Economy

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 23:17 UTC

  Argentina will unveil new inflation and GDP stats in February and March

  

  Argentina will unveil its new consumer price index (CPI) in February and a revised GDP index in March, Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich announced. The dates effectively comply with the demands of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that had extended a deadline for Argentina to improve the quality of its economic data.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 06:23 UTC

  Paraguayan Senate accepts Venezuela as full member of Mercosur; praise from Brazil

  

  The Paraguayan Senate finally passed on Tuesday afternoon, with a large majority a protocol for including Venezuela as full member of Mercosur. The protocol, which was submitted to Congress by President Horacio Cartes, was supported 29-10.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 04:01 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez blasts police: “I don't believe in coincidence nor in contagious events”

  

  Marking the 30th anniversary of the return of democracy to Argentina, President Cristina Fernández referred to the wave of lootings across the country and police force protests, and stated that “they were no coincidence”, during a rally from the Government House in Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 00:06 UTC

  Beijing virtually 'takes over' the Caribbean island of Dominica

  

  Dominica and China have signed a new 300 million dollars cooperation agreement that includes the construction of a hotel, construction of an international airport and building a new hospital. The sum involved is equivalent to a third of the small Caribbean island GDP, which could mean Beijing virtually is 'purchasing' the small territory.

• Wednesday, December 11th 2013 - 00:02 UTC

  Santos says a 'cease fire' only when FARC signs the peace agreement

  

  Colombia's main leftist guerrilla group, the FARC, said today it would implement a 30-day ceasefire from December 15 while the government said it would keep pursuing the rebels after they attacked a police station killing eight.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:49 UTC

  IMF extends Argentina a new deadline for CPI and GDP statistics

  

  Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Monday that they will give Argentine authorities an extended deadline in order to improve upon disputed national statistics, giving the nation until March 2014 to make the necessary changes.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:45 UTC

  Record wheat crop in Brazil's main producitn state of Rio Grande do Sul

  

  Brazil's most southern state, Rio Grande do Sul is consolidating as the country's main producer of wheat with a record crop from the current harvest of 2.91 million tons, breaking the 2011 record of 2,74 million tons, according to the latest report from Emater, the country's rural extension department.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:43 UTC

  Pacific Alliance conference on preventing corruption in public infrastructure projects

  

  With the support of the British Embassies in Peru, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and Chile, representatives of these countries will participate in a meeting, focused on how to prevent unlawful practices in public infrastructure construction projects.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 22:41 UTC

  Argentina's police strike and looting: a blend of inflation, corruption, impunity and social division

  

  The rash of looting and rioting which has spread to most of Argentina's provinces as the police went on strike or protest demanding better pay and working conditions has taken the political system by surprise, which has been slow in reacting to the gravity of the situation.

• Tuesday, December 10th 2013 - 06:11 UTC

  Argentina fears more massive protest and looting on anniversary of 2001 economy meltdown

  

  While facing the challenge of police unrest that has spread to half of the Argentine provinces the government of President Cristina Fernandez is designing a plan to counter the threat of further rioting and looting on 20 December, the anniversary of the worst day of the 2001 crisis which forced the resignation of then elected president Fernando de la Rúa and was followed by the largest sovereign debt default in Argentine history.