International

• Friday, December 14th 2012 - 04:45 UTC

  ‘Argentina’s behaviour’ main obstacle for EU/Mercosur trade talks says Brussels

  

  The European Union Trade Commissioner openly accused “Argentina’s behaviour” as the main obstacle in discussions to advance and reach a free trade agreement with Mercosur.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 23:18 UTC

  International tourism reaches a billion and the industry celebrates

  

  One billion tourists have traveled the world in 2012, marking a new record for international tourism – a sector that accounts for one in every 12 jobs and 30% of the world’s services exports. On the symbolic arrival date of the one-billionth tourist, 13 December 2012, UNWTO revealed the actions tourists can take to ensure their trips benefit the people and places they visit, as voted by the public.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 22:43 UTC

  Royal Navy shows the flag in Gibraltar waters; 197 Spanish unlawful incursions this year

  

  A Royal Navy warship used a routine logistical visit to Gibraltar on Wednesday to patrol British waters around the Rock. The highly unusual move came a day after an incursion by a Spanish Navy vessel and against the background of diplomatic tension between the UK and Spain over the waters row.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 07:20 UTC

  UK reaffirms commitment to trilateral dialogue on Gibraltar, despite Spain

  

  The British Government reaffirmed its commitment to trilateral dialogue, despite claims from Spain that London and Madrid would discuss the waters row on bilateral terms leaving Gibraltar aside. A spokesman for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office said trilateral dialogue was the only acceptable mechanism for “formal” talks about Gibraltar.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 07:15 UTC

  Spanish navy patrol challenges Gibraltar and the Foreign Office

  

  A Spanish warship made a two-hour incursion into Gibraltar waters on Monday evening, in a defiant response to Britain’s warnings to stay away. The incursion came just hours after the British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, told the House of Commons that Britain would take “a grave view” of any violation of British sovereignty in Gibraltar waters.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 07:09 UTC

  IDB 6bn loan to reduce development disparities in Argentine Northern provinces

  

  The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a credit program for Argentina of 6 billion dollars until 2015, destined to works in the region known as Norte Grande, and Greater Buenos Aires, the Economy Ministry stated in a communiqué.

• Thursday, December 13th 2012 - 07:04 UTC

  US court ruling against Argentina threatens Greek Collective Action Clause

  

  A legal clause that is the key to smoothing future debt restructurings could be undermined by a US court ruling that Argentina must pay creditors holding its defaulted debt.

• Wednesday, December 12th 2012 - 21:13 UTC

  HSBC fined 1.9bn for money laundering for drug barons and rogue nations

  

  The US said “dangerous practices” at HSBC allowed the bank to pass money to “drug kingpins and rogue nations”, as it fined it 1.9 billion dollars. HSBC agreed the fine, the largest of its kind, earlier on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, December 12th 2012 - 08:12 UTC

  Latam poised for stronger growth in 2013 pushed by Brazil and Argentina

  

  Latin America and the Caribbean will experience stronger economic growth, despite ongoing uncertainties at international level (particularly difficulties faced by Europe, the United States and China), according to new estimates released Tuesday in Santiago de Chile, by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).

• Wednesday, December 12th 2012 - 08:05 UTC

  Falklands’ dispute triggers concern among Argentine tourism operators after two cruises omit Ushuaia

  

  Ushuaia tourism operators expressed concern and called for common sense to prevail after two major cruises finally decided this week not to call at in Argentine Tierra del Fuego after local authorities could not guarantee that the visiting vessels would not be exposed to the same intimidation tactics and delays experienced recently in Buenos Aires and earlier this year in the extreme south terminal because they include the Falkland Islands in their itineraries.