Stories for May 2012

Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 08:16 UTC
Italian lawmakers support “a more relevant role” for Argentina in the Malvinas dispute

Forty-eight Italian senators and lawmakers expressed their public support for Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands in a letter sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the Argentine Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 08:09 UTC
Argentina’s top journalists demand “we want to ask” and list the ten issues ‘banned’ by CFK

Tens of leading Argentine journalists gathered in Buenos Aires in a television program where each of them was invited to make public what question they would like to ask President Cristina Fernandez in obvious reference to the difficulties to have access to the Argentine head of state and her very limited contact with the press.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 02:30 UTC
Brazil’s Real falls to 2 per dollar, lowest since 2009; government overwhelmed

Brazil’s Real tumbled to 2 per dollar for the first time in almost three years as Finance Minister Guido Mantega said the exchange rate doesn’t worry the government, opening expectations the currency may fall further.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 02:28 UTC
Brazilian president announces new social support programs for children

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff launched on Sunday, (Mother’s Day in South America) a raft of new social programs for low-income families with young children.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 01:36 UTC
YPF’ golden boy in 2009 was offered the same job but his demands were considered ‘excessive’

Miguel Galuccio the new CEO of seized oil corporation YPF had already discussed conditions with the Argentine government for the job back in 2009, reveals the Spanish press. At that time no agreement was reached because the salary and other conditions he demanded were considered excessive.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 00:52 UTC
EU agrees to file a trade suit with WTO against Argentina’s import restrictions

The European Union has agreed to file a trade suit against Argentina's import restrictions with the World Trade Organization (WTO), a senior Spanish government source said on Monday, reports Reuters.
Tuesday, May 15th 2012 - 00:45 UTC
Italian Army on call to deal with growing violence; links with Greek anarchists

Italy's Prime Minister has not ruled out bringing in the army to deal with the increasing levels of violence across the country. PM Mario Monti raised alert levels Sunday at sensitive sites across the country after a rebel group shot and wounded the head of the state-controlled nuclear energy company, Ansaldo Nucleare.
Monday, May 14th 2012 - 23:22 UTC
Bio-fuels expert forecast Argentina will become EU main supplier in spite of Spain

Bio-fuels expert Christopher Berg and head of F.O. Licht forecasted that Argentina this year will become the largest exporter of bio-diesel to the European Union in spite of the Spanish veto to imports in retaliation for the seizure of YPF.
Monday, May 14th 2012 - 23:17 UTC
Argentina writes to EU expressing “great concern” because of Spanish ban on bio-diesel

The Argentine government expressed “great concern” on Monday following the decision from the Spanish government to ban bio-diesel “not produced within the European Union” from the country.
Monday, May 14th 2012 - 19:22 UTC
Brazil military police occupies favelas in Rio to prevent full fledged drugs war

Brazilian police was out in full force to occupy for an indefinite period a group of favelas (shanty towns) surrounding the ‘marvellous’ city of Rio do Janeiro following the killing of the state’s most wanted drug lord.