Stories for 2008

Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Travel Mart Latinamerica meets next week in Quito

Quito, Ecuador will be hosting this year's edition of Travel Mart Latin America scheduled for next September 10/11/12.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Airlines posted to loose USD 9.3 billion in 2008/09

The global airline industry is expected to post losses of 5.2 billion US dollars this year and another 4.1 billion in 2009, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This year's losses are based on an average crude oil price of 113 US dollars per barrel and 140 US dollars for jet fuel.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
IMF agrees voluntary conduct code for sovereign funds

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed a voluntary code of conduct with sovereign wealth funds (SWF). The deal with 26 countries that run investment funds will be put to the IMF members at its October meeting.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Euro zone economy contracts 0.2% in second quarter

The Euro zone economy (EU-15) contracted 0.2% in the second quarter compared to the previous three months according to the latest release from the Eurostat statistics office. As a consequence the Euro fell to its lowest in eight months to 1.4386 US dollars.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Troubled icon US investment bank ready for takeover

Troubled US investment bank Lehman Brothers has several parties interested in buying into the cash strapped institution according to Wall Street analysts. These include the state controlled Korea Development Bank and Europe's biggest bank HSBC Holdings together with a Chinese bank.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
China's leading soft drink maker moves into juice market

Coca Cola the world's largest beverage maker is to buy China's main fruit juice company for 2.4 billion US dollars, the biggest foreign acquisition of a Chinese company. The offer is three times the market value.
Wednesday, September 3rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chile assesses cost of alcohol to national health scheme

Alcoholism is the main risk factor in diseases, traumatisms and death cases in Chile according to two independent reports contracted by the country's sanitary authorities and released Wednesday.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazilian spies suspended for tapping phones

Brazil's President Lula da Silva suspended on Monday the entire leadership of the country's intelligence agency after it was accused of spying on the Supreme Court chief and members of Congress.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Brazilian population to reach 190 million next October

Brazil' population reached 189.6 million and will cease to grow in thirty years time when it's expected to total 220 million inhabitants according to a report from the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.
Tuesday, September 2nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Hurricane Gustav downgrade eases oil price

Oil prices have fallen after weather forecasters said Hurricane Gustav had weakened as it hit the US Gulf of Mexico coast south-west of New Orleans.