Stories for February 14th 2012

Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 22:19 UTC
Euro debt crisis: Moody warns France and Britain’s triple-A rating could be next

Rating agency Moody's announced on Tuesday it had downgraded six European nations including Italy, Spain and Portugal, citing growing risks from Europe's debt crisis, and warned it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, Britain and Austria.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 22:10 UTC
Controversy over Argentine lawmakers doubling their salaries confirms runaway inflation

Argentina’s head of the ruling Victory Front’s bloc in the Lower House Deputy Julián Domínguez labelled those who lashed out against Deputies and Senators for doubling their salaries as “hypocrites”.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:49 UTC
Argentina confirms it has accepted UN mediation offer for the Malvinas dispute

The Argentine government confirmed on Tuesday through a letter sent by Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly President, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, that Argentina had accepted the mediation offer in order to find a pacific solution with the United Kingdom over the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:36 UTC
Dozens arrested and injured in Buenos Aires as Malvinas veterans clash with riot police

Dozens were arrested and injured in downtown Buenos Aires when groups of former Argentine soldiers that fought during the Malvinas war clashed violently with the police demanding to be recognized as full veterans.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:16 UTC
Cristina Fernandez raps business, farmers and unions: Argentina is not Disneyland

Argentine President Cristina Fenandez again full of stamina criticized farmers, business people and workers’ unions, and at the same time called on all sides involved to live in the real Argentina, “not fantasy land, because Argentina is not Disneyland”.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:10 UTC
Cuba must be member of OAS to attend the Americas Summit, says Washington

The US State Department said on Monday that if Cuba wants to participate in the coming Summit of the Americas to be hosted by Colombia, it must first fully integrate to the Organization of American States and guarantee the basic liberties of its citizens.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 21:03 UTC
Republicans promise ‘to kill’ Obama’s budget which raises taxes on the rich

President Barack Obama called on Monday for aggressive spending to boost growth and for higher taxes on the rich, laying out an election-year vision for the US in a budget that was criticized sharply by Republicans for failing to curb the deficit.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 20:57 UTC
S&P and Fitch downgrade Spain’s top banks: Santander and BBVA

Banco Santander SA and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA were among 15 Spain-based financial firms downgraded by Standard & Poor's after the credit-ratings company reduced the nation's grade last month.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 20:51 UTC
New Year or Euro crisis: China’s January exports fall, imports plummet 15.3%

China's exports fell in January the first decline in more than two years, raising fresh concerns about the impact of a global slowdown on its economy. Exports dipped 0.5% from a year earlier hurt by sluggish demand and factories being shut during the Lunar New Year.
Tuesday, February 14th 2012 - 20:46 UTC
C&W Worldwide soars 30% after Vodafone said it was interested in takeover

Vodafone Group, the world's largest mobile operator by revenue, is considering a bid for Britain's Cable & Wireless Worldwide, whose fixed-line network could boost bandwidth for its Internet-hungry customers.