Stories for December 2008

Wednesday, December 31st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
NY becomes US number 1 tourist city with 47 m. visitors

New York City attracted an estimated 47 million visitors and $30 billion in total spending in 2008, both record highs according to figures released by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and confirming the Big Apple as the projected number one tourist city of the United States.
Wednesday, December 31st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Builders unearth 18th century galleon in Buenos Aires

Argentine builders stumbled across the wreck of an 18th century Spanish galleon while digging the foundations for a riverside high-rise building in Buenos Aires, archeologists said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, December 31st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
HMS Endurance is being towed to the Falklands

The Royal Navy ice patrol HMS Endurance left Punta Arenas, in the extreme south of Chile, midday Tuesday for the Falkland Islands pulled by two tugs, according to reports from the local reports.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina temporarily takes over gas pipeline operator

Argentina appointed a supervisor to help oversee pipeline operator Transportadora de Gas del Norte SA, TGN, after the company said it will default on 22.1 million US dollars debt, Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido announced Monday.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Uruguay: consumers must benefit from cheaper commodities

The Uruguayan government will intervene, if necessary, in the domestic market distribution chain to ensure that the full benefit of the falling international prices of commodities effectively reaches the consumer, announced several ministers following the Monday cabinet meeting.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina declares Darwin cemetery National Historic Site

The Argentine Darwin cemetery in the Falkland Islands has been formally declared a national historic site in a decree signed by Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner according to reports in the Buenos Aires press.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Brazilian wants larger representation in Mercosur parliament

The president of the Mercosur Parliament has stated that Brazil should have four times the number of representatives from Paraguay and Uruguay. Deputy Doctor Rosinha argued that since Brazil has a population of 187 million, it should have 75 representatives, Argentina 33 and Paraguay and Uruguay, 18 each.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Energy: strong Big Brother Brazil medicine for Paraguay

Brazil is willing to correct with Paraguay some practical distortions in the implementation of the Itaipú shared hydroelectric dam system, but “not the Treaty”, said Marco Aurelio Garcia, President Lula da Silva's main international affairs advisor.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Dakar rally spirit invades Buenos Aires ready for launching

More than ten thousand people and 500 vehicles turned up on Monday in Buenos Aires, for the official launching of the 2009 Dakar Rally, which for the first time will be disputed outside Africa and takes off next January 3 from the Argentine capital covering 9.600 kilometres of Argentine and Chilean territory.
Tuesday, December 30th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK covered up Falklands dependency Argentine occupation

The British Foreign office actively colluded with the Argentine Junta in the late seventies to cover up the occupation of a remote Falkland Islands dependency, Southern Thule, according to The Telegraph based on newly declassified files.