Stories for May 15th 2009
Calculating the impact of the Antarctic ice sheet melting
The collapse of a major Antarctic ice sheet will not raise global sea levels as much as previous projections suggest, a team of scientists has calculated. Writing in Science, the researchers said that the demise of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) would result in a sea level rise of 3.3m.
Previous estimates had forecast a rise in the region of five to six metres.
Uruguay’s president calls for “deeds” and an end to Argentine pickets
Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez called for “deeds” from Argentina and insisted that the administration of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner must remove the pickets which for two years have cut the traffic between the neighbouring countries in protest over the construction of a pulp mill.
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update
Sei whale washes up on Carcass. -
ONE animal’s misfortune has become the gain of hundreds of others on Carcass Island.The body of an enormous sei whale was found dead with hundreds of giant petrels around it, when the island’s owner Rob McGill discovered it on Sunday.
Cristina plans to celebrate May 25th with Lula da Silva and Lugo
Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will celebrate the May Revolution National Day in a city bordering Brazil and Paraguay where she expects to hold a presidential meeting with her peer-neighbours, according to the Buenos Aires press.
Record contraction of the Spanish economy
The Spanish economy slid deeper into recession in the first quarter of this year, official data showed on Thursday revealing that output shrank by 1.8% from the level in the previous quarter. On an annualized basis the contraction was a record 2.9%, the steepest in half a century.
Argentina lifts ban on direct flights from Mexico
The Argentine government announced on Thursday it would lift a ban on direct flights from Mexico imposed over two weeks ago due to an outbreak of the new H1N1 flu in that country.
Bolivia says relations with Peru are at “high risk”
Bolivia's president said relations with Peru are at “high risk” after the neighbouring nation gave refuge to two more former Bolivian officials accused in the 2003 army killings of dozens of protesters.
Colombia’s Uribe closer to the second “re-election of his ideas”
Colombia's senate has delayed a vote on scheduling a referendum that could let President Alvaro Uribe seek a third term. Lawmakers had been expected to vote Wednesday but the body put off consideration of the measure until May 19 for lack of quorum.
Booing incident gets the sack for Spain’s state television sports editor
Spain's state television sacked its head of sports coverage on Thursday, saying it was a mistake not to have shown a soccer crowd from Catalonia and the Basque Country booing the Spanish national anthem during the country's Copa del Rey final.
Argentina tightens conservation for polaca, hoki and Patagonian toothfish
Argentina is tightening fisheries conservation in the South Atlantic. The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery, and Food (SAGP&A) announced it will establish catch limits, intended to last 15 years, for polaca (Micromesistius australis), hoki (Macruronus magellanicus) and Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides).
