Stories for February 6th 2012
Surinam and Santa Lucia apply to join President Chavez ALBA group
Surinam and the Caribbean island of Santa Lucia are in the process of becoming full members of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of America, ALBA group, while Haiti has been nominated “standing invited member”.
Argentina puts pressure on YPF: wants oil companies with long term investments
Vice President Amado Boudou brushed aside ‘Repsol-YPF nationalization rumours’ and said Argentina is interested in oil companies that make long term investments and don’t fall prey of short term financial profits.
Portsmouth prepares to receive the Royal Navy’s biggest warships ever
Britain’s Portsmouth Naval Base is preparing to be the home of the biggest warships ever built for the Royal Navy. A specialist rig began six weeks of drilling on Friday, sampling the seabed in the harbour and in the Solent.
HMS Protector cuts through Antarctic ice and visits remote research bases
HMS Protector, the Royal Navy's ice patrol ship, has cut through the ice floes of Antarctica for the first time. The icebreaker arrived in Antarctica for the first time two weeks ago and is following up important survey work for shipping in the region with visits to remote research bases locked in the frozen continent.
“Leo” wines to support Messi’s Foundation programs to help children promoting sports
An Argentine winery will be launching next April a line of Sauvignon and Chardonnay with the brand name “Leo” in honour of the brilliant player and striker of the world’s currently greatest team Barcelona, Leonel Messi.
Brazil privatizes concessions of the country’s three busiest air terminals
Brazil awarded on Monday contracts for private companies to expand and operate terminals at three of the country's busiest airports, hoping concessions worth 24.5 billion Reais (14.21bn dollars) will improve the cramped and delay-plagued facilities amid soaring demand for air travel and preparations for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Chile supports Malvinas claim but underlines ‘special relation’ with the UK
“Chile’s support to Argentina’s claim over the Malvinas Islands is a state policy for our country” said Chilean Executive secretary Andres Chadwick, but it does not mean any impediment to that “very special relation we have with the UK”.
Top US official for Latinamerica scheduled to visit Peru and Argentina
US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta S. Jacobson travels this week to Peru and Argentina to meet with government, business, and civil society members in these key regional partners.
Close confident of Cristina Fernandez re-floats idea of a third consecutive mandate
The rumours of a constitutional amendment in Argentina which could include a re-re-election review privileging a possible third consecutive mandate for President Cristina Fernandez have again resurfaced and this time by a close confident of the Kirchner family.
Uruguayan president downplays the impact of Argentine imports’ restrictions
The new trade barriers enforced by the Argentine government are “insignificant, nothing to worry about,” Uruguayan president José Mujíca said to a Montevideo newspaper insisting that the best path is ‘dialogue’ dismounting each obstacle ‘step by step’.
