bocce in Cuba in a new effort to quash rumours that he was dying of cancer while out of the country.
Vodafone Group takes over Cable & Wireless for £ 1.04bn cash
Vodafone Group Plc agreed to acquire Cable & Wireless Worldwide Plc for 1.04 billion pounds (1.7 billion dollars) in cash, adding a UK fixed-line network to its mobile-phone system and gaining business customers.
Mad-cow disease case in California dairy farm; first in US in six years
The first US case of mad cow disease in six years has been found in a dairy cow in central California, before it entered the human food chain and posed any threat to consumers, officials said.
