Stories for May 25th 2012

Friday, May 25th 2012 - 22:54 UTC
Rousseff announces veto of several Forest Code controversial amendments

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff announced Friday that she is vetoing some of the controversial amendments to the country’s Forest Code that would have substantially weakened the country’s forest protection and climate mitigation actions.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 22:45 UTC
Government decides to extend soft loans for Brazil’s three largest corporations

Brazil eased rules for subsidized lending by state development bank BNDES to three of the country's biggest companies, in a move that may help President Dilma Rousseff shield a struggling economy from market turmoil abroad.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 22:33 UTC
April consumer confidence rose in Argentina for the first time in five months

A closely watched gauge of Argentina consumer confidence rose for the first time in five months in May, according to a report published this week by Torcuato di Tella University, UTDT.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 22:16 UTC
China’s April exports to Argentina fell 34.4%, largest monthly drop since 2009

China's exports to Argentina in April declined 34.4 percent from last year, the largest monthly drop since the 2009 global recession, signalling the deepening negative influence of Argentina's trade protectionism on bilateral trade, analysts and trade experts said, quoted by the official Beijing news agency.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 22:07 UTC
UK passion for Argentine wines: first quarter imports rocket 15% in volume

Argentine wine exports to the UK have rocketed by 25% in value and 12% in volume in the first three months of the year. This put the UK back ahead of Brazil as Argentina’s third largest market worldwide, and the US and Canada, and represents the largest gains for over four years.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 21:47 UTC
Cameron pays tribute to Falklands’ conflict dead and reaffirms Islanders right to self determination

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has paid his own personal tribute to the 255 soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives to liberate the Falkland Islands. Making his first visit to the national Armed Forces Memorial as Prime Minister, Cameron also reaffirmed his commitment to defend the Falkland Islanders' right to self-determination.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 21:40 UTC
Almost 19 million urban Brazilians live with no access to drinking water of sewage

Almost 19 million Brazilians live in precarious housing with no running water, sewage or any basic public services, according to a report on urban infrastructure by the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 21:37 UTC
Paraguay proposes India long-term plan to exchange food for investments and technology

Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo currently visiting India proposed an exchange of food for investment and technology. Lugo was received by President Pratibha Patil and later by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 20:44 UTC
Germany should exit the Euro and revalue its currency, suggests top economist

Germany should exit the Euro and revalue its currency as “damage control” to avoid the effects of contagion stemming from a Greek exit, which would cripple banks and trade in Europe, according to former Argentine Finance Secretary Guillermo Nielsen.
Friday, May 25th 2012 - 18:52 UTC
Falklands’ expects 20% boost in UK visitors because of the war’s 30th anniversary

The UK dominated as the key generating market for tourism in 2011 according to new data released by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB). Last year land-based tourism from the UK was up 5% to a total of 4.164 arrivals (this figure does not include cruise arrivals).