International

• Monday, June 23rd 2014 - 07:29 UTC

  French energy 'jewel' Alstom taken over by General Electric

  

  The board of directors of French power-to-rail group Alstom unanimously approved US conglomerate General Electric's 12.35 billion Euro bid to acquire its energy business.

• Monday, June 23rd 2014 - 04:39 UTC

  Mercosur and Celac stand by Argentina in the hedge funds litigation

  

  Mercosur and Celac country-members expressed support for Argentina and its ongoing litigation with the holdout hedge funds, particularly last week's decision from the US Supreme Court, (which refused to consider the case), and the financial consequences emerging from such a position.

• Monday, June 23rd 2014 - 04:08 UTC

  Jubilee Debt Campaign supports Argentina against “vulture funds” quick bucks

  

  The following letter under the heading of “Urgent need for legislation on Argentina debt” was published in the Financial Times and refers to the ongoing battle with the holdout hedge funds.The piece is signed by Tim Jones, Policy Officer, Jubilee Debt Campaign, London, N1, UK.

• Saturday, June 21st 2014 - 09:31 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez calls for negotiations: “we want to pay 100% of creditors”

  

  In a conciliatory speech compared to previous statements, President Cristina Fernandez said on Friday her government would negotiate with all of Argentina's creditors in a bid to avoid a new debt default that would further weaken the country's ailing economy.

• Saturday, June 21st 2014 - 09:04 UTC

  Brazil disappointed with Argentina's 'lack of ambition' in reaching trade accord with EU

  

  Argentina and Brazil have again clashed not over football but over trade and Mercosur according to the Sao Paulo media. Brazil believes there is “a lack of ambition from Argentina” to finish polishing the proposal to be exchanged with the European Union for a much delayed cooperation and trade agreement.

• Saturday, June 21st 2014 - 08:19 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez took time to pick on the Falklands at her 'dialogue' speech

  

  Cristina Fernandez on her Friday Flag Day speech in which she lowered usual rhetoric and asked US Judge Thomas Griesa for negotiations with the holdout hedge funds, picked on the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute to channel her fury and forecasted there “is no colonialism that can last so many centuries, eventually they fall”.

• Friday, June 20th 2014 - 07:21 UTC

  After all: Argentina seems willing to start discussions with Griesa and hedge funds

  

  After a day of fury and discussions with cabinet members, advisors and experts, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will be sending a government delegation to New York to meet Judge Thomas Griesa and the hedge funds holdouts' solicitors and begin, hopefully, a round of negotiations to reach a settlement on the bonds litigation.

• Friday, June 20th 2014 - 07:15 UTC

  Striker Suarez admitted having dreamt he would score two goals

  

  Striker Luis Suarez admitted he had dreamt he was going to score two goals, the two that helped Uruguay defeat England 2-1 in the 2014 World Cup and leaves the team led by Gerard in a most uncomfortable position.

• Friday, June 20th 2014 - 07:05 UTC

  Felipe VI pledged to work for unity and diversity in Spain

  

  Spain's new king, Felipe VI, was sworn on Thursday in a relatively modest ceremony which monarchists hope will usher in a new era of popularity for the troubled royal household.

• Friday, June 20th 2014 - 06:42 UTC

  Argentina's Supreme Court loss may serve as a wake-up call

  

  The following piece by Charles Lane published in the The Washington Post offers an interesting debate about future bailouts and sovereign debt restructuring, following on Argentina's case.