Politics

Friday, December 20th 2013 - 06:28 UTC
US planning a new trade agreement with Latam, but through NAFTA

The President Barack Obama administration is “exploring” a regional trade plan for the Americas that would be the most ambitious hemispheric initiative in years, but contrary to the failed experience of George Bush's FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas), this time it would be instrumented through Nafta (North American Free Trade Agreement) partners Mexico and Canada, according to a Miami Herald interview of Andres Oppenheimer with Secretary of State John Kerry.
Friday, December 20th 2013 - 06:11 UTC
Brazil denies EU charges of protectionism and discriminating tax measures

Brazil on Thursday strenuously denied European Union charges it engages in protectionism and said it would show its trade programs conform to WTO rules. The EU took Brazil to the World Trade Organization Thursday, complaining it was using taxes to discriminate against imports and illegally help its exporters
Friday, December 20th 2013 - 06:09 UTC
Venezuela considering increase in gasoline prices, world's cheapest: 2 cents a liter

President Nicolas Maduro said he was contemplating a three-year period to raise domestic fuel prices; a sensitive issue for Venezuela where a similar move helped spark deadly 1989 riots.
Friday, December 20th 2013 - 06:00 UTC
Gibraltar Chief Minister hosts and lobbies MPs and Lords in London

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, hosted a very well attended dinner for Members of the House of Commons on Tuesday evening at Gibraltar House in London, according to a report from the Gibraltar Chronicle. The event saw over 30 Members of Parliament attend from the All Party British Gibraltar Group.
Friday, December 20th 2013 - 05:57 UTC
Argentina files complaint with WTO against EU duties on bio-diesel

Argentina has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the European Union’s decision to impose anti-dumping duties on its biodiesel exports. The duties are “clearly protectionist” and will affect annual sales worth more than 1.5 billion, Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday on its website.
Friday, December 20th 2013 - 05:49 UTC
Argentina threatens to nationalize power companies because of the blackouts

Argentina on Thursday threatened to nationalize utility companies Edenor and Edesur after power outages left large areas of the capital Buenos Aires and surrounding suburbs in the dark, just ahead of the austral summer. “If they are not willing to give people the service they deserve, we will be willing to take over that service,” said cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich.
Thursday, December 19th 2013 - 06:25 UTC
UK claims Argentina escalating Falklands dispute to divert public opinion from economic problems

Britain accused the Argentine government on Tuesday of revving up a dispute over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands to try to divert public opinion attention away from the country's severe economic problems.
Thursday, December 19th 2013 - 06:06 UTC
Brazil surprises and hands Sweden Gripens the contract for 36 new fighters

Sweden's Saab AB prevailed over U.S. giant Boeing and French manufacturer Dassault Aviation in a competition to supply the Brazilian air force with 36 aircraft to replace its aging Mirage 2000s, Brazil said Wednesday.
Thursday, December 19th 2013 - 06:01 UTC
Fed announces gradual conditioned tapering of stimuli from next January

The U.S. Federal Reserve will start scaling back its monthly bond-buying program as early as next month, but the reduction will be gradual. The Federal Reserve has been buying 85 billion dollars a month in government bonds in an effort to keep interest rates low and boost economic growth.
Thursday, December 19th 2013 - 05:55 UTC
US congress agrees budget deal reducing risk of government shutdown

On the same day the Federal Reserve announced tapering of stimulus, the US Senate passed a two-year budget deal to ease automatic spending cuts and reduce the risk of a government shutdown, but fights were already breaking out over how to implement the budget pact