Stories for December 2012

Monday, December 10th 2012 - 18:48 UTC
European Central Bank says it has ‘much to learn’ from Latam robust financial systems

The Vice-president of the European central bank Vitor Constancio said the EU has much to learn from Latin America which has coped with successive economic and financial crises and has managed to create robust financial structures which have made the region’s system even more resistant to outside shocks.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:51 UTC
Dollar clamp represents the failure of Argentina’s energy policy, says Lavagna

Former Economy minister Roberto Lavagna said that it will take Argentina “at least three years” to liberate the country from the ‘dollar clamp’ if as of this month it was decided to execute a policy to end restrictions on the purchase of foreign currency.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:46 UTC
Poor wheat crop in Argentina, which is expected to limit exports

Argentina is expected to trim the quantity of 2012/2013 wheat destined for overseas shipment to 4.5 million tons from a previous 6 million due to a smaller than forecast harvest, a local newspaper reported on Saturday.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:44 UTC
Norovirus attacks cruise ship on the Rhine: 183 pax quarantined

Many passengers aboard a River Rhine cruise ship have fallen ill. The cruise liner, the MS Bellriva, had been on the river when around 70 people complained of symptoms linked to the highly contagious Norovirus.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:37 UTC
If Chavez does not show up on January 10, new presidential election

With Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in Cuba for his fourth cancer surgery in two years and after naming Vice President and Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro as his successor if anything were to go wrong, the Constitution of the country contemplates several options, including new elections.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:34 UTC
YPF confident it has partners to develop shale assets: Chevron and Bridas

Argentine nationalized oil company YPF is in advanced discussions with potential partners on the development of its shale assets, the company's chief executive said. YPF could complete a deal with Bridas Energy Holdings Ltd. before the end of the year, while an agreement with US oil major Chevron Corp. will likely close in the first quarter of 2013, he said, adding that the deals would likely be similar in size.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:11 UTC
Cristina Fernandez blasts Judges and independent media on Democracy Day

In a major speech on Sunday before the iconic Plaza de Mayo celebrating ‘Democracy Day’ and ‘Human Rights Day’ , Argentine President Cristina Fernandez kept pressure on Judges and independent media calling for a “deep democratization of the three branches of government” and a “greater independence from economic power and corporations”.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 05:05 UTC
Argentine lawmaker threatens appeals judges with impeachment

An Argentine Senator from the ruling coalition warned that judges who upheld an injunction request made by the media group Clarín on Thursday could be impeached.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 02:20 UTC
MPs warn Falklands’ security compromised if shipbuilding in Portsmouth is closed down

The Sunday edition of The Independent reports that an unlikely coalition of right-wing MPs and union leaders have warned that the security of the Falkland Islands would be compromised by shutting BAE Systems' shipbuilding operations in Portsmouth.
Monday, December 10th 2012 - 02:17 UTC
US unemployment down to Dec 2008 level; 12 million still out a job

The US announced that the labour market advanced sharply last month and its jobless rate fell to 7.7%, the lowest level in nearly four years. Washington said that late October's devastating super-storm Sandy had little effect on hiring, as employers unexpectedly added 146.000 new jobs in November, which was substantially more than economists had predicted.