Stories for April 21st 2011
Fiat increases share in Chrysler to 46%; speculation on an eventual takeover
Italian carmaker Fiat says it has reached a deal to buy an additional 16% stake in Chrysler for 1.27bn US dollars. The move takes Fiat's stake in the US's third-largest carmaker to 46% and raises speculation about an eventual takeover this year.
Turbulence from speeding motor boats kills zooplankton, reveals study
Turbulence generated by speeding motor boats kills significant numbers of zooplankton, a study has revealed for the first time. Experiments on copepods, tiny crustaceans that live and float in water, show that a third die in waters frequented by propeller-driven boats. That is significantly more than in bodies of water not used by boats.
Brazilian company JBS dominates world beef industry from farm to fork
By Juan Forero, Thursday (The Washington Post)
The following piece is a brief history of a Brazilian family business which in a few decades, climbed aggressively to become the world’s largest provider of meat. The piece however, we believe, lacks reference to the Brazilian government’s strong financial support to these enterprises that become global corporations flying the green/yellow colours.
Where’s the new blood? Cuban reforms to be implemented by the old guard
Cuba's Communist Party selected President Raúl Castro and hard-liners from the old guard to steer wide-ranging reforms of the island's crumbling economy. As expected, Raúl Castro, 79, was chosen at a four-day party congress to replace his older brother Fidel Castro as first secretary of the ruling party's Central Committee.
IMF says the US lacks a credible plan to cut its deficit in the mid term
The United States lacks a credible plan to cut its deficit over the medium term, the International Monetary Fund's chief economist Olivier Blanchard told French daily Le Monde in an interview published Wednesday.
WTO Lamy launches ‘confessionals’ of hope to try and salvage the Doha Round
Pascal Lamy head of the World Trade Organization is holding talks to try and salvage the ailing Doha Round of trade liberalization talks that have been stalled for almost a decade.
Argentina industrial production up 8.8% in March over a year ago, says Indec
Argentina's industrial production expanded strongly in March over a year ago, 8.8%, as the consumer boom continues to fuel demand for everything from cars to home appliances. However monthly output slowed to a standstill and was unchanged from February, according to the national statistics institute, Indec release on Wednesday.
China further opens its market to Brazilian beef, chicken and now pork
China opened its market significantly for Brazilian beef and chicken said Brazil’s Agriculture minister Wagner Rossi on his return from a week long visit to China with a business delegation headed by President Dilma Rousseff.
Argentine official statistics show poverty is down 9.9% in second half of 2010
Argentina’s National Statistics Agency, Indec, announced Wednesday that poverty levels lowered in the second half of 2010, with 527,000 households below the poverty line (6.8%), which include a total of 2,475,000 people (9,9%).
Tax revenue in Brazil surges 9.7% in March on the back of consumer demand
Brazil's tax revenue surged in March on the back of consumer demand that has continued to be robust the federal tax authority said this week.
