Stories for February 28th 2008

Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
German banker freezes Euro rate cut expectations

German Bank Governing president Axel Weber warned on Wednesday that the market's consensus on interest rate expectations in the Euro zone “clearly underestimates” inflation risks and does not match the assessment of a central bank that holds price stability as its main goal.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Released FARC hostages meet relatives in Venezuela

Four hostages held by Colombian FARC rebels were released on Wednesday, in a deal brokered by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Several Chilean regions facing worst drought in a century

Chile's Agricultural Ministry added this week 46 districts to the growing list of agricultural zones under a state of emergency. The news comes as farmers in small towns in south-central Chile continue to loose crops and livestock due to severe drought, prompting Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to call an emergency meeting in order to address the situation.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Report shows links between banks' crisis and heart attacks

There could be thousands more heart attacks if the banking crisis keeps expanding suggests a paper from Cambridge University. The report, which examines how banking crises in the UK have affected health in the last 40 years, is one of the first to look at the relationship between the two.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Most foreign tourists this summer opted for Santiago

Most foreign tourists which arrived in Chile this 2008 summer chose the capital Santiago and its surroundings as the main attraction to visit. Most of the 750.000 tourists came from Argentina, Brazil and United States, according to Sernatur, Chile's Tourism Office.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Colombia forces capture a senior member of FARC

Colombian security forces have arrested a senior member of the country's largest insurgency group and one of the most wanted rebels announced the government of President Alvaro Uribe.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Talks for an OPEC gas cartel advancing announces Iran

Algeria, Iran, Qatar, and Russia are holding consultations on the creation of an OPEC-like gas cartel, with the structure of the organization being the main topic on the agenda, said Iranian Ambassador to Russia Gholmreza Ansari.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Light plane crashes in Santiago killing eleven

A small instruction plane belonging to Chile's Carabineros (uniformed police) crashed Wednesday morning into a recreational complex in the capital Santiago's Peñaloén borough. The accident left at least 11 people dead and a number of others injured.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Wildfires in Patagonia threaten centuries old trees

Wildfires raging at a national park in Argentina's Patagonia region since last Sunday are threatening to destroy trees up to thousands of years old and the government has called for residents in the area to evacuate homes and farms.
Thursday, February 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Antarctic cruise on ocean/atmosphere gases interaction

More than 30 scientists from all over the world embarked this week from the extreme south of Chile on a research mission to the Southern Ocean. Researchers will battle the elements to study how gases important to climate change move between the atmosphere and the ocean under high winds and seas.