Stories for March 26th 2013

Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 22:44 UTC
March-bonus for 7 million low income Chileans, handout in presidential election year

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera signed this week a bill which grants a special ‘March-bonus’ to low-income families and is extensive to seven million people. Each beneficiary will receive the equivalent of 85 dollars which will represent for the Treasury an outlay of 208 million dollars.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 21:55 UTC
Argentina’s tax office targets main grain exporters; demands 951 million dollars in alleged arrears

Cargill Inc. and Bunge Ltd. are among grain exporters that allegedly owe the Argentine government 951 million dollars in taxes and won’t be eligible for a reduced interest rate under a payment plan unveiled by the government this week.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 21:33 UTC
Setback in New York court for Argentina’s strategy in its battle with bond holdouts

A US court in New York on Tuesday rejected Argentina's request for a full-court rehearing of an appeal it lodged as it struggles to shake off holders of 1.3 billion dollars in defaulted bonds.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 21:08 UTC
Paraguay does not accept Venezuela as the next chair of Mercosur

Paraguay, suspended from Mercosur and Unasur since last June rejected point-blank the possibility that Venezuela takes the chair of the regional trade group as of next June during the summit scheduled to take place in Uruguay.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 20:35 UTC
Cyprus aftermath: Germans fear about their savings accounts despite ‘Euro-supreme’ Merkel

A majority of Germans doubt Chancellor Angela Merkel's guarantee that their savings accounts are safe, an opinion poll published by Stern magazine and RTL TV showed, six months before the federal election.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 20:25 UTC
Malvinas: first time Latam groups at UN work together in support of Argentina’s claim

Regional groups from South America for the first time are working together on the Malvinas question at the United Nations in support of Argentina’s claims, said the Peruvian delegate on Tuesday, something which he described as “very positive”.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 05:48 UTC
BRICS summit to discuss creation of development bank with 50bn initial capital

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff will attend this week's BRICS summit of five emerging powers hosted by South Africa to discuss creation of their own development bank, the Planalto office announced.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 05:04 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas discussions between UK and Argentine lawmakers

Lawmakers from Argentina and the UK attending the 128th Inter-parliamentarian Union assembly held in Ecuador have been holding intense but ‘respectful’ discussions about the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty dispute.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 05:02 UTC
Brazilian supermarkets will not sell meat from cattle raised in Amazon rainforest

The main group representing supermarkets in Brazil says it will no longer sell meat from cattle raised in the rainforest. The Brazilian Association of Supermarkets, which has 2,800 members, hopes the deal will cut down on the illegal use of rainforest for pasture.
Tuesday, March 26th 2013 - 05:00 UTC
Bernanke defends low-interest rates arguing they help to boost the global economy

Ben Bernanke has defended the continuing low-interest-rate policies of the US Federal Reserve and central banks in Europe, saying they are helping to boost the global economy. The Fed governor's comments come after some analysts have voiced concern that such low rates are cutting the value of currencies of advanced nations.