Stories for March 2009

Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Venezuela to slash oil industry suppliers costs by 40%

Venezuela's government owned oil company PDVSA plans to slash costs by 40% as it struggles with low crude prices amid the global financial crisis, according to the president of the corporation.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Tourism expenditure in Uruguay up 40% during January

Tourists arriving in Uruguay during January spent 40% more than a year ago although the number remained almost similar, 315.000, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Tourism.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Uruguay's exports down for the fourth month running

Uruguay's exports were down 20% in February compared to a year ago, the fourth month running, evidence that the global slowdown has reached the country's foreign trade, according to Foreign Trade expert Luis Bonifacino, quoted in the Montevideo press.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Spain gateway for South American cocaine, says US report

Organised criminal networks have turned Spain into a major gateway into Europe for illegal shipments of cocaine and cannabis, according to the US State Department and published in the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Standard Chartered bank reports 19% rise in profits

Standard Chartered bank, which focuses on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, has defied the gloom afflicting the sector by reporting a rise in profits. The bank said pre-tax profit for 2008 was $4.8bn (?3.4bn), up 19% compared with a year earlier. Standard Chartered said that it was on a “firm footing” for 2009.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Number of unemployed in Spain stands at 3.5 million

The number of unemployed people in Spain jumped by 154,058 in February, as the deepening recession forced companies to lay off more workers. The total number of people out of work in Spain now stands at almost 3.5 million, official figures show.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Bolivia dengue cases could reach 50.000 by end of March

Bolivia revealed Tuesday that 35.500 people have contracted the benign strain of the mosquito transmitted dengue disease while 20 have died from the deadly haemorrhagic variant. There are also fears that before the rainy season is over 50.000 people could be infected.
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Offshore tax havens skim UK treasury of ? 4 billion says TUC

United Kingdom is losing at least ?4 billion a year through wealthy residents holding their money in offshore tax havens, claims a research from the TUC (Trade unions congress).
Tuesday, March 3rd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Obama praises US/UK “special relation”; Brown in Congress

President Barack Obama said Tuesday the US-UK “special relationship will only get stronger”, after holding talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown. It was “not just important to me; it's important to the American people”, he said told reporters in the White House.
Monday, March 2nd 2009 - 23:00 UTC
Can art save Uruguay's gem mines?

A Uruguayan mining company is turning to art to beat the effects of the global economic slowdown on its amethyst exports.