Stories for January 2008

Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Venezuela's Mercosur entry stalled in Brazilian Congress

The recent end of the year episode of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez with the Colombian cocaine-funded guerrilla FARC and the failed handover of hostages could further imperil the Brazilian Congress approval of Venezuela's incorporation to Mercosur.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Santiago airport to handle 2.2 million pax this summer

From December 2007 to February 2008 an expected 2.2 million passengers will be passing through Santiago de Chile's Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, reports The Santiago Times. This is a 10% increase over last summer, and 20% of this figure corresponds to first-time travelers, according to airport operations chief Alberto Becerra.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina under Plan Condor had tracking stations in Brazil

The 1976-1983 Argentine dictatorship held information bases in San Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which were meant to “detect people connected to the subversion”, according to a legal prosecution started in Argentina, reported the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper on Sunday.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Falklands' vessel survives beaching on North West Island

Falkland Islands coastal vessel, Tamar, survived unscathed a beaching on Bold Rocks at Keppel Island on North West Falklands on Saturday morning.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Ban Ki-moon: 2008 should be the year of the “bottom billion”

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed Monday that 2008 should be the year of the “bottom billion,” citing the need for renewed determination to address the needs of the poorest of the world's poor who have been left behind by global economic growth.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chile/Argentina tax dispute delays gold mine development

Construction of the 2.4 billion US dollars Pascua Lama gold mine has been delayed at least one year due to a tax dispute between Chile and Argentina. The Pascua Lama mine straddles the Chile-Argentine border
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
With 2009 in mind Uruguayan cabinet reshuffle expected

Uruguayan Socialist president Tabare Vazquez is preparing a reshuffle of the ministerial cabinet which will include half of the posts, including those with the greatest political and financial weight, according to the government newspaper La Republica.
Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Argentine former minister charged with cover up

Argentina's former economy minister was charged Monday with trying to cover up the discovery of a bagful of cash she stashed in her office bathroom. Felisa Miceli now faces prosecution on charges of alleged cover-up and destruction of evidence. She also faces a 200.000 pesos embargo.
Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
St Helena longliner adrift in Antarctica rescued by USAF

A St Helena registered longliner stranded in the Ross Sea in Antarctica for two weeks is expected to leave the area sometime on Monday.
Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Colombia demands “unconditional” release of hostages

Colombia on Saturday called on cocaine funded leftist guerrillas to unconditionally free hostages after saying the rebels lied in an “incoherent” way about the whereabouts of a young child they promised to free last month.