Politics

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:53 UTC

  Money timidly returning to Spain after 14 months of sustained outflows

  

  Foreign investors put more money into Spain in October than they took out, marking the second month running the country has benefited from an influx of capital. Spain registered capital inflow of 12.1 billion Euros in October, the Bank of Spain said on Friday. The figure, which excludes central bank operations, was lower than the 31 billion Euros of inflow in September.

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:47 UTC

  Mercosur closely following Venezuela situation; Cristina Fernandez paid secret visit to Chavez in Cuba

  

  Mercosur leading members Brazil and Argentina are closely following the Venezuelan situation confident there are no reasons for surprises or fears about the democratic system, while the most respected political reporter of the country Nelson Bocaranda assures that President Cristina Fernandez, CFK, paid a secret visit to Havana in December where she talked with Hugo Chavez about his true health condition.

• Wednesday, January 2nd 2013 - 23:39 UTC

  Markets rally on fiscal cliff agreement but a second chapter waits in February

  

  Global stock markets have rallied after a short-term deal to stave off the US “fiscal cliff” was reached. In New York, the Dow Jones closed up 2.4%, while European shares were up about 2% for the day.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 15:34 UTC

  The spirit and roots of the Falklands in “Our Islands, Our History”

  

  The Falkland Islands Government announced the completion of the booklet “Our Islands, Our History”. The booklet provides a succinct and accessible summary of the key aspects of the history of the Falkland Islands, and of the people whose determination and character have forged them to a democratic, prosperous and dynamic community.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 06:44 UTC

  Venezuela praises Mercosur partners but completely ignores Paraguay

  

  Venezuela gave another step in its integration process as full member of Mercosur underlining recent achievements with its partners Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay but completely ignored Paraguay, the fourth full member currently suspended from the block.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 06:41 UTC

  Thatcher feared Spain might go for Gibraltar after Falklands was taken by Argentina

  

  Three days after Argentina’s ruling military junta seized the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic (April 1982), the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher called for an “urgent assessment” of Britain’s ability to defend Gibraltar, prompted in part by the “jubilant reaction” to the invasion in the Spanish press.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 06:26 UTC

  Spain lifts ban on Argentine bio-diesel; annual exports total 1.1bn dollars

  

  Spain has taken a step back with import restrictions on Argentina’s bio-diesel applied in a reprisal move after Argentine president Cristina Fernandez decided to seize control of energy company YPF, subsidiary of Spanish Repsol, earlier this year.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 06:21 UTC

  Brazil names a candidate for the WTO Director General post

  

  Brazil on Friday named its World Trade Organization envoy Roberto Azevedo to succeed Pascal Lamy as head of the Geneva-based trade oversight body. Brazil's ambassador to the WTO since 2008, Azevedo has been tackling the country's cotton subsidy dispute with the United States.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 06:19 UTC

  Brazil central bank injects more liquidity by lowering reserve requirements

  

  Brazil's central bank announced it would cut reserve requirements on demand deposits under specific conditions to free up around 15 billion Reais (7.3 billion dollars) for lending in a move aimed at boosting investment in the stagnating economy.

• Saturday, December 29th 2012 - 04:12 UTC

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff health ‘within normal levels’

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who survived lymphoma cancer in 2009, was pronounced healthy by doctors after a routine exam. Rousseff's health was “within normal levels,” according to a statement released by her office following the check-up at the Sirio-Libanes Hospital in Sao Paulo, one of South America's leading cancer treatment centers.