Stories for March 16th 2016

Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 17:29 UTC
Judge Griesa sends strong message of support for Argentina at crucial moment

As the Argentine congress started to debate an end to the 15-year litigation, United States District Judge Thomas Griesa sent a new message of support to Argentina by claiming he won’t allow any attempts to seize the funds to be used by Argentina to pay the holdout creditors.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 17:15 UTC
Argentine Senate begins consideration of debt 'normalization' bill following approval by Lower House

The administration of president Mauricio Macri overcame a first hurdle in the Argentine congress to have its “debt normalization” bill approved, which should help bring to an end years of litigation with the holdout funds and open access to global money markets in normal conditions.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 16:43 UTC
Beijing protests sinking of Chinese jigger and calls for a formal inquest into the incident

Beijing made a formal complaint to Argentina and expressed 'great concern' regarding the incident in which a Chinese flagged jigger caught red-handed fishing in the country's EEZ was fired at and sank on Tuesday. Chinese authorities also requested an “immediate inquest” into the procedure of the Argentine Coast Guard in the sinking of the vessel Lu Yuan Yu10.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 07:24 UTC
Latin American fiscal weakness and lack of 'tax culture' addressed in ECLAC forum

Evasion is one of the main weaknesses of the tax systems in the Latin America and the Caribbean economies, accounting for 320 billion dollars in 2014 - according to the Fiscal Panorama of Latin America and the Caribbean 2016, launched by the UN regional office, ECLAC, in Santiago de Chile.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 07:18 UTC
OAS observers to the Dominican Republic general elections on 15 May

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of the Dominican Republic signed formal agreements by which the hemispheric institution will send an Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) to the general elections of May 15, which will be headed by the former President of Colombia, Andrés Pastrana.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 07:04 UTC
Minister Hugo Swire: “The Commonwealth is no relic of the past”

Minister of State Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP blogs on the importance of the Commonwealth following his visit to New Zealand and Canada.Sometimes the Commonwealth is seen as a relic of the past. I argue passionately that it is nothing of the sort. The test is always the same – would we invent the Commonwealth today? The answer is that we would. It is an important organisation for the present and the future.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 06:36 UTC
Lula da Silva on the run ready o accept position in cabinet; markets and Real collapse on the news

Brazil's ex-president Lula da Silva will accept a position in his successor's cabinet, according to a leading national newspaper, in order to protect himself from prosecution in a corruption case involving the state-run oil company, Petrobras. Rio-based O Globo newspaper reported on Tuesday that Lula had told several close advisers that he would rejoin the cabinet, citing no sources. Brazilian markets and currency collapsed on the news.
Wednesday, March 16th 2016 - 06:05 UTC
Argentina sinks Chinese jigger which refused to stop and even tried to ram the patrol vessel

Argentina's coast guard has sunk a Chinese flagged jigger that was fishing illegally within its territorial waters, the coast guard said on Tuesday, marking a first test for relations between President Mauricio Macri and Beijing.In a high-seas chase, a coast guard vessel pursued the fishing vessel Lu Yan Yuan Yu 010 toward international waters, firing warning shots across the Chinese boat's bow as it attempted to raise the crew by radio.