Stories for February 29th 2008

Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US Congress extends Andean countries trade preferences

The United States Senate voted Thursday to extend expiring trade preferences that allow Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia to send most products to the U.S. duty-free. The ten month extension, through the end of 2008, was approved without objection.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Canadians investing heavily in Argentine uranium exploration

Canada's Blue Sky Uranium Corp. announced that it has entered into a Letter of Agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Argentina Uranium Corp., thereby gaining control of over 500,000 hectare uranium land package in Argentina.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chile preparing for energy rationing: voltage reduced 10%

The specter of energy shortages in Chile reared its head again this week, as the Ministry of Economy released a short-term plan to confront the country's increasingly perilous energy scenario, particularly the prospect of electricity rationing, which the government last instituted in 1998. The order contains 30 points that intend to help Chile's electricity providers to operate responsibly in the coming year.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Bad-news inflation as US economy sharp slowdown confirmed

United States economic growth fell sharply in the last three months of 2007 as the credit crunch took effect and spending on new housing slumped, revised figures released Thursday show.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Bernanke anticipates small bank failures linked to mortgages

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said on Thursday that small US banks are likely to fail in the months ahead as the housing slump takes its toll. Bernanke also warned that the US is currently facing a more difficult situation than in the aftermath of the dotcom bust in 2001.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

Healines: In the drink; Cheap flights for vets; Planning for Argentine visit; Budget deliberations out in the open?; Desire announces farm-in deal; Foreign Affairs committee here next month; Corinthian II leads week of cruising.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Raul Castro's Cuba signs binding human rights covenants

Cuba signed on Thursday two legally binding human rights agreements at the United Nations in New York just days after Raul Castro was sworn in as the new president. The covenants - part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - commit Cuba to freedom of expression and association, and the right to travel, which Fidel Castro long opposed.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
The Botnia pulp mill dispute illustrates failure of Mercosur

So much for the announcement, but even if the events were not to be held, the mere planning of the gatherings should help reveal the depth of the failure of Mercosur, as an ambitious vision, and the absence of Argentina's foreign policy for its national borders.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
US nuclear carrier in exercise with Brazil and Argentine navies

Nuclear aircraft carrier USS George Washington, one of the world's most impressive man-o-war and three other US Navy units will be participating in joint exercises with the navies from Brazil and Argentina along the coast of Rio do Janeiro, reports Correio Braziliense Friday edition.
Friday, February 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina plans LNG import by sea to face winter shortage

Argentina is planning to import, by sea, liquid gas, LNG, in the coming months in an effort to anticipate and contain a repeat of past winters shortages, reports the Friday edition of the Buenos Aires press.