Stories for May 15th 2013

Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 22:21 UTC
UK parliament rejects EU referendum amendment despite 114 Tories votes

A total of 114 Conservative MPs have backed an amendment to the Queen's Speech “expressing regret” an EU referendum bill was not part of the government's agenda for the year ahead. Euro-sceptic Tories forced the vote as part of efforts to make Prime Minister David Cameron's pledge for a poll in 2017 binding.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 22:15 UTC
EU recession for the sixth consecutive quarter; France joins the club with 0.2% contraction

Wednesday’s economic growth numbers make it official: the Euro zone is in its longest recession since records began in 1995. The 17-nation economy shrank by 0.2% between January and March, compared with last quarter's decline of 0.6%, deepening the bloc's recession as economic output fell for the sixth consecutive quarter.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 22:09 UTC
Vatican promises transparency and annual reports from the scandal-hit IOR

As part of ongoing efforts to promote transparency and chip away at the myths surrounding what is commonly called the Vatican bank, its new president announced it will have a website by the end of the year and will publish its annual report, according to the Catholic Sentinel.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 21:59 UTC
Paraguay on Independence Day blasts Argentina and Brazil over “power resource exploitation”

President Federico Franco said Paraguay has long cancelled its debts for the construction of two huge shared hydroelectric dams with its powerful neighbours and demanded Argentina pay for the surplus energy it receives and compensation for flooding Paraguayan territory.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 17:26 UTC
North American oil production surge forecasted to transform world market in next five years

The supply shock created by a surge in North American oil production will be as transformative to the market over the next five years as was the rise of Chinese demand over the last 15, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its annual Medium-Term Oil Market Report (MTOMR) released this week.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 17:24 UTC
Brazilian Finance ministry top official resigns after ten years in office

Brazil's Deputy Finance Minister Nelson Barbosa, who helped design some of the government's flagship economic projects, has handed in his resignation for personal reasons and will leave the post in June, the ministry announced on Monday.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:46 UTC
Cristina Fernandez pledges she will not propose any constitutional reform

Argentine President Cristina Fernández defended her controversial judiciary reform and announced that deep reforms require “amendments to the Constitution”. However, she emphasized she would not push any initiative in that sense.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:38 UTC
Allegations of a network of corruption money involves former president Kirchner

Argentine and Uruguayan magistrates and prosecutors are investigating an alleged network of corruption money, and probably money laundering involving former president Nestor Kirchner and close political and business cronies some of which continue in key positions or proximity to current head of state Cristina Fernandez.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:32 UTC
Argentina April inflation 23.67% in 12 months; partial prices-freeze to continue until October election

Argentina’s inflation in April was 1.52% and 23.67% in the last twelve months according to the so called Congress index which is calculated by private agencies and was released on Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 15th 2013 - 07:29 UTC
Spain no longer discusses Argentina’s ‘sovereign decision to seek energy sector control”

Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel García Margallo said the Spanish government is no longer “discussing” Argentina’s “sovereign decision to seek energy sectors’ control.” “It could seem to me a mistake, but it is the responsibility” of the Argentine government, García Margallo stated.