Stories for May 2009

Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 08:48 UTC
Paraguay and Bolivian Indians plight in the limelight

The director of the British-based organization Survival this week urged the Paraguayan government not to authorize a Brazilian livestock company to operate on lands of the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode Indians while in Bolivia a UN mission discovered Indian communities subjected to forced labour.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 08:41 UTC
Uruguay/Brazil will operate in local currencies to ensure bilateral trade

Uruguay and Brazil expect to have bilateral trade operations in their respective local currencies in place in a few months time, according to the Uruguayan Central Bank. The system is similar to that implemented between Brazil and Argentina and which is beginning to be operational.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 08:34 UTC
Brazil flooded in the north and under severe drought in the south

Brazil rushed aid Wednesday by air, over land and through rapidly rising waters to scores of cities and towns isolated by floods that have killed at least 32 and left nearly 200,000 homeless. However in the south the country is suffering a severe months-long drought which is threatening hydroelectricity generation and agriculture.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 06:06 UTC
Mercosur agenda remains stalled complains Paraguay

With only two months for the Mercosur presidential summit there have been no advances in vital issues such as trade barriers and the Customs Code, reported Oscar Rodríguez Campuzano, Paraguay’s Deputy minister for International Economic Relations.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 05:33 UTC
Chile can become a major player in the global lamb and wool markets

Chile, more precisely the Magallanes region in the extreme south of the country, could play a major role in the global lamb and wool markets? Yes says Jose Marin a Magallanes sheep farmer who has a flock of 135.000, mostly Merino, Corriedale and Meat Merino and thirty years experience and innovation in the industry, reports El Mercurio.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 05:32 UTC
EU/US reach provisional deal on hormone-treated beef

United States and the European Union have reached a provisional deal to end a dispute over an EU ban on US hormone-treated beef. The move should prevent the US from implementing 116.8 million US dollars in new retaliatory duties on European products such as French cheese.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 13:06 UTC
Antarctic continental shelf survey could help predict sea-level rise

Motorway-sized troughs and channels carved into Antarctica's continental shelves by glaciers thousands of years ago could help scientists to predict future sea-level rise, according to a report in the May issue of the journal Geology.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 13:03 UTC
Drought forces Brazil to increase gas imports from Bolivia

Brazil will increase the amount of natural gas it imports from Bolivia later this month to bring on stream several thermoelectric power plants that had been inactive, Brazilian government managed energy company Petrobras said.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 12:53 UTC
Fiat planning a new auto giant with Chrysler and GM Latinamerica

Fiat is eyeing US auto giant General Motors' operations in Latin America as well as those in Europe (Opel) and discussions on a possible deal are under way, an industry source said Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 12:44 UTC
Lula da Silva wants more “clean” energy but also “more crude”

Brazilian President Lula da Silva said that while his government will continue promoting the use of “clean” energy sources such as ethanol and bio-diesel, he wants government managed oil company Petrobras to press ahead in the search for additional crude.