Stories for March 2009

Thursday, March 19th 2009 - 04:44 UTC
Falkland Islanders ‘have treated us kindly’ say visiting Argentine veterans

ARGENTINE war veterans visiting the Falkland Islands have been treated with, “…respect and kindness,” by Islanders, Marcelo Gustavo Sanchez of Centro de Veteranos de Guerra de Lujan, told Mercopress.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 15:39 UTC
Cruise industry expects 2009 to be weakest in five years

Growth in the cruise travel industry in 2009 is forecast to be the weakest in five years as the recession holds down household spending and widespread job loss hurts operations of the major cruise lines. However the industry’s leaders remain upbeat.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 15:32 UTC
New natural gas discovery in Tierra del Fuego

Latinamerican oil and gas explorer GeoPark Holdings Ltd (GPK.L) announced this week that tests at its newly drilled gas well in southern Chile were “successful” and that it planned to drill seven to nine new wells in 2009.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 15:29 UTC
AIG gives bonuses and challenges US president and Congress

Huge bonuses paid out by ailing insurer AIG will be deducted from the firm's next bail-out payment, the US treasury secretary says. In a letter to congressmen, Timothy Geithner said 165 million US dollars would be taken from 30 billion the firm is due to get as part of its government bail-out.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 15:20 UTC
Argentina prepares to take over US air industry plant in Cordoba

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced Tuesday she will send Congress a bill to re-nationalize the Military Aircraft Manufacturing Centre, a defence contractor currently controlled by US Lockheed Martin Corp.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 13:54 UTC
Falkland Oil & Gas and Billiton ready to drill in Falklands’ waters

Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd (FOGL.L), which has a farm-in-deal with BHP Billiton, said on Tuesday it expected to be “drill ready” by the end of the third quarter or early 2010. The announcement was made after having posted a narrower full-year pre-tax loss.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 08:18 UTC
Bank of England calls for urgent G-20 “joint commitment” on stimulus plans

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King has issued a rallying cry for joined-up international efforts to pull the global economy out of a “sudden, severe and simultaneous” downturn.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 08:13 UTC
Chile supports India as permanent member of UN Security Council

India and Chile reaffirmed their support for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations including expansion of the Security Council to make the world body more representative, legitimate and effective.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 08:03 UTC
Nobel Prize Krugman says US and EU stimulus packages insufficient

The US economist and Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman said Tuesday that Europe and the United States should at least double their fiscal efforts in order to salvage the global economy.
Wednesday, March 18th 2009 - 08:02 UTC
Car sales in Chile plunge 55% in first two months of 2009

Sales of new cars and light trucks in Chile plunged 54.8% in the first two months of 2009 compared to the same period a year ago the country's automotive association ANAC said Tuesday.