Stories for July 14th 2012
Venezuela/Argentina sign military cooperation in framework of Unasur Defence Council
Venezuelan Defence minister Henry Rangel Silva and his Argentine peer Arturo Puricelli signed on Friday a cooperation agreement to further advance in the integration of the two armed forces in the framework of the Unasur Defence Council.
Bolivia announces the “end of Coca Cola and capitalism” for December 21
December 21, the austral summer solstice, will mark the end of Coca Cola and capitalism and the start of a new cosmic era of community spirit and love, announced Bolivia’s Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca.
Humboldt penguins threatened by eggs and chicks eating rats
Humboldt penguins are threatened by inexorable man and …rats. Invading rats with bodies up to 20 centimetres long have begun eating eggs and chicks, and some experts fear that unless the rats are eradicated, they could tip the Humboldt penguin toward extinction.
Chile and Peru, best performing economies of the region leave rates unchanged
Chile and Peru opted this week against following the lead set by nations from Brazil to South Korea in cutting interest rates as economic growth and slowing inflation in the Pacific neighbors gave central bankers little reason to change monetary policy
Markets find optimism in Chinese economy despite slower growth
China's economy has grown at its slowest pace in three years as investment slowed and demand fell in key markets such as the US and Europe. GDP rose by 7.6% in the second quarter, compared with the same period a year ago. That is down from 8.1% in the previous three months.
Tourist arrivals in Chile up 15% in first half of 2012: Argentina, Brazil lead
Chilean Tourism Under Secretariat head Jacqueline Plass made a positive balance of tourism activity during the first half of the year with over 1.85 million foreign arrivals, a 15% increase over the same period a year ago.
Visa and Mastercard agree to largest settlement with retailers over card fees
Credit card companies Visa and Mastercard and major US banks have agreed to a 7.25bn dollars settlement to retailers over card fees. The case, which has been going on for seven years, is over firms colluding to fix the fees that stores pay to process credit and debt card payments.
Bolivia willing to compensate for silver mine but positions are distant
Bolivian government is willing to compensate South American Silver Corp for revoking its concession on the Malku Khota project, but it will be far less than the 16 million dollars the company says it has invested, the country's vice president said on Thursday.
Chile’s copper industry wants to develop shale gas to help lower energy prices
Shale gas may be the solution to one of the most serious problems the Chilean mining industry is facing because of the very high energy prices due to limited supply.
Argentina has three annual inflation estimates: 9.9%; 23.96% and 30%
Argentina's government reported Friday that consumer prices rose by 0.7% in June. The estimate, published by national statistics agency, Indec, indicates that in the first half of 2012 inflation reached 5.1% and 9.9% in the last twelve months.
