Stories for April 2012

Friday, April 13th 2012 - 07:30 UTC
Obama will not yield on drugs decriminalization and Cuba policies

US President Barack Obama arrives Friday night in Colombia for the sixth Summit of the Americas where he is expected to hang tough on Washington's anti-narcotics and Cuba policies, positions ever-more unpopular in a region drifting away from US dominance.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 07:24 UTC
“Public interest” draft bill taking over 50.01% of YPF in Argentine congress

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez has sent a draft bill to her lawmakers in Congress that would allow the government to take a controlling stake in local oil and gas giant, YPF SA at the expense of its two largest shareholders, newspaper Clarin reported Thursday.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 03:03 UTC
Cristina Fernandez and Obama will hold bilateral meeting in Colombia

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez leaves on Friday for Colombia to attend the two-day sixth Summit of the Americas where she is scheduled to hold a meeting with President Barack Obama on request from the White House, according to the Executive press office in Buenos Aires.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 02:30 UTC
Satellite technology reveals double emperor penguin numbers in Antarctica

A new study using satellite mapping technology reveals there are twice as many emperor penguins in Antarctica than was previously thought. The results provide an important benchmark for monitoring the impact of environmental change on the population of this iconic bird.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 02:24 UTC
Argentina’s March inflation according to private estimates, 2.3%

Argentine opposition lawmakers presented on Thursday March’s inflation index based in the analysis of nine private agencies, which showed a 2.3% increase over the previous month.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 02:22 UTC
Catholic Church expresses concern over corruption and poverty in Argentina

The Argentine Catholic church expressed concern over the “important level of corruption” in the country and warned about the disturbing inequality and extended poverty.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 01:14 UTC
FAO Food price index remained virtually unchanged in March

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 216 points in March 2012, virtually unchanged from 215 points in February. Among the various commodity groups, only oils prices showed strength, compensating for falling dairy quotations, while the indices of cereals, sugar and meat prices were largely unchanged from February’s level
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 00:53 UTC
The remarkable robust 1945 line and the Falkland Islands dispute

By Gwynne Dyer - International human rights campaigner and occasional actor Sean Penn, whose well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize continues to be delayed for mysterious reasons, was the first famous foreigner to lend his support to the cause. “The world today is not going to tolerate any ludicrous and archaic commitment to colonialist ideology,” he told Cristina Kirchner, the president of Argentina. He was speaking, of course, of the Falkland Islands.
Friday, April 13th 2012 - 00:50 UTC
In three years the ‘Obama magic’ has turned irrelevant for most Latam leaders

Three years after being received by Latin American leaders as a super-star, US President Barack Obama faces scepticism and disappointment at this weekend’s Summit of the Americas for failing to meet promises of a new era in relations with the region.
Thursday, April 12th 2012 - 17:48 UTC
World trade growth will slow for second year in 2012, anticipates WTO

World trade growth will slow for a second year to 3.7% in 2012 but “severe” downside risks could drive it further below the 20-year average of 5.4%, the World Trade Organization forecast on Thursday.