Stories for July 19th 2010
Positive sustained growth prospects for Latin America in 2010, forecasts IMF
The Latin American economy could grow by as much as 5% this year, more strongly than previously expected (4%), driven by Brazil's vigorous expansion, according to a senior International Monetary Fund official.
Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain, the Euro and now Hungary: who’s next?
The IMF and EU suspended a review of Hungary's funding program, set up in 2008 to save the country from financial meltdown, saying it must take tough action to meet targets for cutting its budget deficit.
China promises Germany’s Merkel support for the Euro
Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, has said that China will continue to invest in European markets, despite the debt problems affecting many Euro zone countries. He was speaking in Beijing alongside the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. She described his pledge as an important signal that China has confidence in the Euro.
EU almost free of ‘mad-cow’ plans to soften 1996 regulations
The nightmare of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis – or Mad Cow Disease) is mercifully almost forgotten in the EU now. In total almost 200,000 cases of BSE were discovered in the EU. But there were only 67 cases last year and those were in very old animals probably infected many years ago.
Argentina expects more than five million foreign tourists in 2010
Argentina is expecting over five million tourists this year, a historic record which represents a 15.5% increase over 2009, said Tourism Minister Enrique Meyer.
Latinamerica’s richest businessman digs for gold in Mexico
Billionaire Carlos Slim, in the short list of world’s richest and number one in Latinamerica is digging for gold in Mexico, taking advantage of bullion prices that touched a record last month while awaiting a broader economic rebound.
Stone promises to keep exposing the “white man” but with a doses of entertainment
“It’s always a simple repeat of what happens in Iraq, Afghanistan or South America. It’s the white man who fights people he believes are inferior”, confessed US filmmaker Oliver Stone talking about his recent “South of the Border”.
Brazil to begin Mercosur talks with Dominican Republic
Brazilian Foreign Trade Secretary Welber Barral flies Monday to Dominican Republic to promote bilateral and advance towards a road map for an agreement with Mercosur.
Spain calls for ‘understanding’ from released Cuban political prisoners
Spanish Foreign Affairs minister Míguel Angel Moratinos called for “understanding” from the released Cuban political prisoners which arrived in Spain and who are complaining about their ‘undefined’ legal status.
World production of rough rice affected by dry weather in Mekong River
Global production of rough rice, the staple for half the world’s population, may be 6 million tons less than estimated earlier this year after prolonged dry weather in the Mekong River region hurt crops, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
