Economy

• Thursday, March 8th 2012 - 06:10 UTC

  Mexico’s tycoon Slim world’s richest man for a third consecutive year

  

  Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, who on Wednesday topped the Forbes rich list for a third consecutive year with a fortune of 69 billion dollars, invests widely as he seeks to expand his massive telecoms empire.

• Thursday, March 8th 2012 - 06:06 UTC

  Brazilian surprise: basic rate down to 9.75%, lowest in years

  

  Brazil’s Central bank on Wednesday surprised analysts by accelerating the pace of interest rate cuts, bringing borrowing costs to 9.75%, below 10% for only the second time on record as it seeks to revive growth.

• Thursday, March 8th 2012 - 01:37 UTC

  Argentina blasts EU and describes Trade spokesperson statements as “false”

  

  Argentina categorically rejected ‘false’ statements from the EU Trade spokesperson relative to a clarification request to Argentina, allegedly not replied, involving relations of the UK with Buenos Aires and also questioned the EU ‘silence’ on the Malvinas sovereignty question.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 23:24 UTC

  EU calls on Argentina to respect international trade commitments

  

  The European Union has called on Argentina to respect international trade commitments, following on the announcement by the Minister of Industry to boycott the purchase of imports originating in the UK in an escalating row over the Falklands.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 17:25 UTC

  Argentina to demand a review of the South Atlantic fisheries agreement

  

  President Cristina Fernandez announced that Argentina will request the review of the South Atlantic fisheries agreement, because the UK and the Falklands are not abiding by the ‘protocols’ signed in the early nineties.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 17:23 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez meets Piñera next week: Falklands air link in the agenda

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez is scheduled to travel to Chile next week to meet with her peer Sebastian Piñera and the Falklands issue expected to outstand in the bilateral agenda, particularly air links with the Islands.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 17:18 UTC

  Gibraltar Port Authority attends Seatrade Cruise Convention in Miami

  

  The Gibraltar Port Authority is participating in the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention which takes place in Miami between the 12th and 15th March 2012.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 03:21 UTC

  Uruguay will attend the SeaTrade Cruise industry fair in Miami next week

  

  Uruguay will attend the SeaTrade fair in Miami, the greatest event of the cruise industry scheduled for next March 12/15 at the Miami Convention Centre.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 03:18 UTC

  Keith Padgett, first Falklands’ government CE recruited in the Islands

  

  Keith Padgett, former Finance Secretary and acting Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands government has been confirmed in the post by the local government acting in agreement with the Islands Governor.

• Wednesday, March 7th 2012 - 02:54 UTC

  Blatter apologizes to Brazil; requests interview with President Rousseff

  

  FIFA president Sepp Blatter sought on Tuesday to defuse a war of words between FIFA and Brazil by personally apologising for disparaging remarks made by a top official about the country's slow progress in preparing for the 2014 World Cup.