Stories for April 27th 2009
Fifth year-running march to protest against Botnia pulp mill
For the fifth year running a massive concentration of Argentine environmentalists and picketers marched Sunday across an international bridge linking with Uruguay to protest against a pulp mill built on the Uruguayan side and which has been at the heart of a bilateral political and diplomatic dispute between the neighbouring countries.
WHO admits swine flu could become pandemic, but world “better prepared”
The international community is better prepared than ever to deal with the threatened spread of a new swine flu virus, the top United Nations health chief has said. As the UN warned the outbreak might become a pandemic, World Health Organization Director-General Dr Keiji Fukuda said years of preparing for bird flu had boosted world stocks of anti-virals.
UK has enough anti-viral drugs to treat 50% of the population
Health experts in Britain are on high alert to prevent the spread of a new human strain of the swine flu virus. Britain’s NHS also revealed it has a stockpile of £ 500 million of Tamiflu anti-viral drug which has proved effective on patients in Mexico where the outbreak seems to have started.
Swine flu deaths in Mexico 103; US declares public health emergency
Mexican Public Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said on Sunday that the number of deaths from swine flu virus had increased to 103, with 1.614 suspect cases and 400 in hospitals. Meantime in neighbouring United States the Health and Human Services, HHS, issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration.
“Major rebalancing” of British forces to counter irregular warfare
United Kingdom Special Forces like the SAS are to be boosted as part of a new military strategy to take on al-Qaeda and other terror networks that threaten Britain's security, Defence Secretary John Hutton is expected to announce. They are included in plans for a “major rebalancing” of the armed forces over the next 10 years.
Vaccination of the Americas campaign launched in Paraguay
Paraguay’s president Fernando Lugo and the Pan-American Health Organization, PHO, launched Sunday a new edition of the “Vaccination in the Americas” week which has the purpose of vaccinating 30 million people against a wide range of diseases that still ravage the region.
New hope for the “critically endangered” grey whales
Conservation campaigners are hailing a victory for the “critically endangered” grey whale. The groups have won agreement from some oil and gas companies in Russian waters to end seismic work, giving grey whales a chance to breed undisturbed.
Brazilian private sector divided over Venezuela and Mercosur
The congressional controversy in Brazil over the incorporation of Venezuela has moved to the business sector. A group of Brazilian businessmen have begun lobbying strongly for Venezuela’s full membership but the process has been stalled by Brazilian and Paraguayan law makers.
Port costs inhibit cruise industry warn Punta Arenas operators
Port authorities from Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile anticipate a complicated 2009/10 cruise vessel season which could mean 30 to 40% less visitors and a considerable drop in the number of calls.
Ecuador’s Correa re-elected; US dollar to remain as currency
President Rafael Correa of Ecuador claimed re-election victory Sunday minutes after the polls closed on Sunday, calling his apparent win “a day of joy” in which “we have made history”. He was quoted saying he would keep the US dollar as the country’s currency.
