Stories for January 27th 2009
Drought-devastated Argentina declares camp emergency
The Argentine government declared on Monday an agricultural emergency in areas affected by the worst drought to hit the country in four decades and which has extended to most of the country's farmlands.
Protectionist Brazil: restrictions on 60% of imports
Brazil announced it has imposed restrictions on 60% of imports “to soften” the impact of the global crisis in its trade balance which in the first four weeks of January has registered a totally unexpected deficit of 645 million US dollars.
Italy recalls ambassador in Brazil over asylum dispute
Italy on Tuesday recalled its ambassador to Brazil for consultations in response to Brasilia's definitive decision to grant political refugee status to a convicted Italian terrorist.
“Another world is possible” forum attracts 120.000
Tens of thousands of anti-globalization activists gathered Tuesday in the north-eastern Brazilian city of Belem for the opening of the World Social Forum (WSF), finding solidarity under the slogan “another world is possible”.
Tourism industry expected to contract up to 2% this year
International tourist arrivals in 2008 increased 2% over the previous year but with the advance of the global crisis the rate of growth in the second half came to a stand still and turned negative, a tendency which is expected to continue in 2009, --possibly between 0 and minus 2%--, according to the latest report form the World Tourism Organizations.
HMS Manchester leaves UK on South Atlantic deployment
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councilor Mavis Smitheman, bid farewell to the sailors of HMS Manchester on Monday as the ship departed on a seven-month deployment to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Lord Mayor sailed from Portsmouth on board HMS Manchester and has been given a full demonstration of the ship's capabilities prior to departing later today.
Morales “encouraged” with US attitude to Sunday's referendum
Bolivian president Evo Morales described as “encouraging” the congratulation message from President Barack Obama administration on Sunday's referendum for the approval of a new constitution, according to reports in the Cuban television.
Job losses in Latam expected to reach 2.4 million says ILO
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) says as many as 2.4 million Latin Americans could lose their jobs this year due to the global economic crisis.
Brazil to compensate cheap energy with investments
Brazil has offered investments in Paraguay in exchange for not claiming a fair price and free availability of the surplus energy produced at South America's largest hydroelectric dam Itaipú shared by the neighbouring countries.
Record capital flight from Argentina last year: 23 billion USD
Money leaving Argentina trebled in 2008 compared to the previous year and was 23% higher to the great capital flight of the second half of 2001 and first half of 2002 which totalled 18.7 billion US dollars and triggered the collapse of the banking system and melting of the economy, according to a report in La Nacion.
