Politics

• Saturday, March 31st 2012 - 06:41 UTC

  Argentina rejects WTO members’ criticisms; confirms ‘sovereign trade policies’

  

  The Argentine government ratified its trade policies before the World Trade Organization, following the criticism of Argentine trade restrictions from twelve countries, including the US, EU and Japan, and assured it will continue to decide on its trade policies in a sovereign manner.

• Saturday, March 31st 2012 - 06:17 UTC

  Uruguay reveals the existence of an “Argentina 2020: imports substitution” plan

  

  Uruguay’ Foreign Affairs Minister Luis Almagro revealed that the government of President Cristina Fernandez is fully involved in the implementation of a plan called “Argentina 2020: substitution of imports” and therefore bilateral trade negotiations that are difficult, will continue on that same path for several years.

• Saturday, March 31st 2012 - 01:04 UTC

  Senate approves Roberta Jacobson as US Assistant Secretary for Latin America

  

  The Senate finally confirmed Roberta Jacobson as US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs six months after having been nominated for the post by President Barack Obama.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 23:03 UTC

  Lula da Silva admits he feared loosing his voice more than dying

  

  Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva said in an interview published this week that he feared losing his voice more than dying when he was diagnosed with larynx cancer.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 22:54 UTC

  Argentina reiterates ‘serious suspicions’ about UK nuclear weapons in Falklands’ region

  

  Defence Minister Arturo Puricelli reiterated Argentina’s “militarization” claims in the Falkland Islands and highlighted “serious suspicions” that Britain is using nuclear weapons in the South Atlantic region.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 20:18 UTC

  Argentina blasted at WTO for its trade-restrictive measures and lack of transparency

  

  Argentina received a barrage of criticism at the World Trade Organization on Friday where the United States, European Union, Japan and 10 other countries accused it of tying imports up in red tape. They also requested Argentina provide a detailed written explanation of why in its view “these measures and practices are consistent with WTO rules”.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 16:58 UTC

  Spain announced toughest austerity budget since the return of democracy

  

  Spain is cutting 27bn Euros from its budget this year as part of one of the toughest austerity drives in its history. Changes will include freezing public sector workers' salaries and reducing departmental budgets by 16.9%.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 16:49 UTC

  German V2 rocket from World War II found in east coast of England

  

  A German V2 rocket from World War II has been found nose down in the mud flats at Harwich Harbour in the east coast of England. Royal Navy divers said it was buried vertically with about 1.5m of its tail exposed at low tide.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:54 UTC

  For Uruguay “there is not blockade of Malvinas by any country of the continent”

  

  Uruguay reiterated its full and traditional support for Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, but at the same time underlined that “there is no blockade to the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands by any country of the continent”, and clearly differentiated the Cuban and Malvinas blockades.

• Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:51 UTC

  Rajoy challenged by general strike, recession and more loss of jobs

  

  As Spain heads for its second recession since 2010 and unemployment stands at 23%, workers angry at a labour reform the government calls an “unstoppable” necessity staged a general strike on Thursday, bringing factories and ports to a standstill and igniting flashes of violence on the streets.