US agricultural giant Monsanto Tuesday posted a large increase in quarterly earnings on strong results in corn seed sales in the US and Latin America and better sales of pesticides. The St Louis-based corporation said net income for the first quarter was 339 million dollars, up from 126 million a year earlier.
The frigate ARA Libertad is already in Argentine waters and is scheduled to arrive Wednesday to the port of Mar del Plata, escorted by dozens of yachts and other vessels, to a huge reception ceremony headed by President Cristina Fernandez, ministers and top officials.
The Bermuda flagged “Star Princess” called on Monday at the Argentine Patagonia port of Puerto Madryn with over 2.400 passengers and 1.200 crew members. This is the second time in the current season the 290 metres long cruise vessel docks in Puerto Madryn and the first this year, reports the local media.
The Argentine government confirmed on Monday that President Cristina Fernandez would be flying on Thursday to Cuba to visit her Venezuelan peer Hugo Chavez, fighting for his life after a fourth cancer surgery with complications, and on the day which he should be taking office after October’s re-re-election.
The Argentine government issued a statement in response to a recent piece published on the British tabloid “The Sun”, and assured that President Cristina Fernández will fly in a private plane on her next tour to avoid a potential impounding of the official presidential plane by vulture funds.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry rejected the recent “military threats” coming from British Prime Minister David Cameron in relation to the UK’s “illegal occupation of the Falklands/Malvinas Islands” that began 180 years ago.
Argentina’s worldwide court battles against the hedge funds which did not accept the restructuring of its defaulted debt and are after the country’s assets, has gained another ally, the president of the World Economic Forum, (WEF) Klaus Schwab.
Argentina’s Civil and Commercial Court decided to lift the January judicial recess as requested by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez and also granted the cautionary measure appeal to the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) that blocks the presidential decree over the taking over of La Rural grounds in Palermo neighbourhood.
Argentina is among the world’s countries which experienced the highest inflation in the last five years based on average data from the country’s private consultants and the IMF. The double digit inflation was estimated at 21.3%, an approximate average for the 2008/2012 period, and compiled by IERAL an Argentine business think-tank.
In a full page advert published exclusively in Friday’s Buenos Aires Herald, in English and Spanish, leading British tabloid The Sun admonishes President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner with a “Hands off!” from the Falkland Islands, in response to the Argentine president’s letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, published on Wednesday in several British dailies.