Stories for July 2008

Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Bank of England leaves interest rates on hold at 5%

United Kingdom interest rates have been kept on hold at 5% by the Bank of England following its latest meeting. The Thursday decision had been widely expected, despite calls from businesses groups to cut borrowing costs amid growing concerns about the economic slowdown.
Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
London and Stanley launch book of tributes to Falklands

Tributes have been paid to the Falkland Islands Government and its staff and Islanders for help in production of “The Dictionary of Falklands Biography” (including South Georgia), compiled and edited by former Falkland Islands Governor, Mr David Tatham.

The book has been formally launched Thursday at a Foreign and Commonwealth reception in London and another at Government House in the Falklands' capital Stanley.
Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chilean frigate in the world's main naval exercise

One of Chile's most modern frigates, “Almirante Riveros” left this week for San Diego and Hawaii o join a multinational force that will be taking part in the Rim of the Pacific, RIMPAC 2008 naval exercises, which is considered the largest operation of its kind in the world.
Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Uribe/Chavez “fraternal” summit promises new start

Venezuela and Colombia presidents Hugo Chavez and Alvaro Uribe will be meeting Friday in Paraguaná, 500 kilometers from Caracas for a new start in bilateral relations following months of accusations and recriminations.
Thursday, July 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazil confirms merger and world's third largest bourse

Brazil's antitrust authority, Administrative Council for Economic Defence, CADE, approved the merger between the Bovespa stock exchange and the BM&F futures market, a spokesman said this week.
Wednesday, July 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina's soy king explains modern farming and taxing

Argentina's major soy businessman Gustavo Grobocopatel said that “modern farming has nothing to do with rich against poor”.
Wednesday, July 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
“Conflicts of interest” proven in three credit rating agencies

A report into the much-criticized activities of credit rating agencies has found conflicts of interest at the firms it studied. The US financial regulator, the SEC, found that the firms, which rate investments, had broken its rules.
Wednesday, July 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
G8 “shared vision” on emissions reduction “highly ambiguous”

Leaders of the world's richest countries meeting in Japan offered some hope on climate change with the announcement of a highly ambiguous “shared vision” to halve global CO2 emissions by 2050.
Wednesday, July 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Ecuador seizes two television stations and looses minister

Ecuadorian Finance Minister Fausto Ortiz resigned on Tuesday after the government of president Rafael Correa seized two television stations, --which is announced it will manage “temporarily”--, and almost 200 other businesses in a dispute over debts stemming from a 1990s banking crisis.
Wednesday, July 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
UN says G8 leaders “missed opportunity” on climate change

Commenting on the outcome of the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit in Japan, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said the world's richest countries had shown insufficient leadership on climate change.