Stories for February 18th 2009

Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Cristina confirms attendance to London summit April 2

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner confirmed on Tuesday she received the official invitation from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the G-20 summit to be held in London at the beginning of April.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
First proven case of “mad cow disease” in haemophilic patient

The United Kingdom Health Protection Agency has confirmed the first case of the human form of “mad cow disease” in a patient with haemophilia. A post-mortem showed the man, who was “over 70” and had received plasma products before rules were introduced to limit contagion, died infected. However he died of other causes and had not shown any symptoms, the HPA said.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Morales after European partners for mining projects

French conglomerate Bollore plans to submit a plan to develop Bolivia's Lake Uyuni lithium deposit one of the world's largest said a spokesman for Bolivian President Evo Morales who is currently visiting France.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
IMF insists main immediate goal is to clean-up banks

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that global recovery efforts are being undermined by the presence of “toxic” assets on banks' balance sheets. IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in an interview to French radio France-Inter that this undercuts stimulus efforts by various governments.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
UK annual inflation falls to 3% in Jan; deflation fears

A smaller-than-expected drop in inflation has failed to ease fears that the UK could soon be in the grip of deflation. The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) data revealed a fall in the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to 3% in January from 3.1% in December, which was far lower than experts had predicted.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Zero-emission, energy self sufficient Antarctic base

Belgium opened a new 20 million Euro “zero emissions” polar science station in Antarctica on Sunday, returning to the continent to study climate change 42 years after closing its first base there.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
A Falklands area ice-block breaks off in Antarctica

A 14.000 square km ice block, almost the area of the Falkland Islands (12.173 sq. km.), has broken off Antarctica's Wilkins Ice Shelf and fragmented into smaller icebergs reported on Tuesday the Spanish National Research Council, CSIC.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Argentina opens to ideas to improve hake conservation

Argentina's Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food (SAGP&A) is temporarily exempting the use of the selective fishing device (DEJUPA) for catching hake (Merluccius hubbsi) while other alternatives are proposed.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Bolivia: dengue death toll increases; malaria outbreak

The number of deaths from hemorrhagic dengue so far this year in Bolivia has increased to 13, the government reported while admitting that an outbreak of malaria has been detected in three provinces.
Wednesday, February 18th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Beijing wants closer political and trade links with Latam

Chinese Vice-president Xi Jinping currently in Venezuela, the fourth leg of a regional tour hailed the vigorous growth in relations between China and Latin America in recent years and described the pace of cooperation as “unprecedented”, according to reports from Beijing news agencies.