Economy

• Monday, March 19th 2012 - 06:51 UTC

  Uruguay strongly advocates for “free and fluid trade” in Unasur meeting

  

  Uruguay’s Economy minister Fernando Lorenzo called on other members of Unasur, Union of South American Nations, to ensure free trade in the region as a safeguard and guarantee for the sustained growth of country-members in time.

• Sunday, March 18th 2012 - 19:59 UTC

  Paraguay calls on Argentina for “reflection and dialogue” regarding trade restrictions

  

  The Paraguayan government called for “reflection and dialogue” from the Argentine government in order to find a solution to the commercial restrictions in place on imported products, “we don’t need any more walls”.

• Sunday, March 18th 2012 - 19:55 UTC

  “The Argentine government doesn’t understand what is going on” says former official

  

  Former Argentine Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernández assured on Sunday today that “the Government has difficulties understanding what is going on, and gives fallacious speeches that are far from reality,” and blasted the cutback of subsidies on public services and the bill that seeks to reform the Central Bank's charter

• Sunday, March 18th 2012 - 19:53 UTC

  Top executives from Chevron barred from leaving Brazil because of oil spills case

  

  A Brazilian court barred 17 executives from Chevron and Transocean from leaving Brazil, pending criminal charges related to a high-profile oil spill last November. A second oil spill detected last week further complicated the situation.

• Sunday, March 18th 2012 - 19:50 UTC

  HMS Illustrious, command ship in tough Arctic weather training

  

  Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious is in the midst of NATO Exercise Cold Response, based in the Arctic. Illustrious is the command ship for Major General Ed Davis, Commandant General Royal Marines, who, with his Commander Amphibious Forces staff, is directing the movements of allied warships.

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 07:21 UTC

  YPF is an Argentine asset run by Spanish investors, De Vido tells Madrid

  

  Argentine Planning Minister Julio de Vido lashed out at Spanish Industry Minister José Manuel Soria by saying that oil company YPF is an Argentine corporation run by Spanish investors and should not be considered an asset of the European country.

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 06:13 UTC

  EU/Mercosur will exchange market access proposals when Brazil chairs the round

  

  The European Union and Mercosur concluded Friday in Brussels the eighth round of negotiations for a free trade agreement with the commitment to begin exchanging market access proposals at the next meeting.

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 06:10 UTC

  US confirms ‘neutral position’ in Falklands’ dispute; hopes for cooperation on practical issues

  

  United States stated that it maintains its “neutral position” over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands dispute between Argentina and UKand hopes for an agreed solution, an official source of the US government assured after the three day visit of British Prime Minister David Cameron which included several meetings at the White House

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 06:01 UTC

  EU ministers agree to free trade pact with Colombia and Peru

  

  EU trade ministers agreed on Friday to approve a free trade pact with Colombia and Peru that could boost European car and chemical exports and lift food and mineral exports from the South American countries.

• Saturday, March 17th 2012 - 05:56 UTC

  Rousseff and Blatter seal peace and say all will be on time for the 2014 World Cup

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff assured FIFA chief Sepp Blatter on Friday the country would be ready to host the 2014 World Cup, easing tensions over the slow pace of preparations for the finals.