Politics

• Wednesday, April 6th 2011 - 01:39 UTC

  Uruguay’s March inflation soars 1.42% and 3.6% in the first quarter

  

  Uruguay consumer prices soared 1.42% in March, reaching 8.17% in the last twelve months and 3.6% in the first quarter, which is dangerously close to the twelve month government target of 3% to 7%, which theoretically should go down to 4% to 6% next June.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 22:22 UTC

  Ulster farmers against any EU/Mercosur deal that includes beef and lamb

  

  The Ulster Farmers’ Union has raised concerns over the current trade deal being discussed between the European Union and Mercosur. UFU beef and lamb chairman Ray Elkin said: “The potential for a Mercosur trade deal is of great concern to the UFU, and could have a devastating impact on Northern Ireland’s beef sector in particular.”

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 22:12 UTC

  Pickets’ leader demanding extortion sum from Clarin captured on video

  

  Argentina’s most important daily Clarin has filed an extortion complaint against the leader of the pickets that have prevented the circulation of the newspaper by blocking distribution at the press plant and who was recorded in a tape asking for the equivalent of 2.2 million US dollars to end the attacks.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 21:16 UTC

  Pop singer Michel Martelly wins Haiti presidency by a landslide

  

  Pop singer Michel Martelly better known as “Sweet Micky”, is Haiti's new president-elect. Preliminary results, released by the country's electoral council yesterday, show that Martelly won 68% of the vote in March 20 run-off election to beat former Haitian first lady, Mirlande Manigat.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 21:11 UTC

  EU official optimistic about the next round of trade negotiations with Mercosur

  

  The European Union and Mercosur have a clear commitment to advance trade negotiations and conclude a deal, if possible, by the end of the year, if not at the beginning of next year when Argentina will again hold the rotating chair of the South American group.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 10:18 UTC

  Obama launches his 2012 re-election campaign with a video titled “It Begins With Us”

  

  President Barack Obama launched on Monday his 2012 re-election campaign, framing his final stint as a candidate as an effort to cement and expand the policies he has enacted from the White House.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 10:15 UTC

  Venezuelan business community concerned about full Mercosur integration

  

  The potential full membership of Venezuela in Mercosur, before formalizing its departure from the Andean Community (CAN) has Venezuelan entrepreneurs and several parties linked to integration “awaiting and in uncertainty” since they are not in touch with government actions on the issue.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 10:11 UTC

  Uruguay has no plans to issue new debt: 2011 obligations comfortably covered

  

  Uruguay's economy minister said the country had no concrete plan to issue new debt because it had already covered 2011 obligations and debt servicing costs will fall in 2012. Nevertheless he complained about the “poor treatment” of Uruguay by the risk rating agencies.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 10:08 UTC

  Based on signs of greater fiscal restraint, Fitch raises Brazil’s credit rating to BBB

  

  Brazil’s credit rating was raised one level by Fitch Ratings, which cited the economy’s growth prospects and budget policy under President Dilma Rousseff.

• Tuesday, April 5th 2011 - 09:49 UTC

  Nazi criminal Eichmann tapes: the mistake was “we didn't do our job properly”

  

  Tapes revealed by Germany’s Der Spiegel shed light on the life of a fugitive Nazi criminal in Argentina after the Second World War (1939/1945). Contrary to his claim during his trial in Israel that he was only following orders, Adolf Eichmann boasted to his friends that he was part of decision making process.