Stories for November 23rd 2010
Fish can shrink during particularly harsh winters, say Scandinavian scientists
Fish can shrink during particularly harsh winters, according to researchers. Scientists, based in Norway and Finland, discovered that juvenile brown trout reduced in length by as much as 1cm - shrinkage of approximately 10%.
FDI in Brazil soars in October; reaches 30 billion USD in ten months, the year’s target
Foreign direct investment in Brazil soared to 6.8 billion US dollars in October, the highest for the month since records were started. This was higher than last month with 5 billion and four times October a year ago with 1.6 billion, according to the latest release from the central bank.
The challenge of “breaking mental barriers” to promote Mercosur and Unasur
Brazil’s influential Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim revealed that his major obstacle in his eight years in the post was “breaking mental barriers” particularly in advancing relations among countries in the South and promoting such organizations as Mercosur and Unasur.
US economy grows faster than estimated in the third quarter: 2.5%
US economy grew faster than previously estimated in the third quarter, government data showed, but still not enough to address stubbornly high unemployment. GDP growth was revised up to an annualized rate of 2.5% from 2% as exports together with consumer and government spending were stronger than initially thought.
Argentina requests IMF technical aid to help with a new prices index
Argentina’s Economy minister Amado Boudou announced Tuesday that the President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's administration is to request aid from the International Monetary Fund to help with a new price index.
Rio Grande in south Brazil geared to become “Mercosur hub and main port”
Rio Grande in the south of Brazil has rapidly become the main competitor of the port of Montevideo based on a sustained expansion, deep dredging, the construction of new piers and update equipment.
Irish PM will call early election after austerity budget is passed
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen defied mounting pressure to quit and announced Monday he would stay in office until parliament passed an austerity budget needed to secure an IMF/EU bailout and then call an early election.
Trichet: don’t blame the Euro; it’s a solid currency in historical terms
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet Monday sought to reassure investors on the resilience of the Euro-zone as Ireland's formal request for financial assistance from the bloc sparked nervousness on European credit markets.
Chavez announces 2012 re-election bid and warns on the return of the ‘bourgeois’
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez announced he would again run for office in 2012 underlining that “there’s no turning back” from the current “Bolivarian revolution” process which he has been leading for the last twelve years.
Falklands’ oil company contracts exploration rig to operate end of 2011
DryShips has won an exploration contract to drill offshore the Falkland Islands. The Greek company received a letter of intent for the Eirik Raude and will drill two weels for approximately 90 days beginning in the fourth quarter of 2011.
