Stories for 2009
Latest News feedLatinamerican poor to reach 189 million (9 million more) because of recession
The current global crisis will cause the number of poor people in Latin America to rise by nine million to 189 million this year, the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) said in a report presented in Santiago de Chile.
UK apologizes to Spain for “lack of judgement” incident in Gibraltar waters
Giles Paxman, Britain’s ambassador to Madrid has apologized after the Royal Navy fired on a buoy bearing the red and yellow of the Spanish flag during target practice off Gibraltar.
Lagos calls for dialogue with the US and admits disappointment with Mercosur
Former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos called for a closer dialogue between Latinamerica and Washington while de-mystifying the alleged negative influence of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez in the region. He also admitted he expected “much more from Mercosur”.
Argentina reports a slight drop in hake landings
A slight drop in hake landings between January and November compared to the same period a year ago has been registered in Argentina according to official statistics released this week.
“Lack of political stability” weighs on Argentina’s credit ratings
Contentious politics and a lack of political stability are the main factors weighing on the outlook for Argentina’s credit ratings, Moody’s Investors Services said on Thursday.
US banks “too big to fail” could be dismantled under new legislation
A key US House of Representatives committee has voted to give the government the power to take apart banks that are “too big to fail”. The bill would give a proposed new council of regulators the right to dismantle firms whose scale could hurt the economy - even if they are healthy.
US construction industry and housing market remain stagnant
Construction of new homes in the United States fell sharply last month, showing potential weakness in the economy’s recovery, while consumer prices rose slightly more than expected.
Compromise candidates for EU president and Foreign policy chief
European Union leaders have opted for little-known compromise candidate, Belgium premier Herman Van Rompuy, to become the bloc’s first full-time president, diplomats have said.
Papua New Guinea cannibal tribe could hold clue to “mad cow disease”
Darwinian natural selection could help halt human “mad cow disease”, experts say after finding a tribe impervious to a related fatal brain disorder. The Papua New Guinea tribe developed strong genetic resistance after a major epidemic of the CJD-like disease, kuru, spread mostly by cannibalism.
Brazil, Peru and Uruguay in “boom phase recovery”
The Economic Climate Index (ECI) in Latin America, (developed in partnership between the German Ifo Institute and Brazil’s Getulio Vargas Foundation) rose to 5.2 from 4.0 points between July and October 2009, exceeding for the first time since January 2008, the average of the last ten years (5.1 points).
