Politics

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:25 UTC

  Close links with Latam and steadfast commitment to Falklands, announced Hague

  

  The UK is determined to strengthen relations with Latin America and equally committed to the Falkland Islands right to self-determination, said Foreign Secretary William Hague during a major foreign policy speech at banquet.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:11 UTC

  Inflation notoriously above the target range, admits Uruguay’s central bank

  

  The Central Bank of Uruguay left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 8.75% on Thursday, saying the current level is consistent with a restrictive monetary policy as Uruguayan authorities stubbornly battle high inflation.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:05 UTC

  Brazil’s union files lawsuit against Chevron and Transocean over oil spill

  

  Brazil's largest oil workers union filed a lawsuit against US oil company Chevron and drilling firm Transocean that seeks to cancel their rights to operate in the country as the result of an offshore oil spill last November.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:58 UTC

  Nine companies submit 19 bids to explore for oil offshore Uruguay

  

  Nine oil and gas companies have submitted 19 bids to explore for hydrocarbons off the coast of Uruguay, the state energy company Ancap said on Thursday.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:47 UTC

  Uruguay against any Falklands’ blockade; supports trade with the Islands

  

  Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro said that the Uruguayan government does not oppose trade with the Falkland Islands and any undertaking to that effect by the private sector is welcome since “Uruguay does not agree with any commercial or economic blockade of the Islands”.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:41 UTC

  Brazil’s 1964/85 military blackout on human rights abuses up for review

  

  Rio do Janeiro riot police used pepper spray and tear gas on Thursday to chase protesters away from a celebration by retired soldiers marking the March 1964 coup that established Brazil's long military dictatorship.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:39 UTC

  Argentina promises to reopen book imports: ‘lead poisoning ink argument too heavy’

  

  Argentina’s restrictions on books imports based on the ‘lead content of the ink in which they are published’ and the fact the Argentine government described the implementation as a “safeguard for human health” echoed worldwide, and official sources have now promised the situation will “be back to normal” in a few weeks.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 06:31 UTC

  UK says there is no evidence at all, Argentina has the capacity/strength to invade the Falklands

  

  On the verge of the South Atlantic conflict 30th anniversary, the UK’s Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said that the Falkland Islands “do not face a current credible military threat from Argentina”, and brushed aside the rumours published by the British sensationalist media.

• Thursday, March 29th 2012 - 07:18 UTC

  BRICS leaders’ summit takes off in India with a project for a development bank

  

  Leaders of the emerging world met in India on Thursday to discuss creating a new development bank, at a summit in which the bloc will seek to convert its economic might into collective diplomatic clout.

• Thursday, March 29th 2012 - 07:10 UTC

  Brazilian congress breaks gridlock on legislative agenda including “FIFA bill”

  

  Brazilian lawmakers on Wednesday moved a step closer to passing a long-delayed measure key to preparations for the 2014 soccer World Cup, breaking a gridlock in Congress that threatened to delay President Dilma Rousseff's legislative agenda.