Stories for August 13th 2005

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Castro turns 79 and still going strong

Fidel Castro, the world's longest ruling head of state turns 79 Saturday, is celebrating a key political and legal victory over his enemies in exile after a U.S. appeals court ordered a new trial in the high-profile case of five alleged Cuban spies.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Oil industry drastically cuts investment in Bolivia

Investment in Bolivia by the mainly foreign-owned petroleum companies dropped 40% in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2004, reported the oil and gas industry in La Paz.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Lula apologizes but is unconvincing

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva apologized Friday in a nationwide address for a bribery and campaign finance scandal while the head of a junior party in the ruling coalition said for the first time that the president was aware of misdeeds before they occurred.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Australia amends bill to tackle illegal fishing

To counter the alarming increase in the number of foreign vessels fishing illegally in Australia's northern waters, Parliament passed the Border Protection Legislation Amendment Bill on 10 August.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Uruguay after larger share in Atlantic tuna

Uruguay's National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA) is working on a strategic plan benefiting Uruguayan flagged vessels in the tuna and swordfish Atlantic fisheries over the next five years.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Mrs. Pinochet described as arrogant and vindictive

Lucia Hiriart, the wife of Augusto Pinochet who now has also been indicted on corruption charges has played a notorious public role gaining over the decades a reputation for arrogance, resoluteness and vindictiveness.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Venezuela-US recrimination and visa “war” escalates

The Venezuelan government withdrew the diplomatic immunity of United States anti drugs officials working in Venezuela and accused Washington of escalating the ongoing bilateral war of words with the purpose of forcing a break in diplomatic relations.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Criminal links of Pinochet son surface

Marco Antonio Pinochet, son of the former Chilean dictator Augusto, was described in court documents released in Santiago as a key player in the multi-million-dollar bank accounts fraud and a shady if not dangerous figure with criminal links.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Good prospects for commodities, mainly copper

The current surge in prices of the main commodities is one of the strongest in the post second world war period only comparable to the seventies when the oil embargo, said Patricia Mohr Scotiabank Group expert in commodities and industrial markets.

Saturday, August 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

Lavagna forecasts 7% Argentine economic expansion

Argentina's Economy minister Roberto Lavagna said the country was on its fourth year of economic expansion and forecasted a 6,5 to 7% growth in 2005.