International

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 21:51 UTC

  YPF seizure has sent “shockwaves” globally; Argentina will “suffer consequences”

  

  European Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said Argentina is in for long term consequences after sending “shockwaves” internationally with the announced plans to expropriate 51% of YPF shares owned by Spain-based Repsol oil and gas company.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 21:44 UTC

  Marine Le Pen waiting for the phone call from Sarkozy to discuss endorsement

  

  Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has emerged as a kingmaker in France's presidential race, sought to wrest concessions from President Nicolas Sarkozy by challenging him not to bar her party's way in parliamentary elections.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 01:33 UTC

  Argentina warns Falklands’ oil companies of May 2 deadline when legal actions begin

  

  Argentina once again warned oil companies considered by the Government to be “illegally operating” in the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, and reiterated it will press charges against them unless they justify their actions before next Wednesday, May 2.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 01:23 UTC

  YPF dispute has meant a “disruption of trust” between the EU and Mercosur

  

  European Commission Deputy Director General for Enterprise and Industry Daniel Calleja warned on Wednesday that Europe has lost its trust in Mercosur trade block after the government announced it would expropriate 51% of YPF shares, owned by Spanish oil company Repsol.

• Thursday, April 26th 2012 - 01:21 UTC

  Repsol’s numbers are ‘false’ and caused ‘great damage’ to the Argentine economy

  

  Three Argentine ministers denied as “false” that YPF, under control of Spain’s Repsol had invested more than 20 billion dollars in the company since 1999, arguing the fall in Argentine oil and gas production and reserves is clear evidence of that.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 07:02 UTC

  Argentina must take control of its natural resources, insists Cristina Fernandez

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández vindicated her decision to expropriate YPF, assuring that her Government “remains convinced that all Argentines should be in control of the country’s natural resources.”

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 06:51 UTC

  Holland enters in Euro risk zone as political parties clash over further austerity

  

  Holland one of the few show cases of Europe with all economic indicators the envy of its fellow EU members has stalled in a political controversy while at the other end Greece sees no end to suffering in its fifth year of recession.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 04:47 UTC

  Repsol says it has invested over 20 billion dollars since taking over YPF in 1999

  

  Spain’s energy corporation Repsol describes as ‘false’ Argentine government allegations that its affiliate YPF “had not invested sufficiently” in its hydrocarbons interests in Argentina.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 04:41 UTC

  Vietnam displaces Australia as world’s largest wood chip exporter

  

  Wood chip trade flows in the Pacific Rim have changed substantially the past five years. Vietnam, Chile, Thailand and Uruguay have all been increasing their shipments of chips, while Australia and South Africa have been losing their market share as fibre suppliers to the pulp mills in Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea.

• Wednesday, April 25th 2012 - 02:39 UTC

  Vodafone Group takes over Cable & Wireless for £ 1.04bn cash

  

  Vodafone Group Plc agreed to acquire Cable & Wireless Worldwide Plc for 1.04 billion pounds (1.7 billion dollars) in cash, adding a UK fixed-line network to its mobile-phone system and gaining business customers.