Stories for 2012

Monday, July 16th 2012 - 03:05 UTC
Mercosur reduced to a group “of bear-hugging and kissing compañeros”

The influential British business and politics magazine The Economist anticipates that following the latest decisions by Mercosur, the South American group has little if any future. The Economist argues that the mounting protectionism and the rule-breaking admission of Venezuela have fatally undermined a once-promising trade block.
Monday, July 16th 2012 - 02:35 UTC
Hollande says jobs (and neutralizing family affairs), are his priorities

President Francois Hollande marked Bastille Day (July 14) celebrations with a pledge to fight industrial layoffs and clean up French politics, after watching troops parade down the Champs Elysees as jets streamed the national colours overhead.
Monday, July 16th 2012 - 02:15 UTC
Cable & Wireless £ 10.000 donation for Falklands Overseas Games association

Cable and Wireless South Atlantic Ltd made a generous donation of £10,000 to the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association (FIOGA).
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:46 UTC
Venezuela/Argentina sign military cooperation in framework of Unasur Defence Council

Venezuelan Defence minister Henry Rangel Silva and his Argentine peer Arturo Puricelli signed on Friday a cooperation agreement to further advance in the integration of the two armed forces in the framework of the Unasur Defence Council.
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:39 UTC
Bolivia announces the “end of Coca Cola and capitalism” for December 21

December 21, the austral summer solstice, will mark the end of Coca Cola and capitalism and the start of a new cosmic era of community spirit and love, announced Bolivia’s Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca.
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:30 UTC
Humboldt penguins threatened by eggs and chicks eating rats

Humboldt penguins are threatened by inexorable man and …rats. Invading rats with bodies up to 20 centimetres long have begun eating eggs and chicks, and some experts fear that unless the rats are eradicated, they could tip the Humboldt penguin toward extinction.
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:17 UTC
Chile and Peru, best performing economies of the region leave rates unchanged

Chile and Peru opted this week against following the lead set by nations from Brazil to South Korea in cutting interest rates as economic growth and slowing inflation in the Pacific neighbors gave central bankers little reason to change monetary policy
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:15 UTC
Markets find optimism in Chinese economy despite slower growth

China's economy has grown at its slowest pace in three years as investment slowed and demand fell in key markets such as the US and Europe. GDP rose by 7.6% in the second quarter, compared with the same period a year ago. That is down from 8.1% in the previous three months.
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:12 UTC
Tourist arrivals in Chile up 15% in first half of 2012: Argentina, Brazil lead

Chilean Tourism Under Secretariat head Jacqueline Plass made a positive balance of tourism activity during the first half of the year with over 1.85 million foreign arrivals, a 15% increase over the same period a year ago.
Saturday, July 14th 2012 - 07:06 UTC
Visa and Mastercard agree to largest settlement with retailers over card fees

Credit card companies Visa and Mastercard and major US banks have agreed to a 7.25bn dollars settlement to retailers over card fees. The case, which has been going on for seven years, is over firms colluding to fix the fees that stores pay to process credit and debt card payments.