More

• Time to open up to trade, EU tells Argentina, Brazil Saturday, 26 Jan 2013 | 7:59 AM ET

  SANTIAGO, Jan 26- Argentina and Brazil need to open up to European goods and push ahead with the long-stalled Mercosur free-trade talks, the European Union's trade chief said on Saturday before EU and Latin American leaders meet to try to break the deadlock.

• UPDATE 1-Time to open up to trade, EU tells Argentina, Brazil Saturday, 26 Jan 2013 | 12:24 AM ET

  SANTIAGO, Jan 26- EU leaders urged Argentina and Brazil on Saturday to open up their markets and push ahead on a free-trade deal that would be a major prize for Europe as it battles to emerge from three years of economic crisis.

• FACTBOX-Five facts about EU-Latin American trade Friday, 25 Jan 2013 | 5:18 PM ET

  Jan 25- European Union leaders are meeting their Latin American counterparts this weekend in Santiago to win investments and speed up trade flows to lift Europe's stalled economy. *Bilateral trade has more than doubled over the last decade to reach some 200 billion euros last year, and Europe is the top foreign investor in Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Venezuela supermarket scramble mixes dearth with gourmet Friday, 25 Jan 2013 | 11:23 AM ET

  CARACAS, Jan 25- A supermarket in a posh district of Caracas is barren of wheat flour but well stocked with gourmet cream-filled sweetbread imported from Italy. Periodic product shortages have become a fact of life under socialist President Hugo Chavez, who has not been seen since undergoing cancer surgery in Cuba seven weeks ago.

• Europe faces hurdles at Latin America summit focused on trade Friday, 25 Jan 2013 | 6:45 AM ET

  *EU seeks to deepen trade ties with buoyant Latin America. BRUSSELS/ SANTIAGO, Jan 25 F- EU leaders take their hunt for economic growth to Latin America this weekend as the bloc tries to emerge from three years of crisis, but a long-stalled free-trade deal with Brazil and Argentina remains distant.

• INTERVIEW-Venezuelan economy a victim of politics -industry exec Wednesday, 23 Jan 2013 | 11:55 AM ET

  CARACAS, Jan 23- Shortages of consumer goods in Venezuela may worsen if the government does not increase access to hard currency and ease import bottlenecks, an official with the country's main industry group said in an interview.

• Reuters World News Highlights at 2130 GMT, Jan 22 Tuesday, 22 Jan 2013 | 5:06 PM ET

  NIAMEY/ BAMAKO- Chadian forces advanced towards the Mali border on Tuesday as an African troop deployment and a U.S. military airlift swelled international support for French operations against Islamist rebels occupying the north of Mali.

• REUTERS MAGAZINE-Flu-conomics: The next pandemic could trigger global recession Monday, 21 Jan 2013 | 6:59 AM ET

  Jan 21- A high body count is not the only meaningful number attached to a pandemic. During the 2003 SARS, which began in southern China and lasted about seven months, business and leisure travelers drastically cut back on flying. Asia-Pacific carriers saw revenue plunge $6 billion and North American airlines lost another $1 billion.

• REUTERS MAGAZINE-What a Brazilian clown reveals about the crisis in legislatures Sunday, 20 Jan 2013 | 6:59 AM ET

  Jan 21- Cross-dressing, semi-literate, potty-mouthed clowns aren't supposed to run for Congress.

• NYMEX-Crude edges down towards $95 ahead of China data Thursday, 17 Jan 2013 | 7:19 PM ET

  *NYMEX crude for February delivery was down 31 cents at $95.18 a barrel by 0007 GMT, after settling up $1.25 at $95.49 on Thursday. The contract rose to $96.04 on Thursday, the highest intraday price since $96.17 on Sept. 19, after data showed U.S. jobless claims fell to a five-year low and housing starts jumped to the highest level since June 2008.

