Politics

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 19:33 UTC

  EC says manipulation of financial “benchmarks” to become “criminal offence”

  

  The European Commission has adopted amendments to the proposed Regulation and Directive on insider dealing and market manipulation, following the recent LIBOR and EURIBOR scandals.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 19:11 UTC

  Argentine embassy confirms CFK will not attend Olympics opening in London

  

  The British media have turned their eyes on Argentina which has decided not to send its president to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, considered a diplomatic snub to Britain at a time of growing tensions over the Falkland Islands.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 07:53 UTC

  Brazil tax revenue drops 6.55% in June, another symptom of slowing economy

  

  Brazil's federal tax revenues dropped more than expected in June from the same period a year before, as a stubborn economic slowdown hurts corporate profits and prompts the government to grant tax breaks to some industries.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 07:49 UTC

  Dozens arrested at funeral of Cuban dissident leader at a Havana church

  

  Cuban police arrested dozens of dissidents Tuesday at a funeral for political activist Oswaldo Paya and after his daughter's vow to seek justice over his sudden death in a road accident.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 07:04 UTC

  Germany and France express support for Spain but markets demand more than words

  

  German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and his counterpart from Madrid said Spain’s borrowing costs don’t reflect the strength of its economy as they pledged to work toward deeper integration to fight the debt crisis.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 06:36 UTC

  Argentina is making few friends in the oil and gas industry these days

  

  Interview with Sam Logan (*) Angering Spain by seizing and nationalizing a majority of Repsol's shares in YPF and ramping up the rhetoric over the Falkland Islands as exploration deals promise to make the territory a major oil player overnight, Argentina is making few friends in the fossil fuels industry these days.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 04:44 UTC

  Brazilian influential newspaper blasts “Dilma’s anti-diplomacy”

  

  Brazil’s influential newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo blasted Brazilian foreign policy and its handling of the Paraguayan political crisis. In an opinion column under the heading “Dilma’s anti-diplomacy” the newspaper argues that the current administration is politicizing foreign policy, the same way that her predecessor, Lula da Silva.

• Wednesday, July 25th 2012 - 00:54 UTC

  Spain suggests Paraguay should not attend Ibero-American summit in Cadiz

  

  Spain’s Foreign Minister Jose Manuel García-Margallo suggested on Tuesday that it would be best for Paraguay not to attend the coming Ibero-American summit scheduled to take place in Cadiz, next November, because of the complex political situation.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2012 - 23:43 UTC

  Unasur conditions return of Paraguay to democratic, transparent elections

  

  Paraguay must comply with democratic and transparent elections if it pretends to again become a member of the Union of South American Nations, Unasur, said the regional block following meetings on Tuesday held in Lima, Peru.

• Tuesday, July 24th 2012 - 23:36 UTC

  Chavez unveils 3D image of Simon Bolivar based on his exhumed body

  

  Venezuela's Hugo Chávez unveiled a 3D image of South America's 19th century independence hero Simon Bolivar on Tuesday, based on bones the president ordered exhumed two years ago to test his theory that Bolivar was murdered.