Stories for December 13th 2011
US prosecutors charge former Siemens executives for paying bribes in Argentina
United States prosecutors charged eight former Siemens AG executives with paying 100 million dollars in bribes for more than a decade to Argentina officials to help win a one billion dollars contract to produce national identity cards.
Fed anticipates exceptional low level rates at least through mid 2013
The Federal Reserve on Tuesday made no changes to its interest rate policy but left the door open for further monetary easing next year depending on the impact of strains in the global financial markets (Europe’s debt problems).
Fearing EU banking crisis, IATA downs drastically airline 2012 profits forecast
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced revisions to its industry outlook with profitability for 2011 remaining weak but unchanged at 6.9 billion dollars for a net margin of 1.2%.
Cristina Fernandez advances visit to Chile from September to January 25/26
Argentine President Cristina Fernández will make an official visit to Santiago to meet with her Chilean counterpart, Sebastián Piñera at the end of January next year, it was announced Tuesday.
Canada’s withdrawal from Kyoto Protocol regrettable, says UN climate official
Canada’s decision to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol is surprising and regrettable, the United Nations climate change chief Christiana Figueres said on Tuesday, calling on developed countries to meet the commitments they recently made at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa.
Chile leaves benchmark interest rate unchanged for sixth straight month: 5.25%
Chile’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the sixth straight month at 5.25%, as slowing global growth shows little sign of damping inflation and demand in the world’s biggest copper producer.
Southwest Airlines makes largest aircraft order: 208 Boeing single-aisles 737
The US Southwest Airlines ordered single-aisle 737s with a catalog value totaling 19 billion dollars from Boeing Co., the largest aircraft order ever and the first to include the more fuel-efficient MAX variant.
Advanced economies unemployment reaches 8.3%; Spain worst case with 22.8%
Unemployment rates remain stubbornly high in the world's most advanced economies according to data released Tuesday by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
With a global, comprehensive agreement still elusive, we need a new climate change 'road-map'
* By Lord Julian Hunt. The main aim of the UN climate summit at Durban, which concluded unsuccessfully on Friday/Saturday morning, was to produce an agreement about targets for emissions by developed countries, and longer term commitments from developing countries.
Controversial plan to excavate Falklands’ conflict battlefields
A television archaeologist has revealed plans to excavate the battlefields of the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict. The initiative belongs to Glasgow University academic Dr Tony Pollard who is preparing the major project.
