Stories for November 2008

Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Chavez: Biz related to scandal may be expropriated

President Hugo Chavez on Saturday threatened to expropriate a major Venezuelan company because of its owners' ties to a scandal involving the seizure of a suitcase stuffed with $800,000 in cash.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Bolivian president suspends US anti-drug efforts

Bolivian President Evo Morales yesterday suspended operations by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, an agency he has accused of spying and helping to destabilize his government.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Palin takes prank call from fake French president

Sarah Palin unwittingly took a prank call Saturday from a Canadian comedian posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and telling her she would make a good president someday. “Maybe in eight years,” replies a laughing Palin.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina abstains from joint naval exercises with Chile

For the second year running the Argentine Congress denied authorization for Navy personnel and units to leave the country to participate in the joint Viekaren exercises with the Chilean Navy in the southern seas, which have been held regularly since 1999.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Archaeologists find evidence of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe

Archaeologists uncovered what they think is evidence of the campsite of a ship-wrecked sailor said to be the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. The archaeologists' findings were published in the journal Post-Medieval Archaeology.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
US regulators seize 17th bank of 2008; 117 with “problem”

Freedom Bank of Bradeton, Florida, in the United States became the 17th US bank to be seized by regulators in 2008, as the heaviest housing slump since the days of the “Great Depression” of the 1930 continues to trigger heaving losses.
Sunday, November 2nd 2008 - 20:00 UTC
For delaying new oil contract, Repsol is ousted from Ecuador

Ecuador has told Spanish-Argentine oil company Repsol YPF to leave the country after having refused to accept a government demand to change the contract which enables it to extract 60.000 bpd.
Saturday, November 1st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
After massive package, Japan lowers rate to 0.3%

The Bank of Japan has cut its main interest rate from 0.5% to 0.3% - its first reduction for seven years. The move followed a global wave of rate cuts to contain the financial crisis. Japan has the lowest interest rates in the developed world.
Saturday, November 1st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
EU October inflation down anticipates further rate cut

European inflation edged down in October according to data released Friday helping to pave the way for the European Central Bank to deliver another hefty rate cut next week.
Saturday, November 1st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
China says melamine scandal extends to food supply

The toxic chemical melamine is probably being routinely added to Chinese animal feed, state media has reported. Correspondents say the unusually frank reports in several news outlets are an admission that contamination could be widespread throughout the food chain.