Stories for February 2008

Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Brazil opens wheat market to ensure domestic supply

Brazil has decided to temporarily lift the tariff on imported wheat from outside Mercosur trade bloc, following a request made by mills, a spokesperson at Brazil's Foreign Trade Chamber (Camex) said this week.
Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Drilling record: 7 miles extended-reach oil well off Russia

Exxon Mobil Corporation, the world's largest oil company recently broke its own industry record for the longest “extended-reach” oil well: more than seven miles from the frigid shores of Sakhalin Island off Russia's east coast.
Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Euro zone leaves rates unchanged at 4%; inflation priority

Fearing the risks to price stability over the medium term even when the economic fundamentals of the Euro area are sound, the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council kept this Thursday interest rates unchanged at 4%.
Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Whale kill photos misleading, Japanese say

The Japanese body responsible for the annual whale kill in the Southern Ocean says the Australian media is using emotional propaganda to mislead the public.
Thursday, February 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Colombian Defense Minister says ties with Israel are strong

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos on Thursday praised his country's long defense relationship with Israel, saying he sought to boost it further by setting up a bilateral fund for technological research and development.
Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Super Tuesday: McCain pulls ahead; Clinton, Obama close

Sen. John McCain jumped to a commanding lead in the Republican delegate race over Mitt Romney on Super Tuesday. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton edged ahead of Sen. Barack Obama in the race for Democratic delegates.
Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Latin America Seeks Trade Alternatives

The decline of U.S. “soft power” in South America has encouraged increased trade relations with other partners, including more arms trading, as well as rejection of U.S. calls for a shift away from conventional military to “constabulary” forces.
Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
F Times: Argentine energy model “unsustainable”

The energy model championed by Argentine President Cristina Fernández and her husband, former President Néstor Kirchner, keeping domestic energy prices and utilities tariffs artificially low to boost an economy recovering from a debt and devaluation crisis in 2001-2002, looks increasingly unsustainable.
Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Russian icebreaker supplying Argentine Antarctic bases

The Russian icebreaker Vasili Golovnin contracted by the Argentine government to help with this year's Antarctic season is currently supplying fuel to Argentina's permanent base Marambio in the Antarctic Peninsula.
Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Tycoons and world's top mega-yachts visit Punta del Este

The world's fifth largest yacht and one of the most expensive, 100 million US dollars, is currently anchored in the Uruguayan exclusive resort of Punta del Este. “Le Grand Bleu” was built in the Vulkan Bremen shipyards, designed by world famous mega-yachts Kusch Yachts and originally belonged to Roman Abramovich the Russian tycoon who among other things owns the English football club Chelsea.