Politics

Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 20:12 UTC
Mercosur members, except Paraguay, de-listed from EU import preference scheme

The European Union issued on Wednesday its revised import preference scheme - known as the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) - for developing countries most in need which will take effect from 1 January 2014, revealing that all Mercosur full members, except for Paraguay, will no longer benefit.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 18:12 UTC
Council of Europe promotes personal data protection in Latin America

The Council of Europe is promoting international co-operation in the field of personal data protection, in particular by encouraging non member states to ratify the Convention for the protection of individuals with regard to Automatic Processing of Personal Data, also known as Convention 108. Uruguay has started the process for its ratification and therefore may become the first non-Council of Europe member state to accede to the convention.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 06:56 UTC
Bolivia asks Sean Penn to help lobby in the dispute with Chile over a sea outlet

Bolivia asked visiting Oscar-winner Sean Penn Tuesday to help lobby for La Paz to regain a bit of Pacific coast, and escape the ranks of landlocked states. Evo Morales, the populist president of the arid nation high in the Andes, asked the US actor to help its campaign to press Chile to overhaul treaties that ended a 19th-century war that cost Bolivia its coast and gave the land to Chile.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 04:51 UTC
Argentine-Iran dialogue is ‘over’, says Jewish community rejecting Teheran’s denial of any involvement

The president of the Argentine Jewish Community centre, AMIA, Guillermo Borger said that if Iran insists in rejecting any links with the 1994 attack in which 85 people were killed and 300 injured, the current dialogue between Argentina and Teheran on the issue “is over”.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 04:44 UTC
S&P lowers Argentina’s rating, as credit-default insurance soars to highest in the world

Argentina’s credit rating was cut one level by Standard & Poor’s, which referred to a US appeals court ruling that prevents the country from honouring its debt without also paying holders of its defaulted bonds.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 04:38 UTC
Chilean municipal elections are anticipating a return of the left-wing coalition

Chilean voters punished the political system with a whooping 60% abstention, and President Sebastián Piñera’s conservative bloc, in municipal elections Sunday, which could be paving the way for the comeback of the left-wing coalition in next year’s presidential ballot.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 04:16 UTC
Cristina Fernandez with a bout of low blood pressure cancels public activities

Argentine President Cristina Fernández was forced to cancel Tuesday’s agenda for 24 hours after doctors diagnosed her with low blood pressure. The president remained at the Olivos residence where, nevertheless she dispatched some daily business with a few ministers.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 04:00 UTC
Fitch Ratings downgrades Argentine bonds following Judge Griesa ruling

Fitch Ratings has placed Argentina's Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'B', Short-term IDR of 'B' and the international bonds issued under New York Law on Rating Watch Negative (RWN).
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 03:54 UTC
Iran insists in denying any involvement in deadly attack on Jewish centre in Buenos Aires

Iran’s government rejected once more the involvement of any Iranian citizen in the 1994 AMIA Jewish Centre terrorist bombing, but indicated to be ready to help into identifying those who could have committed the attack.
Wednesday, October 31st 2012 - 02:08 UTC
New York working to restore transit service in wake of historic storm

Thousands of New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers began on Tuesday to fan out through the system to inspect and begin repair of the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, a massively destructive storm of historic proportions.