Stories for July 17th 2012
South Korea scraps criticized ‘scientific’ plan to resume whaling
South Korea has decided to scrap its fiercely criticised plan to resume scientific whaling, apparently because of international pressure, a report said Tuesday.
Argentine pro-government unions don’t trust Cristina’s stats and official inflation
Despite having managed to split organized labour and declared war on its most powerful exponent the teamsters boss Hugo Moyano, the government of Argentine president Cristina Fernandez still has to deal with its unconvincing stats office and rampant inflation.
Uruguay’s 2011/12 rice harvest reaches 1.4 million tons with 7.850 kilos/ha yields
Uruguay’s area to be planted with rice in the coming 2012/13 season is estimated at 179.000 hectares, slightly down from the 181.400 of this year, according to the country’s Department of Agriculture Statistics (DIEA) and based on a poll following the 2011/12 harvest.
Bernanke concerned with US economy but with no clues about what steps to follow
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday offered few new clues on whether the US central bank was moving closer to a fresh round of monetary stimulus, even as he underscored his concerns over the economy's weakness.
Chilean village heartfelt thanks for Falklands support
The Chilean village of Lolol in the Colchagua region has sent its heartfelt thanks, in the form of a plaque, to the people of the Falklands and the Chilean Community in the Islands for their very generous support following the devastation of buildings in the area as a result of the earthquake in 2010.
Three Paraguayan abattoirs cleared to export boneless beef to Israel
Three Paraguayan abattoirs have been re-licensed by Israel to export boneless beef, according to the Paraguayan Rural Association, ARP, based on information from the country’s livestock and food sanitary services, Senacsa.
HSBC grilled in US Senate for lax controls enabling billions of money laundering
The CEO of the U.S. division of the big international bank HSBC is apologizing for lax controls that lawmakers say allowed Mexican drug cartels to launder billions of dollars through the US operation and many other illicit transactions for years.
YPF contracting “outstanding professionals” to develop technology department
Argentina’s nationalized oil and gas corporation YPF announced the incorporation to its staff of two “outstanding professionals” for its technology department, Bernard Gremillet and Gustavo Bianchi, which at some time belonged to the company but had left for personal reasons.
Mexican group sells 15 Caesar Park hotels in South America to French operator
Mexican hotel operator Grupo Posadas said Monday it reached an agreement to sell its properties and management contracts in South America to French hospitality company Accor for 275 million dollars.
MEP's surprised at Mercosur and Unasur drastic decisions on Paraguay
The European lawmakers’ delegation said it was surprised with the drastic and quick determinations, with no right to defence or appeal, decided against Paraguay by Mercosur and Unasur, said Paraguayan Foreign Minister Jose Felix Fernandez Estigarribia, following a meeting in Asuncion with the visiting MEPs.


