Stories for September 2009

Friday, September 4th 2009 - 08:01 UTC
Afghanistan differences again surface in UK cabinet

The parliamentary aide to United Kingdom Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth has resigned over Afghanistan. In a letter to PM Gordon Brown, Eric Joyce called on the Prime Minister to make it clear to the British people that the Afghanistan campaign was “time limited”.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 07:50 UTC
Sooty albatross set breeding record in South Shetland Islands

A small group of light-mantled sooty albatrosses has set a new breeding record. The birds have created a colony on King George Island, one of the South Shetland Islands located in Antarctica.
Friday, September 4th 2009 - 07:47 UTC
Brazilian Senate condemns Venezuela further delaying its Mercosur bid

The Brazilian Senate released a statement criticizing Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez for the measures implemented by his government against private media. The decision by the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee could further delay Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 13:27 UTC
Once Argentina “has done its homework”, IMF liquidity support comes overnight

If Argentina compiles with its homework and has good relations with international financial organizations, “credit is granted overnight” said Olivier Blanchard, the International Monetary Fund Economic Counselor and Director of the IMF Research Department during his visit to Buenos Aires for a two day conference on monetary policies.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 13:23 UTC
Uruguay’s economic policy and Mercosur links set to change predicts Moody’s

The risk-rating agency Moody’s Economy anticipates that whoever wins in Uruguay’s October presidential election, the only certainty is that “there will be changes in economic policy” and in regional inter-action, including a review of Mercosur relations.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 13:18 UTC
Brazil leaves rates unchanged confident of non-inflationary recovery

Brazil's Central Bank decided on Wednesday to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at a record low 8.75%. The monetary policy committee, Copom, voted unanimously to leave the so-called Selic rate steady, in line with analysts' expectations.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 10:30 UTC
Antarctica’s Ridge A, world’s coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth

The search for the best observatory site in the world has led to the discovery of what is thought to be the coldest, driest, calmest place on Earth, a place where no human is thought to have ever set foot. The finding was detailed on August 31 in the Publications of the Astronomical Society.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 10:28 UTC
Poll shows Tory leader Cameron as next British PM with 96-seat majority

Britain’s main opposition Tories could be heading for a 96-seat Commons majority at the next general election, a poll has revealed. Conservative leader David Cameron currently has a 42% share of the vote, with Labour trailing on 28% and the Liberal Democrats on 17%, according to the YouGov survey for The Sun newspaper.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 10:17 UTC
G20 meeting anticipates clash over government spending and banks

In anticipation of the G20 Finance ministers meeting in London on Friday UK Chancellor Alistair Darling insisted that world governments need to keep spending to ensure recovery from the global economic crisis.
Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 10:10 UTC
EU hedge funds regulations threaten London’ position as global financial hub

EU plans to regulate hedge funds are a “blatant attack” on London's role as an international financial centre, the mayor of the city has said. Boris Johnson added that suspicions ministers in Paris and Berlin were using the proposals to deliberately target London were “not unfounded”.