Stories for October 2009

Tuesday, October 27th 2009 - 07:34 UTC
Uruguay tops the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index in South America

Uruguay tops the 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index in South America and is only second to Costa Rica in Latinamerica and ahead of Chile and Argentina. However Latinamerica’s best placed countries in the index which defines prosperity as wealth and wellbeing are in the thirties out of a total list of 104.
Tuesday, October 27th 2009 - 07:27 UTC
Rockhopper raises £ 50 million to finance summer drilling offshore Falklands

Rockhopper Exploration, the oil and gas explorer company working in the North Falkland Basin has raised £50 million in a 54p per share placing with institutional investors.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 12:51 UTC
Brazil to increase diesel bio-fuel content to 5% next January

Brazil will raise the bio-fuel content of its diesel to 5% up from 4% previously, after President Lula da Silva approved the proposal on Friday.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 12:45 UTC
Chilean fresh fruit exporters suing government for overcharges

In early November a Chilean court will rule on a 108 million US dollars lawsuit brought by 126 Chilean fresh fruit export companies against the nation’s Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) agency.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 12:40 UTC
Uruguayan president to be decided in run-off at the end of November

A run off at the end of November was the result of Sunday’s presidential election in Uruguay since no candidate managed 50% plus one of the votes, as had been anticipated by most pollsters.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:21 UTC
Fifth Type 45 destroyer “Defender” launched in Scotland

Thousands turned out on the banks of the Clyde in Scotland to cheer on the latest ship to make up the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 destroyer class. Defender sailed for the first time this week.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:14 UTC
Ecuador overrides 2.000 pharmaceutical patents considered “indispensable”

Ecuador made public on Sunday a presidential decree overriding over 2.000 pharmaceutical patents in order to provide more affordable medicines to the people of Ecuador.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:12 UTC
Ten Colombian amateur soccer players killed in Venezuela

Venezuela said on Sunday at least 10 members of an amateur Colombian soccer team had been found dead after being kidnapped on its side of the border. Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez told reporters the men were found with bullet wounds in various parts of the western state of Tachira, on the border between the two neighbouring countries.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:06 UTC
Revenue hungry Argentine government tightens fiscal measures

The Argentine government announced a package of fiscal control measures on Thursday, including the use of electronic bills for sales of imported goods, second-hand car sales and hotel operations.
Monday, October 26th 2009 - 09:26 UTC
US declares H1N1 flu emergency and promises vaccines for every citizen

United States President Barack Obama declared the spreading H1N1 swine flu virus to be a national emergency.