Stories for January 30th 2012

Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:45 UTC
Chile, Brazil and Uruguay among the world’s leading exporters of wood chips

Wood chip exports from Latin America are on track to reach a record high of almost eight million tons in 2011, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. This would be an increase of 7% from last year and of almost 60% higher than in 2006.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:40 UTC
Venezuela convenes an ALBA summit to propose creating an economic space

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has called for a presidential summit of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of our America, ALBA, for next February 5 in Caracas when it is expected Chavez will insist in the creation of an economic block.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:37 UTC
Over five million Spaniards out of a job; recession forecasted in 2012 first quarter

Spain’s unemployment total has passed the five million mark, with the jobless rate shooting up from 21.5% to 22.8%, which represents something like one out of four workers don’t have a job.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:28 UTC
Balloon tests for indefinite re-election of President Cristina Fernandez

The possibility of a constitutional amendment to allow Argentine President Cristina Fernandez a third consecutive mandate is being seriously considered and publicly hailed and tested by her most ultra-orthodox followers although no projects have been presented to Congress.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:22 UTC
PM Cameron repeats ‘re-colonization’ argument for Gibraltar and Spain

Repeating his recent statement regarding the Falkland Islands and Argentina, British Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK backed Gibraltar’s right to self determination and that to go against the wishes of its people would amount to “re-colonisation”.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:20 UTC
Gibraltar Tripartite dialogue dead, announces Spanish Vice president

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Margallo has sent a letter to his UK counterpart William Hague responding to Prime Minister David Cameron’s remarks on self-determination.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 09:14 UTC
Over a year to have the Costa Concordia broken up or salvaged from the rocks

The wreck of the cruise ship Costa Concordia could remain where it lies near the Italian island of Giglio until the end of the year or longer before it can be broken up or salvaged, the official in charge of the recovery operation said on Sunday.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:14 UTC
Mercosur is stalled: nobody comes knocking on the door, says Mujica

Uruguay's President José Mujica said that Mercosur bloc is “stalled” and has no natural institutional operation to push other countries to express their willingness to enter it plus lacking the fluidity of a natural relationship.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:05 UTC
Argentine organized labour on the war path anticipates ‘many conflicts’ in salary negotiations round

Argentine organized labour, CGT, sent over the week end strong messages to the government of President Cristina Fernandez a day after their leader Hugo Moyano in a comeback speech called government official pre-programmed ‘teacher’s pets” and anticipated a complicated round of salary negotiation with many ‘possible conflicts’.
Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:03 UTC
Merkel under pressure on the Euro from allies and her conservative coalition

Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to deflect growing international pressure on Germany to agree an increase in the Euro zone's bailout funds by saying talks were still continuing.