Stories for July 2012
Spain economy shrinks in second quarter; forecasted to contract 1.7% this year
Spain's economy shrank further in the second quarter but looks set to stabilise over the rest of the year while the government continues to push structural reforms and budget austerity, Economy Minister Luis de Guindos said.
OAS fact-finding mission on the Paraguayan situation arrives in Asuncion
The Paraguayan government named a special committee of military, police and diplomatic officials to help avoid possible incidents of violence when the fact-finding delegation from the Organization of American States, arrives in Asuncion.
New World Bank president pledges to help emerging markets keep expanding
Jim Yong Kim, who took over as World Bank president said his first task will be to help emerging markets keep expanding at a time of stress for the world economy.
Rio do Janeiro and its spectacular landscape declared world heritage site
Rio do Janeiro's iconic landscape, marked by soaring granite facades that drop into the ocean and white-sand beaches that go on for miles, is now an official world heritage site.
Gay cruise vessel banned from Casablanca forced to dock in Malaga
The cruise ship “Nieuw Amsterdam” on its present voyage catering to gay clients docked Sunday in Malaga, south of Spain, after Moroccan authorities prohibited it from making its scheduled port of call in Casablanca.
World’s largest brewer takes over Mexico’s Corona-Modelo group for 20.1bn
Anheuser Busch InBev, the world's biggest brewer, is taking over Mexico's Grupo Modelo for 20.1 billion dollars giving it dominance in Latin America's second-largest economy and adding Corona, the top-selling imported beer in the United States, to its brands.
Brazil extends cut breaks on home appliances to help boost consumption
Brazilian government extended domestic tax breaks on home appliances and furniture, emphasizing efforts to help ailing Brazilian industries.
Catholic Church rapidly loosing ground to evangelists in Brazil
Less than two-thirds of Brazilians identify as Catholics, marking a record decline in what is considered to be the world's largest Catholic country, new figures showed Friday.
Brazil’s Vale gets green light for largest ever iron ore mining project
The world's number two mining company, Brazil’s Vale Doce said it received an environmental license to build its biggest-ever iron ore mine, an Amazon region project that holds about one trillion dollars of reserves at current prices.
Gibraltar will never cede “an iota of sovereignty to Spain”, says Picardo
Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo has declared that he will never hand over “a grain of sand, a drop of water or a breath of air to Spain”. In an interview with the Spanish national press agency EFE, in Gibraltar House in London, Picardo regretted the “difficult relations with Spain” but reiterated that he would never cede “an iota of sovereignty to Spain.”
