IRELAND

Irish prices fall 5.4 percent, biggest drop since 1933

Although Ireland is suffering it's heaviest deflation since 1933, education, healthcare, utilities costs are still rising.

MEDIA

Univisión struggles to overcome recession

Univisión seemed like a gold mine for its new owners three years ago. Now they're working hard to stay afloat in difficult times.

BANKING

Swiss ready to seize UBS data to block Washington

The Swiss government says handing over the names of more than 50,000 American clients at UBS to Washington would violate Swiss law.

THE CARIBBEAN

Caribbean islands at odds over alliances with Hugo Chávez

A budding alliance between Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and several small, English-speaking island nations is creating waves in the Caribbean.

Protectionism: How to create new jobs overseas

Keith Koenig, who describes himself as ''very much a free-trade guy,'' has seen how U.S. government efforts to control imports of foreign-made furniture can produce unintended -- and undesirable -- consequences.

Global attitude benefits City Furniture

City Furniture gained a boost from ''accidental'' exports, but the home furnishing giant's sales are still in a three-year slump.

Q&A with Robert Smith, sovereign debt trader

Robert Smith's lifelong adventure as an emerging market debt trader has earned him nicknames like King of the Jungle Bonds and the Indiana Jones of Finance.

FOOD REGULATION

U.S. catfish plan risks trade war with Vietnamese

Trying to gain an advantage, U.S. catfish farmers are pushing for new rules that could block imports from Vietnam for years and potentially spark a trade war.

BANKING

Private banker says he took millions undetected

A private banker who stole millions from South American clients without raising a red flag internally raises questions about how carefully some of the largest institutions monitor their bankers.

Mexican factories edge in on China

More than 200 companies from around the world have factories in Reynosa, Mexico, employing 128,000 workers with average wages of $2.35 an hour.

TOURISM

Cuba can service U.S. tourists if ban is lifted, officials say

Cuba's tourism industry will have enough capacity for the surge of American travelers expected should U.S. lawmakers lift restrictions on visits to the island, said Miguel Figueras, an advisor at Cuba's tourism ministry.

OFFSHORE ACCOUNTS

Boca Raton accountant pleads guilty in UBS tax fraud case

In the latest sign that Swiss banking secrecy isn't so secret anymore, a wealthy Boca Raton-based UBS client pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return.

INVESTMENTS

Stanford pleads not guilty

At a bond hearing, billionaire R. Allen Stanford pleaded not guilty to charges of massive investment fraud.

Q & A WITH GEORGE R. HARPER

Do homework before investing abroad

Attorney George R. Harper offers advice to help large and small businesses avoid the many pitfalls confronting international investors.

NewCom grows, despite recession

Bringing digital connections to rural areas in Latin America and Africa, Miami-Dade-based NewCom International sees strong growth.

INCOME TAXES

U.S., Switzerland amend treaty

In an effort to help crack down on tax evasion, the two nations have agreed to share more tax information.

PREMIER'S PLEA

Haiti waiting for first penny

Haiti needs investors as well as the international community to ante up $353 million in pledges, Prime Minister Michèle Pierre-Louis said during a visit to Miami.

CHILE

New laws vital for OECD bid

Chile's bid to be the first South American member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development by the end of this year could be dashed if lawmakers don't change bank secrecy laws ''as soon as possible,'' the OECD's legal chief said.

THE ECONOMY

South Florida's international trade takes a hit

Recession has hit South Florida's international trade, with commerce through area ports down.