Stories for January 31st 2012

Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:27 UTC
EU agrees permanent rescue fund and 25 member back German budget discipline pact

European leaders agreed on a permanent rescue fund for the Euro zone on Monday and 25 out of 27 EU states backed a German-inspired pact for stricter budget discipline, but they struggled to reconcile fiscal austerity with economic growth.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:24 UTC
Argentine government and organized labour clash in first day of a week of conflicts

The Argentine government as was anticipated by organized labour woke on Monday to the first day of a week of conflicts over salary and work conditions, taking as the leading case for the struggle the Argentine post office and its distribution fleet.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:22 UTC
Brazilian company signs agreement to recover the defunct Cuban sugar industry

Brazilian builder Odebrecht plans to produce sugar in Cuba, the company said on Monday as incentives for foreign investment in the Castro family’s regime raise hopes of a recovery in the once-booming sector after decades of decline.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:17 UTC
The itsy-bitsy tanga and ‘fio dental’ succumbing to bikinis and ‘gordinhas’

The Girl from Ipanema has put on a few kilos and for many sun basking in Brazil’s beaches the country’s iconic itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny tanga just doesn’t suffice anymore.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:13 UTC
On line shopping giant Amazon accused of artificially inflating prices

On line shopping giant Amazon has been accused of artificially inflating prices by banning firms that trade on its website from selling goods more cheaply elsewhere on the internet.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:09 UTC
BAE yards threatened once Royal Navy carriers are delivered in 2018, warn unions

Britain should bring forward orders for a new generation of navy frigates to help BAE Systems bridge a production hiatus that’s threatening its warship-making capabilities and 6.000 engineering jobs, the Unite union revealed.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:04 UTC
Shallow canals and low water levels obstruct Argentina’s main grains terminal

The grounding of two bulk carriers one in the Parana River and a second in the Martin Garcia access canal are evidence of the frail fluvial communications system between the River Plate and the Atlantic, reports the press from the port of Rosario, Argentina’s second largest city and among the world’s main grain export terminals.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 05:01 UTC
One in three workers worldwide unemployed or living in poverty, says ILO

The world faces the “urgent challenge” of creating 600 million productive jobs over the next decade in order to generate sustainable growth and maintain social cohesion, according to the annual report on global employment by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 04:59 UTC
ILO blames Germany’s low-wages policy as contributing to the Euro debt crisis

Germany's persistent policies to push down wages have harmed fellow Euro zone member countries and contributed to the bloc's current debt crisis, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said in Geneva.
Tuesday, January 31st 2012 - 04:54 UTC
Argentine province suspends open-pit gold mining project following protests

Argentine authorities suspended Canadian firm Osisko’s open-pit gold mining project in the north-western province of La Rioja amid grassroots protests and considerations of a possible referendum on the whole project.