Stories for August 2013

Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:09 UTC
Argentine opposition announces the ‘real life’ GDP growth index: 0.5% in the first quarter

Several Argentine opposition groups have started publishing their own GDP index, (as they do with inflation) based on the average of data processed by private consultants which are exposed to the intimidation of President Cristina Fernandez administration officials.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 03:01 UTC
Argentina’s energy challenges according to The Economist: Flogging a dead cow

The Economist in its latest printed edition addresses Argentina’s challenges in the energy field including the seizure of a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol and the latest agreement with US oil company Chevron to exploit shale oil and gas.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:56 UTC
Overall feeling that corruption in the Americas in the rise, says watchdog group

From the US capital Washington D.C. to Caracas, people throughout the Americas feel that corruption in sectors of society is on the rise, according to a survey from the watchdog group, Transparency International.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:51 UTC
US ‘extremely disappointed’ with Russian asylum to leaker Snowden

White House officials say they are “extremely disappointed” by Russia’s decision to grant asylum for one year to Edward Snowden, who is accused of leaking U.S. government secrets. Officials are deciding how to respond.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:47 UTC
Bank of England leaves rates unchanged as UK economy seems to be picking up

Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has left interest rates at 0.5%. The key borrowing rate has been at that level since March 2009. MPC also said it would make no change to the £375bn of monetary stimulus it is providing through its quantitative easing program (QE).
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:42 UTC
Euro rates to remain unchanged for extended period of time, says ECB

The European Central Bank left interest rates at a record low 0.5% on Thursday and said that they will remain there for some while to come and could yet fall further. ECB President Mario Draghi hinted that policy would not be tightened until well into next year at the earliest, although the central bank will give no time horizon for when rates might move.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:33 UTC
France’s Council of State lifts ban on growing GM corn from Monsanto

The battle over growing genetically modified crops in France flared anew on Thursday as the country's top administrative court overturned a government ban on growing GM corn sold by the US giant Monsanto.
Friday, August 2nd 2013 - 02:29 UTC
Uruguay extends another 12 months VAT benefits for foreign tourists

Uruguay extended for another twelve months the VAT bonus for those tourists who pay for purchases, lodging and rents with debit cards. The measure was announced this week by Deputy cabinet chief Diego Canepa following a full ministerial meeting and in anticipation of the coming 2013/14 summer season.
Thursday, August 1st 2013 - 04:09 UTC
“Not even the Pope could bring Brazil and Paraguay together”, said O’Globo

Influential Latin American newspapers have been extremely critical of Brazilian diplomacy in its unsuccessful attempts to ‘subdue Paraguay’, while at the same praising the landlocked country’s dignity in demanding from Mercosur respect and compliance with the rule of the law.
Thursday, August 1st 2013 - 04:04 UTC
Cristina Fernandez says unemployment is down to 7.2% but calls for more job creation

Argentina's unemployment rate fell to 7.2% in the second quarter of 2013 compared with 7.9% in the first quarter of the year, President Cristina Fernandez announced during a speech praising her government’s industrialization and added-value policies.