Stories for May 11th 2009

Monday, May 11th 2009 - 12:15 UTC
World is better prepared for influenza pandemic, says Dr. Chan

At the end of last week, the World Health Organization said it had no immediate plans to raise the pandemic alert to level 6 from 5, though the agency continues to closely monitor the spread of the virus.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 10:31 UTC
British banks CEOs dampen expectations of a swift recovery

Bad debts at part-nationalised UK Royal Bank of Scotland could soar to almost £12 billion this year, the bank has said. RBS, which is 70.3% owned by the British taxpayer, posted loans losses of £2.9 billion for the first quarter of 2009, but directors said full-year bad debts could be “at least” four times as high.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 10:28 UTC
Obama and Bush agree limited protection for polar bears

The US government has opted to retain a Bush-era rule that limits protection for polar bears from the effects of global warming. Environmental groups had been calling for the rule to be lifted, and the US Congress had given Interior Secretary Ken Salazar the power to do so. Mr Salazar said lifting the rule would create “uncertainty and confusion”.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 10:25 UTC
New mine increases Chile’s state-owned copper company reserves by 20%

Chilean state-owned mining company CODELCO announced last week its discovery of a new mine site near its existing División Andina site (Region V), some 80 kilometres north of Santiago.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 09:32 UTC
Kirchners desperate bid to retain power in mid term election

Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner will run for a seat in Congress in a bid to bolster the ruling party in June 28 mid-term elections. The ballot is seen as referendum on the government of current president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her husband, Nestor Kirchner.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 09:01 UTC
Record floods and drought in “complicated” Brazil

Forty four deaths had been confirmed in northern Brazil's worst flooding in decades, fed by two months of unusually heavy rains in a zone stretching from deep in the Amazon to normally arid areas near the Atlantic coast. In spite of a gradual Sunday retreat of water in some areas the number of homeless climbed to 300.000
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 08:59 UTC
Flu scare: Canadian officials cull 500 animals in pig farm

Canadian officials in the province of Alberta culled 500 hogs from the pig farm where the new swine flu virus, A/H1N1, was detected, but it was not because the animals were sick, the province’s chief veterinarian said Saturday.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 08:41 UTC
Uruguayan president visit to Paraguay to talk Mercosur and energy

Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez is scheduled to visit Paraguay this week to participate in a new anniversary of the country’s independence and hold private talks with President Fernando Lugo.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 08:40 UTC
Mexico tourism operators estimate losses could reach 5.5 billion USD

Mexico will experience losses of up to 5.5 billion US dollars this year because of the influenza A/H1N1 virus outbreak which has scared foreign tourists anticipated the Mexican National Tourism Confederation.
Monday, May 11th 2009 - 08:26 UTC
Ice patrol HMS Endurance dilemma disclosed

The details of HMS Endurance’s struggle for survival last December has up until now been kept from the public domain. In this month’s edition of Navy News, however, details of the challenges overcome by the ship and crew have finally been released.