Stories for February 16th 2010

Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 21:35 UTC
Argentine hake catches down 60% in first 42 days of 2010

Argentine ports received 9,246.4 tons of common hake (Merluccius hubbsi) between January 1 and February 12 this year which is 60% less than the 23,200 tons for the same period a year ago.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 19:56 UTC
Mercosur/EU agreement anticipated for next May at Madrid summit

Mercosur and the European Union could be signing a cooperation and free trade agreement, although not in its final version, next May during the two continents summit in Madrid, according to the Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 19:30 UTC
Argentina demands prior approval for vessels sailing to Falklands

The Argentine government made public Tuesday a decree that requires prior approval for ships sailing between Argentina and the Falkland Islands. The approval will be needed for vessels travelling “or carrying goods directly or indirectly” between the mainland and the Islands, announced cabinet chief Anibal Fernandez during a press conference at Government House.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:27 UTC
Uruguay: New parliament with women leaders in both houses

Women lead the two houses of the new Uruguayan parliament (99 Deputies and 30 Senators), which was sworn in on Monday following on the electoral results of October 29, when the ruling coalition again managed to garner a majority of seats as in 2004.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:20 UTC
Darling defends cautious approach to tackling budget deficit

Chancellor Alistair Darling has defended his approach to tackling the UK's budget deficit. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Darling said he disagreed with economists who had called for more aggressive action to close the deficit.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:17 UTC
Eurostat orders Greece to disclose details of currency swaps

European Union regulators ordered Greece to disclose details of currency swaps after an inquiry by the country’s Finance Ministry uncovered a series of agreements with banks that it may have used to conceal mounting debts.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:12 UTC
Pro-growth, pro-jobs, European Central bank next vice-president

Euro-zone finance ministers meeting Monday in Brussels nominated Portugal’s Vitor Manuel Ribeiro Constancio to become the next vice president of the European Central Bank, improving the chances of Germany’s Axel Weber to take the top job next year.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:10 UTC
Think tank praises UK for not having joined the Euro

Britain's unemployment rate would be twice as high and the recession would have been even deeper if we had joined the euro, a think tank has claimed.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:04 UTC
Euro zone ministers insist Greece must consolidate public finances

Greece could unveil more cost-cutting proposals if its current efforts do not work fast enough, the head of the 16-nation Euro-zone has said. Jean-Claude Juncker said Greece had agreed to outline additional measures in March if necessary.
His comments came following a meeting of Euro-zone finance ministers.
Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 02:02 UTC
Shackleton “Quest” cabin, new show piece for South Georgia Museum

The cabin in which British polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton died aboard his ship “Quest” looks set to become an important new artefact at the South Georgia Museum.