Stories for 2013

Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 17:35 UTC
Brazil’s research company which turned the country into world breadbasket turns 40

Embrapa (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisas Agropecuarias) created tropical agriculture in Brazil, thus allowing the country to become the giant food producer it is today. Hailed for the work done in adapting soybeans to the hot, humid, acidic climes of the Cerrado savannah, where nearly 17% of the world's beans are now cultivated, the state-run research company is a national treasure.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 17:32 UTC
“Evita” 100-Peso bill are legal tender and must be accepted, warns Argentine central bank

Argentina's central bank has warned businesses to stop rejecting commemorative bank notes bearing the image of Eva Peron to mark the 60th anniversary of the iconic former first lady's death. President Cristina Fernandez, whose fiery speaking style often prompts comparisons with that of “Evita” unveiled the 100-peso bills emblazoned with her profile a year ago.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 17:25 UTC
Spain apologizes to Bolivia for ‘any misunderstanding’ regarding Morales plane incident

Spain's foreign minister Tuesday offered apologies to Bolivia's Evo Morales for “any misunderstanding” linked to last week's diversion of the Latin American leader's aircraft, but insisted that Madrid never barred the plane from its airspace. Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo addressed the issue at a breakfast with reporters in Madrid.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 06:09 UTC
Mercosur and Paraguay on collision course; Uruguay insists Venezuela will hold the chair of the group

Paraguay reiterated on Tuesday that if Venezuela assumes as pro termpore chair of Mercosur, it is not interested in returning to the group and discarded Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pledge to ensure Paraguay is fully reincorporated.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 06:05 UTC
OAS condemns Morales plane incident and urges EU countries involved to apologize

The Organization of American States Permanent Council (OAS) adopted on Tuesday a resolution expressing solidarity with President of Bolivia Evo Morales whose official aircraft last July 2 was delayed because of air space pass-by denial in Europe and urged the European countries involved to provide explanations and apologies.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 06:01 UTC
Storm clouds ahead for Chilean economy as world copper prices continue to fall

Chile cut its copper output forecast for the year to 5.53 million tons due to setbacks at certain mines, though production is still expected to jump from 2012 as a new deposit comes online, the mining ministry said this week.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 05:57 UTC
Global Euro use slips in 2012; Dollar remains king; Canada and Australian currencies emerge

International use of the Euro slipped last year because of the debt crisis in Europe, but the US dollar held its own as the world’s leading currency for reserves held by central banks, according to the European Central Bank.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 05:50 UTC
NYSE takes control of LIBOR setting, following collusion from leading banks

The owner of the New York Stock Exchange is set to take control of a key scandal-hit bank interest rate. NYSE Euronext has won the contract for setting the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (Libor), a government-backed committee announced. Libor is used to set trillions of dollars of financial contracts.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 05:45 UTC
Brazil decides exhumation of ex-president Goulart, believed to have been poisoned by the military regime

Brazilian authorities decided the exhumation of former president Joao Goulart remains to determine whether he was poisoned as part of the Plan Condor implemented by the Southern Cone military regimes to eliminate opponents during the seventies and eighties.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 - 05:42 UTC
Chile inflation spikes in June but ends in the first half year at 1.9%

Chile's consumer inflation was up 0.6% in June, the biggest increase in eight months and slightly above expectations as costs jumped for accommodation, electricity, fuel products and water, the government said on its latest stats report.