• UPDATE 7-Oil rises on improving U.S. jobs, housing data Thursday, 17 Jan 2013 | 3:47 PM ET

  NEW YORK, Jan 17- Oil rose on Thursday as financial markets got a boost from improving U.S. economic data showing jobless claims fell to a five-year low and housing starts rose sharply. Meanwhile, the seizure by Islamic militants of a gas facility in OPEC country Algeria raised concern that regional turmoil could disrupt energy exports.

• Ex-compliance exec sues Siemens over alleged Asia bribery scheme Tuesday, 15 Jan 2013 | 2:26 PM ET

  Jan 15- A former compliance officer for Siemens AG in China sued the company on Tuesday, accusing it of firing him after he tried to expose a kickback scheme involving medical equipment sales to hospitals there. The allegations come after Siemens resolved charges in 2008 that it paid bribes in exchange for business around the world.

• Hints of Competitiveness in Recession-Hit Spain Tuesday, 15 Jan 2013 | 7:14 AM ET

  

  Latin American markets have been a prime target for Spanish companies because of their language advantage, and giants such as Telefonica and Banco Santander have increased their exposure there to compensate for problems in their domestic market.

• INSIGHT-In recession-hit Spain, hints of new competitiveness Tuesday, 15 Jan 2013 | 4:34 AM ET

  "In 2007, Spain was our primary market, but that froze in 2009," he said. " Realsec points to a glimmer of hope for the euro zone's fourth largest economy, even though the International Monetary Fund expects Spain to remain in recession through much of 2013. As domestic demand has slumped, some companies have converted themselves into exporters.

• Reuters World News Highlights at 0500 GMT, Jan 15 Tuesday, 15 Jan 2013 | 1:12 AM ET

  WASHINGTON- President Barack Obama on Monday rejected any negotiations with Republicans over raising the U.S. borrowing limit, accusing his opponents of trying to extract a ransom for not ruining the economy in the latest fiscal fight.

• UPDATE 1, EXCLUSIVE-Brazil wants Venezuela election if Chavez dies-sources Monday, 14 Jan 2013 | 9:08 PM ET

  *Brazil urges Maduro to hold elections quickly. SAO PAULO/ BRASILIA, Jan 14- Brazil is urging Venezuela's government to hold elections as quickly as possible if President Hugo Chavez dies, senior officials told Reuters on Monday, a major intervention by Latin America's regional powerhouse that could help ensure a smoother leadership transition in Caracas.

• If Hugo Chavez Dies, What to Expect Next in Venezuela Monday, 14 Jan 2013 | 3:43 PM ET

  

  Things are looking increasingly bleak for Hugo Chavez, which has oil companies, Western governments and all of Latin America asking the same question: What's next if he dies?

• EXCLUSIVE-Brazil wants Venezuela election if Chavez dies-sources Monday, 14 Jan 2013 | 2:48 PM ET

  *Brazil urges Maduro to hold elections quickly. SAO PAULO/ BRASILIA, Jan 14- Brazil is urging Venezuela's government to hold elections as quickly as possible if President Hugo Chavez dies, senior officials told Reuters on Monday, a major intervention by Latin America's regional powerhouse that could help ensure a smoother leadership transition in Caracas.

• UPDATE 1-Italian menswear shows open in gloom over Missoni and economy Saturday, 12 Jan 2013 | 4:34 PM ET

  MILAN, Jan 12- Concerns over the fate of fashion executive Vittorio Missoni and prospects for the economy weighed on the opening of Milan's menswear shows, where designers used all shades of grey for their austere 2013 autumn/winter collections.

• Italian menswear shows open in gloom over economy and Missoni Saturday, 12 Jan 2013 | 4:56 AM ET

  MILAN, Jan 12- Milan's menswear fashion week started on Saturday amid concerns over the economy and also the fate of Vittorio Missoni, one of Italy's best-known clothes executives, whose plane disappeared off Venezuela a week ago.