Stories for January 17th 2008
British Airways daily non stop flights London Buenos Aires
British Airways has announced plans to significantly increase services to South America with a daily direct flight to Buenos Aires and starting next winter non-stop flights to Rio de Janeiro.
South America's soy and sunflower crops below expectations
World soybean supplies are smaller than expected and high exports are cutting stocks in key producing countries, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said.
Argentina awards contract for Latam's first high speed train
Argentina's president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner officially announced Wednesday that the French group Alstom and its partners IECSA, Emepa, Isolux Corsan have been awarded the first very high-speed train link project in Latin America.
Chile Congress approves pension reforms for all
Chile's congress backed a pension reform bill Wednesday to ensure the country's landmark social security program for the first time covers every citizen.
Brucellosis outbreak hits Italy's mozzarella producing buffalos
The production of one of Italy's best known exports, mozzarella, is under threat from an infection of brucellosis spreading through herds of water buffalo. The Italian government has set up an emergency commission to try and stop the spread of the disease, which affects milk production.
Fidel: Argentina and Brazil “life-jackets” for Latam economy
Cuban leader Fidel Castro, who remains in a convalescent state hospitalized in Havana because of gastrointestinal problems, wrote an essay which became public yesterday where he stated that Argentina and Brazil could “be the life-jackets” of the Latin America region's economy, because of their production of meat and cereals.
HMS Endurance visit rejected by Ushuaia Malvinas veterans
Argentine Malvinas veterans from Tierra del Fuego in the extreme south of Argentina made public their dissatisfaction with the coming visit of Britain's ice patrol HMS Endurance to the port of Ushuaia next January 26.
Chinese help for Argentina disarrayed Antarctic season
China has come to the rescue of Argentina's Antarctic effort with the icebreaker Xuelong (Snow Dragon) scheduled to call in Buenos Aires next January 25 and load 200 cubic meters of general cargo for Argentine bases.
Bolivia's Morales and rebel governors agree to seek compromise
Divided Bolivia took a tentative step toward reconciliation as President Evo Morales and opposition governors agreed to seek a compromise between Morales' new constitution and declarations of autonomy by four resource rich eastern states.
Chile summons ambassador in Lima over limit dispute
Chile summoned home its ambassador to Peru for consultations amid a growing dispute over the countries maritime boundary and lucrative fishing grounds. Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said Ambassador Cristian Barros was due in Santiago Thursday or Friday “for a long conversation”.
Whalers hand militant conservationists to Australian officials
Japanese whalers are praising the Australian government for its help to resolve a stand-off with militant conservationists in Antarctic waters. The whalers handed over the Australian and British protesters to Australian officials overnight
KO Merrill Lynch rescued by Kuwait, Korea, Saudi & others
Wall Street banking giant Merrill Lynch unveiled on Thursday a huge net loss of 7.8 billion US dollars for 2007, compared to a net profit of 7.5 billion in 2006. The loss includes a massive 14.1 billion write-down on failed investments related to sub-prime mortgages.
Fed support for “quick” stimulus support package
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday backed the introduction of emergency economic measures aimed at helping the US economy avoid recession.
