Stories for May 18th 2012

Friday, May 18th 2012 - 16:41 UTC
UN independent experts call on EU to adopt a global financial transaction tax

A group of United Nations independent experts called on the European Union (EU) to take the lead in promoting the adoption of a global financial transaction tax that would offset the costs of the current economic crisis and protect basic human rights.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 16:36 UTC
“Let’s face it: the old (economic) model is broken: we need to create a new one”

United Nations senior officials stressed the importance of establishing a new paradigm for growth that ensures social inclusiveness, job opportunities for all, and more accountability from the financial sector to tackle the ongoing global economic crisis.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:41 UTC
Argentine former central bank chief anticipates “de facto devaluation”

A former Argentine central bank president warned that if the economy follows on the current course, a “de facto devaluation” is round the corner because of the growing gap between the official and parallel exchange rates for the US dollar.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:39 UTC
Brazil closely following events in Venezuela because of Chavez condition

Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota revealed that Brasilia is following closely the situation in Venezuela because of the medical condition of President Hugo Chavez, to whom he sent a message of quick recovery.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:34 UTC
Billionaire Buffet now believes in print media and buys 63 newspapers

Billionaire Warren Buffett's company is making another foray into US newspapers, agreeing to buy 63 newspapers from Media General Inc for 142 million dollars.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:31 UTC
Moody’s cuts credit ratings of 16 Spanish banks and four regions

Ratings agency Moody's has cut the credit ratings of 16 Spanish banks, a further blow to a country that is struggling to deal with the bad debts of its banking sector. It also cut the debt rating on Santander UK, a subsidiary of the Spanish banking giant.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:24 UTC
Chile leaves basic rate unchanged at 5% for the fourth month running

Chile’s central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 5% for a fourth consecutive month as surging domestic demand and deterioration in the global economy leave little scope to change monetary policy.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:15 UTC
UN Tourism office forecasts record over a billion international tourist arrivals

More than one billion tourists will take a trip this year crossing an international boundary, a threshold never before reached, UN officials told a meeting tourism ministers gathering in Mexico this week.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:09 UTC
Argentine president in Angola to promote trade and exchange food for oil

Argentine President Cristina Fernández is on a three-day visit to Angola to promote trade and investments particularly exchanging food for the African country’s oil. Friday morning she is scheduled to meet her counterpart Jose Eduardo Dos Santos.
Friday, May 18th 2012 - 09:05 UTC
Argentina has a Jewish president for two days, Beatriz Rojkes

For the first time, Argentina has a Jewish president, at least temporarily. Beatriz Rojkes, the provisional president of the Argentine Senate, is in charge of the government for several days because both President Christina Fernandez and Vice-President Amado Boudou are overseas.