Stories for December 25th 2009
US Senate confirms ambassadors: Shannon to Brazil and Nelson to Uruguay
United States Senate confirmed Thomas Shannon as the newly appointed US Ambassador to Brazil, after a long delay due to the veto of Republican national deputies, who have showed discontent towards US President Barack Obama's policies as regards Latin America.
Obama closer to achieving the most important piece of social legislation since 1930
US senators have passed the final Senate version of a historic healthcare reform bill. The bill aims to cover 31million uninsured Americans and could lead to the biggest change in US healthcare in decades.
Uruguay expects record harvest of wheat; soybean becomes the main crop
Uruguay’s is expecting a record wheat crop for the second year running in 2009 while the barley harvest is forecasted as the largest in the last ten years according to the Statistics Office from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Newsweek predicts death of Fidel Castro and coup in Venezuela
Next year will see the death of the veteran Cuban leader Fidel Castro and the fall of Venezuelan President following a coup, according to the predictions from the latest edition of US magazine Newsweek.
Australia again threatens Japan with legal action for whaling
The Australian government insists it will take international legal action against Japan if it doesn't stop whaling. And it will send surveillance boats to the Southern Ocean to monitor the Japan's annual whaling hunt if it needs to mount a legal case
Le Monde names Brazil’s Lula da Silva as “Man of the Year”
French daily Le Monde named Brazilian President Lula da Silva “Man of the Year” for “personifying a giant”. It is the first time in its history the French publication has made this designation.
