Stories for September 2013

Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 02:04 UTC
Special Mercosur parliament committee to help decide on Paraguay/Venezuela controversy

Mercosur parliament, Parlasur, resumed activities on Monday and the first thing it agreed on was to name a committee to help find a way out to the controversy between Paraguay and Venezuela. Although Venezuela holds the rotating chair of Mercosur, Paraguay refuses to acknowledge even its status as full member of the regional group.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 01:14 UTC
Steady advance of Cristina Fernandez leadership’s contender in latest polls

Sergio Massa, mayor of Tigre in suburban Buenos Aires who is disputing Argentine President Cristina Fernandez leadership of the ruling movement by running for the Lower House in representation of the province of Buenos Aires, leads comfortably with 40% of vote intention according to the latest public opinion released on Sunday.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 01:11 UTC
Brazil’s 124 billionaires own 12.3% of GDP and half the population lives on 130 dollars per month

The 124 richest people in Brazil hold assets totalling 544 billion Reais equivalent to 238.6bn dollars or 12.3% of the country’s GDP, which is considered one of the most unequal in the world. The 124 are included in Forbes magazine latest publication that brings together all those Brazilians with fortunes over a billion Reais (approx 438 million dollars).
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 01:06 UTC
The US and UK spy agencies have managed access to all major smart-phones says Der Spiegel

According to a report in the German news weekly Der Spiegel, the United States National Security Agency, NSA is able to crack protective measures on iPhones, BlackBerry and Android devices, giving it access to users’ data on all major smart-phones.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:55 UTC
Ammesty International blasts Venezuela for abandoning human rights instrument

Venezuela must immediately reverse its decision to withdraw from the American Convention on Human Rights and make a commitment to truly protect all individuals, Amnesty International said on Monday. The Venezuelan government’s decision will take effect on Tuesday 10 September. The withdrawal will leave Venezuelan citizens without the protection of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:52 UTC
Global trade growth estimates down to 2.5% this year and 4.5% in 2014, says Azevedo

World trade is expected to grow by 2.5% this year and 4.5% in 2014, the World Trade Organisation's new chief, Roberto Azevedo, said on Monday, revising down previous estimates of 3.3% and 5%.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:47 UTC
Spying on Petrobras: if proven its ‘industrial espionage’ warns Rousseff

Reports that the United States spied on Brazilian oil company Petrobras, if proven, would be tantamount to industrial espionage and have no security justification, Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff said on Monday.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:42 UTC
BRICS agree on a 100bn ‘financial firewall’ in anticipation of ‘currency shocks’

BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have agreed to a 100 billion dollars currency reserve pool as a “financial firewall” in anticipation of liquidity strains and ‘currency shocks’ as the United States Federal Reserve moves to reduce monetary stimulus.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:37 UTC
Paraguayan president Cartes visits Cristina Fernandez in Buenos Aires

Paraguayan president Horacio Cartes is expected in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, following an invitation from his Argentine peer Cristina Fernandez, which will be his first overseas bilateral trip since taking office 15 August.
Tuesday, September 10th 2013 - 00:29 UTC
The figure of Pinochet forty years later still divides Chile

Chile's conservative government and center-left opposition held separate events on Monday in the capital Santiago to mark the 40th anniversary of the bloody coup that ushered in 17 years of harsh military rule under the late Gen. Augusto Pinochet.