Stories for August 2009
Lula da Silva unveils sub-salt oil policy and heralds “new Independence Day”
Brazil has unveiled plans to bring more state control to its oil industry and take advantage of offshore reserves. President Lula da Silva proposed Monday switching to a system which would see the government own a part of all oil produced by changing concessions for production-sharing agreements.
WTO confirms ruling favouring Brazil in cotton dispute with US
United States faces annual trade sanctions of about 295 million US dollars for failing to scrap illegal subsidies paid to its cotton growers. However the punishment, imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), is far less than the 4 billion USD that Brazil, which brought the case, had wanted.
Argentina increasingly disappointed with the Kirchners and the ruling class
Two months after the mid term elections defeat the Argentine government has managed to recover the political initiative leaving a spastic opposition with little margin. However this has not been enough to neutralize public opinion rejection, which is similar or worse than on June 28th.
Official Argentina committee to organize Malvinas Families trips to Falklands
The Argentine government announced the creation of a specific committee for the organization of the Malvinas families coming trips to the Falkland Islands for the official inauguration of the Memorial at the Argentine cemetery in Darwin.
Bank failures in United States jump to 84 in eight months
The number of bank failures in the United States reached 84 in the first four months of this year, following the collapse of three entities in California, Minnesota and Maryland, according to the latest report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FIDC
Between 1.600 and 1.700 vessels cross the Magellan Strait annually
An estimated 1.600 to 1.700 vessels cross the strategic Magellan Strait annually according to the Chilean Navy that last week celebrated the 161th anniversary of its patrolling task along the country’s coastline of almost 6.500 kilometres.
Brazil’s plans first nuclear powered submarine for 2021
Brazil expects to have its first nuclear powered submarine in 2021, to be built in the country with French cooperation and equipped with conventional weapons, confirmed Defence minister Nelson Jobim who underlined the dissuasion potential of such a weapon recalling the Falkland Islands conflict of 1982.
SWINE flu has crippled a Royal Navy ship that patrols waters off the Falkland Islands.
At least eight members of HMS Clyde's 38-strong crew have been struck down by the bug.
Falkland/Malvinas experience repeatedly recalled in Unasur summit
South American leaders “frank and crude” debate last week on the controversial agreement to deploy US forces in seven Colombian bases brought back memories and experiences of the Falkland Islands war between Argentina and Britain in 1982.
Listeriosis strikes Chile again, claims nine victims
Listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial disease, has claimed nine lives and infected 45 in Chile so far in 2009, health authorities confirmed this week. The disease, which stems from the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, is often borne from contaminated water and foods and usually infects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with auto-immune diseases.
