Politics

• Thursday, July 19th 2012 - 07:12 UTC

  Vatican bank fails test on preventing financial crime

  

  The Vatican bank or Institute for Works of Religion, IOR, needs more reform in order to show it is effective at preventing financial crime, a report by a European banking watchdog has said.

• Thursday, July 19th 2012 - 07:07 UTC

  EU/Mercosur trade talks suspended until after Paraguayan elections of April 2013

  

  The removal of Fernando Lugo as president of Paraguay interrupted European Union/Mercosur discussions, which could resume following the April 2013 presidential elections said on Wednesday the European Parliament mission visiting Asunción.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 18:24 UTC

  HMS Dauntless in South Africa; will pay courtesy visit to the Falklands

  

  The Royal Navy’s Daring class Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless is in Cape Town, mid-way through her six-month deployment to the Falklands relieving HMS Montrose according to British defence news.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 17:25 UTC

  Former Chilean president father alleged torturers formally charged with his death

  

  Chile charged two former officers in Augusto Pinochet's military dictatorship with being the “co-authors” of the torture that killed the father of former president Michelle Bachelet.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 17:03 UTC

  Geithner defends US response during the 2008 Libor-rate credibility slump

  

  US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner defended his response in 2008 to concerns that emerged over the benchmark Libor interest rate, arguing on Wednesday that US regulators pushed early and forcefully for reforms.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 09:30 UTC

  Mercosur tribunal will rule on Paraguay’s appeal questioning suspension

  

  Mercosur Review Standing Tribunal admitted the demand presented by the government of President Federico Franco against the suspension of Paraguay and thus object the incorporation of Venenzuela as full member of the regional block

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 09:07 UTC

  Chavez announces fund in support of Venezuelan business to export to Mercosur

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez announced the creation of a strategic fund geared to support public and private exports to Mercosur, following his confirmation that he will fly to Brazil for the formal incorporation of his country as a full member of the block that also includes Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and suspended Paraguay.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 09:03 UTC

  Argentina will attend Ibero-American summit next November in Spain

  

  Argentina will be attending the Ibero-American Summit to be held November 16/17 in the Spanish city of Cadiz confirmed the International Cooperation Secretary of State for Ibero-America, Jesús Gracia Aldaz.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 08:58 UTC

  Brazil’s nominee for securities regulator chosen from the private sector

  

  Leonardo Gomes Pereira, the chief financial officer of Brazilian airline Gol Linhas Aereas was nominated on Tuesday to head the country's securities regulator, in an unexpected pick outside the institution. Finance Minister Guido Mantega nominated Pereira to head the regulator, the CVM, the ministry said in a statement.

• Wednesday, July 18th 2012 - 08:30 UTC

  “Informal” and “blue” dollar in Argentina soars to 6.60 and 6.78 Pesos

  

  Argentina's Peso sank in informal trade on Tuesday due to intense demand for US dollars from anxious savers and holidaymakers dodging the government clamp on international currency purchases.