Stories for March 26th 2007
Brazil's Minister of Culture captivates Carnegie Hall
The eleven North American concert dates during March, from Toronto to Tampa, mark Gil's first-ever solo concert tour, which has been created exclusively for this North American run.
Chavez: China to become top oil client
President Hugo Chavez said China is set to rival the United States as Venezuela's top oil buyer as he announced new plans with the Asian powerhouse to jointly ship oil, build refineries and expand crude production.
Santiago is the 5th richest city in Latin America
Consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers recently ranked the richest cities in the world by measuring economic output and consumer buying power. Santiago ranked 53rd overall, but 5th among other cities in Latin America, after Mexico, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
Cruise vessel rescues young couple that fell overboard
A young couple fell overboard from a cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico early Sunday, but both were rescued after a four-hour search and appeared to be in good condition, a cruise line spokeswoman said.
Japan Central Bank committed to gradual rate increases
Bank of Japan board members decided to gradually raise interest rates following on developments in the economy and prices, according to the minutes of the February meeting and confirmed by Governor Toshihiko Fukui.
Sales of new homes in US drops for second month running
Sales of new homes in United States dropped for the second month in a row this year, 15.8% in January and 3.9% in February, according to the Commerce Department.
Federal Reserve: Chinese holdings of US dollars “is not a problem”
China's accumulation of United States debt is not a problem for the US or for the Federal Reserve monetary policy, said Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a letter dated March 16 but released on Monday.
Lula da Silva/Bush to discuss world trade and Biofuels
Brazil's president said on Monday he will ask President Bush to help advance global trade talks when he visits Washington this week.
It's official: Botnia begins pulp production next September
The Uruguay/Argentina controversy over the construction of pulp mills escalated another step Monday when the Finnish company Botnia, next to Uruguayan government officials, announced in Montevideo the plant would begin production next September, which is a month before presidential elections in Argentina.
