Spain took over Bankia, the country's fourth biggest lender, on Wednesday, trying to dispel concerns over the government's ability to clean up the financial sector four years after the banks were hit by a property market crash.
France’s Total has been awarded an exploration licence for block 14 offshore Uruguay, following a second bid round staged by state-owned company ANCAP. Confirmation of the award is subject to further approval by Uruguayan authorities.
The Brazilian senate approved a bill Wednesday giving FIFA the guarantees needed to organize the 2014 World Cup. The approval came just a day after the Brazilian government met with FIFA officials in Switzerland to discuss the country's preparations and resolve their differences.
The twelve countries members of the Union of South American nations, Unasur have for the first time opened to their peers defence budgets and how much they spend on the military, helping confidence building, according to reports from the group’s Secretary General Office.
The increase in water temperature to the north of Peru kept away the schools of fish on which marine birds feed causing the massive death of pelicans recorded in that area, which could extend to other parts of Peru, if conditions persist.
The challenge of exploring and extracting Brazil’s massive pre-salt offshore hydrocarbons deposits will be addressed at the congress to be held in Rio do Janeiro next June with the participation of 250 delegates from international corporations, Petrobras and other Brazilian government institutions.
A former Argentine Energy and Industry secretary questioned the energy policy of President Cristina Fernandez administration but also strongly criticized Spain’s Repsol management of the recently seized YPF.