Stories for 2006

Tuesday, December 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged at 5.25%

Judging that some inflation risks remain and also factors “restraining aggregate demand”, the Federal Open Market Committee from the Federal Reserve, chaired by Ben Bernanke decided Tuesday to leave interest rates unchanged at 5.25%.
Tuesday, December 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Over 60 and left wing, “something is wrong with you”

Brazilian president Luiz Lula da Silva announced Tuesday that he no longer belongs to the “left” and with the passing of time his political positions have moved further to the center.
Tuesday, December 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Upgrade job for naval repair ship RFA Diligence

Birkenhead based Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders has won a £16million contract to upgrade naval repair ship RFA Diligence which has seen service all over the world including the Falkland Islands.
Tuesday, December 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Chávez: more bark than bite

By Guillermo Hánskel

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is spearheading a Socialist revolution throughout Latin America with a wallet full of petrodollars, but his real influence has been overestimated, with key economies Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and others unimpressed by his fiery anti-US preaching.
Tuesday, December 12th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Pulp mills controversy

By Dr. Wayne Dwernychuk

Much confusion exists regarding the proposed Uruguay pulp mills near Fray Bentos and, unfortunately, it would appear the public is continually being fed misleading and erroneous information regarding the environmental impacts of these mills. Regular press articles say the same thing ... “the mills will cause irreparable damage to the environment, fisheries and tourism”. This simply is not so. Such condemnations are not based on scientific fact, and should not form the basis for discord between two countries.
Monday, December 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Chile's GDP figures revised down again

Expectations for Chile's GDP growth in 2006 fell again for the fifth consecutive month this year, with the new projection set at 4.4% by the Central Bank (BC).
Monday, December 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Uruguay posts record beef exports over a billion US dollars

Uruguay meat exports marked a new record when they reached the billion US dollars totaling 476.448 tons on December 2nd. Uruguay's main clients this year have been United States and the Russian Federation.
Monday, December 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Annan: great States must serve and not dominate

The only way to achieve the key principles of international relations: collective responsibility, global solidarity, the rule of law, mutual accountability and multilateralism, is by “making the best possible use” of the United Nations, the departing Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday.
Monday, December 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Pulp mills conflict: Uruguay will take the case to WTO

Uruguay announced the filing of a complaint against Argentina before the World Tourism Organization for the continuous obstruction by Argentine pickets of the bridges linking with Uruguay which threaten to cause significant losses in the coming Southern hemisphere summer season.
Monday, December 11th 2006 - 20:00 UTC
Bolivia and Ecuador targeting Mercosur

Bolivia is seriously considering becoming a full member of Mercosur and Ecuador's elected president said he favors building an only block with Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations.