Stories for October 8th 2007

Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Costa Rica 'supports' controversial US trade deal

Costa Rica's president Oscar Arias declared victory Sunday in his drive to join a free trade deal with the United States, announcing on television that voters had backed it in a referendum.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Lagos denies “persecution” of Pinochets

Chilean government spokesperson Ricardo Lagos Webber denied Sunday allegations that the government was deliberately persecuting Augusto Pinochet's widow and five children. His remarks come after Pinochet's eldest daugherÃÂ¢€“who, along with her four siblings, was released on bail FridayÃÂ¢€”charged that the family had been held in the so-called Riggs Bank case as “political prisoners.”
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Greenspan says US economic growth slowing

Alan Greenspan, who served for 19 years as chairman of the Federal Reserve and has made a new splash with a memoir critical of Republicans and the Bush White House for not getting better control over federal spending, says today that the odds of a recession in coming months are “less than 50-50”.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
“Che” Guevara remembered 40 years after death

It's been 40 years since the militant revolutionary was executed in a Bolivian schoolhouse. To leftist governments across Latin America, he's still a beloved icon. It was a long fight, but the Cubans have finally conquered this forlorn Andean hamlet, four decades after Ernesto “Che” Guevara was executed in the adobe schoolhouse.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
New round of US influence lobbying in South America

United States Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez arrived Monday in Uruguay as part of a regional visit that also includes Brazil, with the purpose of further promoting greater bilateral trade, economic growth and greater commercial cooperation.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Region gives final touches to launching of Bank of the South

Economy and Finance ministers from all South American countries, except for Peru and Colombia, are meeting Monday in Brazil to discuss final details of a regional development financial institution sponsored by Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Gibraltar to address UN Decolonization special session

The United Nations Fourth Committee, the Special Political and Decolonization, meets this Monday for an opening session under the Chairmanship of Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad from Sudan.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
South Georgia expects busiest cruise season ever

South Georgia is preparing for the busiest cruise ship season ever which is scheduled to begin October 25th with the arrival of “Nordenorge” with 300 passengers, reports the SG government. However the tourist season starts with five yachts (three of them with expedition groups) due to arrive as of October 11th.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
IMF Rato warns Latam about impacts of US sub prime crisis

The credit squeeze will force governments worldwide to make substantial changes to their budget plans, Rodrigo Rato, outgoing managing director of the International Monetary Fund, has warned. He said that the credit squeeze was a “serious crisis” that was not over yet and would curtail growth worldwide.
Monday, October 8th 2007 - 21:00 UTC
Argentine dairy farms tempted to turn to wheat and soy

Farmers from Argentina's dairy belt, one of the most productive in the world are considering converting into cereals and oil seeds given the low reference prices imposed by the Argentine government.