Cuba announced Tuesday it has set January 20 for national elections that are part of the process of determining whether ailing leader Fidel Castro continues as president. The ruling, signed by interim leader Raul Castro and read on state television, set the date for elections to provincial and national assemblies — voting that is held every five years.
Ecuador's populist President Rafael Correa will control more than 60% of an assembly tasked with drafting a new constitution for the politically unstable nation, according to official election results released earlier this week.
United States Treasury secretary Henry Paulson said mortgage defaults will worsen in 2008 and lenders should act aggressively to offer new loan terms to avert an economic calamity, the Wall Street Journal online said.
Copper prices fell on Wednesday to an eight-month low, below 3 US dollars per pound, on the London Metal Exchange after rising dramatically last week due to several earthquakes in northern Chile's mining region. However the monthly average for copper remains at 3.21 US dollars.
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD said on Wednesday that overall losses caused by the U.S. mortgage market crisis could hit 300 billion US dollars and the broader credit crunch could yet inflict greater damage on equity markets.
A minke whale that had strayed deep into the Amazon rainforest has been found dead. The 5.5 meters whale was believed to have become lost in the Amazon's many tributaries after leaving the Atlantic more than 1.600 kilometers away.
China's soy oil purchases will represent 45% of world's imports by the end of last September up 25% from seven years ago according to a report from the Beijing government supported Shanghai Daily”.
Spain's Repsol-YPF CEO Antonio Brufau claimed on Wednesday that certain countries in Latinamerica, which he did not specify, seem to have difficulties in perceiving the benefits that come with foreign investments, both for the economy and its population.
The dollar on Wednesday slumped to a new record low against the Euro pushed by weaker US growth prospects and pressures for another cut to US interest rates when the Federal Reserve Monetary meets next December 11.
European Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel announced plans to reduce funding for Europe's biggest farmers which means anyone currently receiving more than 100,000 euros as part of the Single Payment Scheme would have their aid capped.