Politics

Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:52 UTC
Petrobras raises gasoline and diesel prices, but markets say it’s insufficient

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras said in a market filing that it would increase refinery prices for gasoline and diesel by 6.6% and 5.4%, respectively, starting on January 31. However the market’s reaction was negative with the Bovespa stock exchange falling to a seven-week low.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:47 UTC
Argentina ‘irritated’ with Israel’s attitude towards accord with Iran to investigate 1994 bombing

Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman summoned on Wednesday Israeli ambassador to Argentina Dorit Shavit, and expressed the “surprise and irritation” of President Cristina Fernandez government after learning that Tel Aviv had demanded an explanation from Argentine ambassador to Israel with regards to the recent agreement between Argentina and Iran.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:37 UTC
FIFA 2014 World Cup presents ambassadors and unveils the official poster

The newly appointed ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday 30 January 2013, unveiled the tournament’s Official Poster at a media briefing in Rio de Janeiro. Four FIFA World Cup winners, Amarildo, Carlos Alberto Torres, Bebeto and Ronaldo, as well as women’s football star Marta, were invited by FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke to end the suspense and help unveil the design.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:20 UTC
Argentina in the process of quitting from World Bank investment disputes centre

Argentina says it plans to withdraw from the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, ICSID, a World Bank body designed to arbitrate between states and foreign investors.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:14 UTC
Except for Uruguay, Mercosur ranks poorly in the World Press Freedom Index

Argentina dropped seven positions and now ranks 54 in the 2013 World Press Freedom Index of 179 countries elaborated by Reporters Without Frontiers. Uruguay is the best ranked in South America, position 27, while other Mercosur full members standing are not very encouraging: Paraguay, 91; Brazil, 108 and Venezuela, 117.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:10 UTC
Brazil’s media: highly concentrated and heavily reliant on government advertising

Reporters Without Borders released a report entitled “Brazil, the country of 30 Berlusconis” that examines all of the shortcomings of the country’s media landscape It is based on fact-finding visits to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasilia in November 2012.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:07 UTC
Fed admits ‘temporary pause’ in US economy and confirms stimuli package

The Federal Reserve left in place its monthly 85 billion dollars bond-buying stimulus plan, saying US economic growth had stalled but indicating the pullback was likely temporary.
Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:01 UTC
Argentine construction activity was down 3.2% in 2012, according to official stats

Argentina’s construction activity registered a 3.2% drop in 2012 compared to the volume reported the previous year, according to the Indec national statistics bureau. This would be the first time in three years that the industry experienced a broad slowdown.
Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 15:34 UTC
US economy contracts in fourth quarter, first time since 2009 global recession

The US economy unexpectedly shrank at an annualised rate of 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2012, initial official estimates indicate. If confirmed, it would be the first contraction logged by the US economy since the 2009 global recession. The world's largest economy grew 3.1% in July to September.
Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 15:18 UTC
Timerman taking the Falklands’ dispute to London in an event with EU figures

Foreign minister Hector Timerman will be taking the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty claim to London where next week he is scheduled to meet outstanding figures from 18 European countries that have been calling for a resumption of negotiations, according to a release from the Argentine embassy in UK.