Stories for March 2008

Friday, March 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Runaway truck hits farmhouse; No big change to shipping rates; MoD airbridge fare goes up.
Friday, March 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Colombia offers jailed rebels for Ingrid Betancourt

The Colombian government has offered to suspend the sentences of hundreds of rebel fighters from FARC if it frees Ingrid Betancourt, a captive French-Colombian politician, and other hostages.
Friday, March 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Cuba lifts cellphone restrictions; next month DVDs

Cubans have been allowed unrestricted access to mobile phones for the first time in the latest reform announced under new President Raul Castro. In a statement in official newspaper Granma, state telecom monopoly ETECSA said it would offer mobile services to the public in the next few days.
Friday, March 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Uruguay: Inflation becomes “permanent challenge”

Uruguayan Ministry of Economy admitted that inflation has become a “permanent challenge” demanding an “ongoing monitoring” of prices. Remarks follow the latest readjustment of fuel (2.4%) and bakery (14%) prices which have been influenced by the soaring values of oil and wheat.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Global and regional poor rating for Chilean air facilities

Bad flight connections, long waiting lines and restricted flight options are some of the reasons a recent World Economic Forum study placed Chile 7th among Latin American nations in airline services. Worldwide, Chile ranked 50th, with a 3.4 mark on a scale of one to seven.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina farmers' conflict: stalemate traps government

The Argentine government farmers' conflict, on its fourteenth day seems to have reached a stalemate with all actors involved unable to decide what the next step is and adopting increasingly inflexible positions, even possibly loosing control of future events.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Falkland Islanders shocked by flight price increase

FALKLAND Islanders are reeling from another increase in the cost of a flight on the Royal Air Force airbridge from Mount Pleasant Airport in the Falklands to RAF Brize Norton in the United Kingdom.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Airbus 330-200 to replace RAF TriStar and VC-10 tankers

The Royal Air Force TriStar aircraft which for years have covered the Falklands/Brize Norton air link, together with the VC-10 tankers, will be replaced by a fleet of new Airbus A330-200s under a £13 billion PFI (Private Finance Initiative) deal signed this week with AirTanker Ltd, announced British Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Baroness Taylor.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Millions of Asians in poverty because of agriculture neglect

Chronic neglect of agriculture in Asia and the Pacific has left over 200 million people in extreme poverty amid rising prices for foodstuffs and despite robust growth in other sectors, according to a United Nations report released Thursday.
Thursday, March 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Paraguayan leaders to demand new energy deal with Brazil

The three major candidates for Paraguay's presidential election next April 20 have agreed on one thing this week: Brazil must pay more for energy from the Itaipú dam on a river border between the two nations.