Latin America

• Friday, September 27th 2013 - 21:40 UTC

  Jobs market remains strong in Brazil; unemployment down to 5.3% in August

  

  Brazil's jobless rate fell unexpectedly and salaries jumped in August from the previous month, government data showed this week. It was the second consecutive month-to-month drop in Brazil's jobless rate, which remains close to record lows.

• Friday, September 27th 2013 - 12:42 UTC

  “Uruguay does not need money, we need talent”, Mujica tells Vice-president Biden

  

  Uruguay “does not need money; we need talent, students that complete their formation in the US and return to Uruguay to share and invest their knowledge” president Jose Mujica told US Vice-president Jose Biden during an hour long meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

• Friday, September 27th 2013 - 08:10 UTC

  Uruguay planning a fluvial outpost next to a pulp mill questioned by Argentina

  

  The Ministry of Defence and the Navy share the dream of having a fluvial outpost at the head of the San Martin bridge” which links Uruguay with Argentina, said Uruguayan Defence minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro following a joint forces exercise denominated ‘Turbulent River’ involving land, naval forces and air support.

• Friday, September 27th 2013 - 07:26 UTC

  Uruguay is much respected in international affairs, said President Mujica

  

  Uruguay’s voice is much respected in international affairs and this can be attributed to the country’s foreign policy, although ‘it’s not only a merit of this administration but a long term achievement’, said President Jose Mujica on Thursday in a brief exchange with the media delegation covering events in New York.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 21:45 UTC

  Pacific Alliance makes its official presentation in New York with three presidents

  

  The Pacific Alliance made its official presentation in New York before 200 business people and investors, mostly from the US, with four top anchor men: the presidents of Chile, Peru and Colombia and Mexico’s foreign trade minister since head of state Enrique Peña Nieto had to remain in the country because of the catastrophic floods.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 06:51 UTC

  Argentina expects a large crop of wheat next November despite recent frosts

  

  Argentina is on track to harvest more wheat this season as greater acreage and coming warm weather should offset any yield loss caused by recent frosts that hit in the last days of the Southern Hemisphere winter.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 06:39 UTC

  Brazilian industry forecasts higher GDP growth this year: 2.4%

  

  The Brazilian industrial federation on Wednesday upped its 2013 growth forecast to 1.4% from 1% and its GDP growth projection from 2% to 2.4%. But, despite the better data, the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) urged caution. “The improved economic outlook is no guarantee of a strong growth rate,” it said.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 06:27 UTC

  Brazil’s “Clean record” bill shows a third of lawmakers have pending bills with Justice

  

  The recently approved Transparency Law has exposed that at least a third of the 594 Brazilian federal lawmakers have pending bills with criminal and administrative courts referred mainly to cases of corruption, which is expected to have an impact in the coming elections of next year when most of Congress will be renewed.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 06:21 UTC

  Argentina expects at least 50 million tons of soy and 30 million of corn in 2013/14

  

  Argentina’s 2013/14 soybean crop will be above 50 million tons while corn can be expected to reach 30 million tons, according to the country’s Agriculture minister Norberto Yauhar, based on preliminary production estimates. The minister also advanced that caps on wheat and corn exports could be lifted in the near future.

• Thursday, September 26th 2013 - 06:14 UTC

  Uruguayan diplomat awarded a Chevening scholarship at Oxford University

  

  British Ambassador in Uruguay hosted a lunch in honor of Laura Silva, awarded a Chevening Scholarship to study in the United Kingdom. As part of the Foreign Service Program, Laura will pursue a Master in Diplomatic Studies at Oxford University.