Stories for 2008

Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
IMF tightens budget and decides to sell 403 tons of gold

The International Monetary Fund's executive board approved Monday a broad financial overhaul plan that includes the sale of 403 tons of its gold holdings as part of a radical plan to shore up its finances.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Credit crunch and hunger in WB and IMF spring meetings

The Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank open this week amid rising concerns about the impact of the credit crunch on the global economy and uneven progress towards such human development goals as wiping out hunger and malnutrition.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Food prices could lead to increased unrest warns “as in Haiti”

The head of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) called Monday on donors to respond to the agency's appeal for additional funds to deliver lifesaving assistance, warning that the global surge in food prices could lead to further tensions such as those witnessed recently in Haiti and other countries.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Uruguay expects record rice harvest and yield

Uruguay rice harvest is expected to reach a record yield of 8.000 kilos per hectare, among the highest in the world announced Sunday Tabare Aguirre, president of the country's Rice Growers Association.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Argentina after 8 billion in loans for infrastructure

Argentina's Economy Ministry Martín Lousteau with a delegation of provincial governors and experts from his office traveled to Miami for the annual meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank to discuss terms for a four year credit program totaling 8 billion US dollars in infrastructure and education.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Aerial target technology first deployed in Falklands

The first operational deployment of the Combined Aerial Target Service, CATS is scheduled to be shipped this month to the Falkland Islands garrison where they will be used to train British Army ground based air defense units stationed in the Islands reports Technology News Daily, TND.
Monday, April 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
New Zealand breaks ground signing free trade pact with China

New Zealand became on Monday the first developed nation to sign a free-trade agreement with China. Prime Minister Helen Clark and her Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, witnessed the signing of the pact in Beijing's Great Hall of the People.
Sunday, April 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Ben-Hur actor Charlton Heston dies at 84

Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing “Ben-Hur” and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.
Sunday, April 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
Chavez nationalizes cement industry; Mexico condemns

Mexico yesterday condemned Venezuela's planned nationalization of the cement industry, which will affect Cemex, a major Mexican company.

“We can only condemn this action,” Finance Minister Agustín Carstens said in the city of Acapulco.
Sunday, April 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC
World Bank lowers Latinamerica growth prospects to 4.8%

The World Bank lowered Latin America's growth estimate for 2008 to 4.8% from 5.1% as a consequence of the economic slowdown in United States, said vice president for the region Pamela Cox.