
Ralph Lauren Corp. has agreed to pay 1.6 million dollars to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, after finding that its subsidiary in Argentina repeatedly bribed customs officials, federal authorities announced Monday.

Britain’s Prince Harry will take part in a race to the South Pole with a team of wounded British servicemen and women it was announced over the weekend. The 28-year-old will take on teams from the United States and the Commonwealth in the 335km Walking With The Wounded South Pole Allied Challenge in November and December this year.

President-elect Horacio Cartes said that even when some aspects of Mercosur can be improved it “would be utterly nonsense” to abandon the block since it generates many jobs in the country, attracts investment and is an opportunity to open markets.

Brazil conditions the immediate return of Paraguay to Mercosur to the approval, by the new congress, of Venezuela’s full incorporation to the trade block, according to the influential Folha de Sao Paulo quoting foreign ministry reliable sources.

Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said on Monday that Venezuela will resort to “trade, energy, economic and political” measures if the United States applies sanctions or keeps meddling in the internal affairs of the country.

Argentina’s Rafael Grossi has resigned as assistant director-general of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), sparking speculation as to whether his exit might be linked to Argentina’s agreement earlier this year with Iran.

Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos has signalled he may run for re-election in 2014, but only if he can serve for just two more years, half the usual term, and change the rules for future heads of state.

President José Mujica said Uruguay “must always talk and maintain close relations with Argentina” following the recent controversy that flared up when he was caught by an open microphone calling Argentina’s Cristina Fernandez “the old lady” and her deceased husband Néstor Kirchner “the one-eyed.”

The leader of Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, Beppe Grillo, criticised the re-election of President Giorgio Napolitano as a desperate attempt to retain power by a discredited establishment.

In his victory speech Paraguay president-elect Horacio Cartes said he expects to win the confidence of all the Paraguayan population and called on the opposition to work for the good of the nation. He also had a direct reference to the neighbouring giant saying he wanted to work with Brazil, a ‘brother-country’.