Stories for August 31st 2009

Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 06:58 UTC
Lula da Silva unveils sub-salt oil policy and heralds “new Independence Day”

Brazil has unveiled plans to bring more state control to its oil industry and take advantage of offshore reserves. President Lula da Silva proposed Monday switching to a system which would see the government own a part of all oil produced by changing concessions for production-sharing agreements.
Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 05:47 UTC
WTO confirms ruling favouring Brazil in cotton dispute with US

United States faces annual trade sanctions of about 295 million US dollars for failing to scrap illegal subsidies paid to its cotton growers. However the punishment, imposed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), is far less than the 4 billion USD that Brazil, which brought the case, had wanted.
Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 04:55 UTC
Argentina increasingly disappointed with the Kirchners and the ruling class

Two months after the mid term elections defeat the Argentine government has managed to recover the political initiative leaving a spastic opposition with little margin. However this has not been enough to neutralize public opinion rejection, which is similar or worse than on June 28th.
Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 03:21 UTC
Official Argentina committee to organize Malvinas Families trips to Falklands

The Argentine government announced the creation of a specific committee for the organization of the Malvinas families coming trips to the Falkland Islands for the official inauguration of the Memorial at the Argentine cemetery in Darwin.
Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 01:32 UTC
Bank failures in United States jump to 84 in eight months

The number of bank failures in the United States reached 84 in the first four months of this year, following the collapse of three entities in California, Minnesota and Maryland, according to the latest report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, FIDC
Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 00:25 UTC
Between 1.600 and 1.700 vessels cross the Magellan Strait annually

An estimated 1.600 to 1.700 vessels cross the strategic Magellan Strait annually according to the Chilean Navy that last week celebrated the 161th anniversary of its patrolling task along the country’s coastline of almost 6.500 kilometres.
Monday, August 31st 2009 - 23:32 UTC
Brazil’s plans first nuclear powered submarine for 2021

Brazil expects to have its first nuclear powered submarine in 2021, to be built in the country with French cooperation and equipped with conventional weapons, confirmed Defence minister Nelson Jobim who underlined the dissuasion potential of such a weapon recalling the Falkland Islands conflict of 1982.
Monday, August 31st 2009 - 14:38 UTC
SWINE flu has crippled a Royal Navy ship that patrols waters off the Falkland Islands.

At least eight members of HMS Clyde's 38-strong crew have been struck down by the bug.
Monday, August 31st 2009 - 12:16 UTC
Falkland/Malvinas experience repeatedly recalled in Unasur summit

South American leaders “frank and crude” debate last week on the controversial agreement to deploy US forces in seven Colombian bases brought back memories and experiences of the Falkland Islands war between Argentina and Britain in 1982.
Monday, August 31st 2009 - 12:14 UTC
Listeriosis strikes Chile again, claims nine victims

Listeriosis, a food-borne bacterial disease, has claimed nine lives and infected 45 in Chile so far in 2009, health authorities confirmed this week. The disease, which stems from the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, is often borne from contaminated water and foods and usually infects pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with auto-immune diseases.