Politics

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:42 UTC

  Uruguay and Venezuela will further increase energy related cooperation

  

  Uruguay will renew the contract for the purchase of Venezuela oil and accept the stake increase of that country in a local bio-fuels corporation during the scheduled visit of President Nicolas Maduro to Montevideo next month; it was announced by the Uruguayan Foreign affairs ministry.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:27 UTC

  Italy expected to have a new centre-left government with maverick mayor Renzi

  

  Italian President Giorgio Napolitano summoned Matteo Renzi to a meeting on Monday at which he is expected to ask the centre-left leader to form a government that must overhaul one of the most troubled economies in the Euro zone.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:23 UTC

  Euro-zone growth still fragile but stronger than expected at the end of 2013

  

  Economic growth across the Euro-zone was stronger than expected at the end of 2013, according to official figures, raising hopes the recovery is gaining a foothold. Gross domestic product grew by 0.3% in the October-December period from the previous quarter, said Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics office. That amounts to an annualized rate of about 1.2 %.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:21 UTC

  Hague underlines close links with Colombia; meets President Santos Monday

  

  UK Foreign Secretary William Hague was received on Sunday in Cartagena by Colombian Foreign minister María Angeles Holguín and on Monday is scheduled to meet with Juan Manuel Santos at the Palacio Nariño, seat of the Executive in Bogotá. Mr. Hague on Monday evening will be flying to Brazil.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:09 UTC

  Uruguay's budget surplus reached 2.3% of GDP in 2013

  

  Despite a decade of sustained growth Uruguay's fiscal deficit reached 2.3% of GDP last year, which is an improvement over 2012, when it reached 2.8%, but above the government's target of 2.1%. In money terms this means the budget red was equivalent to 1.154bn dollars, including 350 million dollar losses from government owned companies.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 09:03 UTC

  Argentina vs hedge funds: second chapter of appeal before the US Supreme Court

  

  The Argentine government will appeal on Monday before the US Supreme Court for the second time against the hedge funds claim. The Supreme Court is the last judiciary step in the dispute.

• Monday, February 17th 2014 - 07:49 UTC

  Argentina/Brazil diplomatic incident almost triggers another Mercosur stall

  

  In what was described as a “shameful incident”, Brazil had to retract from statements made by one of its diplomats, a condition demanded by Argentina to continue negotiations for a Mercosur common tariffs reduction proposal which was taking place in Caracas. The incident occurred last week but only came to light over the weekend.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 10:24 UTC

  Brazil, the most dangerous country for Latam journalists, according to RSF

  

  More than 20 years after the fall of the dictatorships and civil wars that dominated Latin America, the region continues to be marked by a strong retaliation against the press, according to Reporters Without Borders, RSF, most recent annual index on the state of press freedom, which was published on Feb. 12.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 08:03 UTC

  Obama administration makes it easier for banks to deal with licensed marihuana companies

  

  The Obama administration made it easier for banks to do business with licensed marijuana companies with less fear of prosecution, further encouraging US states that are experimenting with legalization of the drug. The Justice and Treasury departments were in the process of outlining the policy in writing to federal prosecutors and financial institutions.

• Saturday, February 15th 2014 - 07:58 UTC

  Thousands of landless peasants clash with police in Brasilia

  

  Brazilian police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at about 16,000 landless farmers marching for land reform in clashes that left 42 people hurt. The march on Brasilia on Wednesday was the latest in a series of protests rocking the nation, raising security concerns just four months before Brazil hosts football's World Cup.