Stories for June 2011

Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:24 UTC
Parlasur member claims Mercosur summits have become ‘display of empty rhetoric’

Mercosur summits have become a display of empty rhetoric, full of protocol and ‘family photos’ but with no full hearted willingness to achieve a solid, fair integration, claimed the head of the Paraguayan delegation before Parlasur, the Mercosur Parliament.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:19 UTC
Argentina’s soy bean crop will represent 8bn USD in levies for the Treasury

Soy export taxes for the 2010/2011 crop will represent 8 billion US dollars for the Argentine Treasury compared to 6.3bn in the previous season, according to estimates from the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:15 UTC
Central banks must raise interest rates to control inflation, says BIS

Central banks need to start raising interest rates to control inflation and may have to act faster than in the past according to the Bank of International Settlements.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 06:09 UTC
US think-tank says hedge funds are behind “land grabs” in Africa

Hedge funds are behind “land grabs” in Africa to boost their profits in the food and bio-fuel sectors, a US think-tank says. In a report, the Oakland Institute said hedge funds and other foreign firms had acquired large swathes of African land, often without proper contracts. It said the acquisitions had displaced millions of small farmers.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 05:59 UTC
Rioting in Buenos Aires as emblematic football team in relegated to second division

One of the great clubs of South American football, River Plate was relegated on Sunday from the Argentine first division for the first time in their 110-year history triggering clashes between enraged fans and the police that left dozens hospitalized and arrested.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 05:44 UTC
Germany warns Greece: ‘no austerity plans approved, no release of funds’

German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned that a veto of the Greek government's austerity plans by parliament this week could mean Athens will not receive a bailout tranche it needs to remain solvent.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 05:39 UTC
Provincial vote in extreme north and south confirm support for Cristina Fernandez

Provincial voting in the extreme north and extreme south of Argentina confirmed on Sunday support for the administration of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her ‘development model’ to be tested next October when she will be running for re-election.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 05:33 UTC
Sao Paulo celebrates Gay Pride Day with the largest world turnout

Hundreds of thousands of people dancing and wearing costumes packed on Sunday the streets of Sao Paulo, South America's biggest city to celebrate June 26 gay pride day and call for an end to homophobia.
Monday, June 27th 2011 - 05:26 UTC
Three risk rating agencies have Colombia with investment grade

Fitch Ratings raised Colombia to investment grade last week, becoming the third Wall Street agency to elevate the country this year to the coveted status, opening the door to a broader range of investors.
Sunday, June 26th 2011 - 02:51 UTC
Contradictory reports on the health condition of President Chavez

Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Affairs minister Temir Porras said on Saturday President Hugo Chavez was rapidly recovering from surgery and described reports to the contrary published in the Miami press as ‘day dreaming’