Stories for November 2009

Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 05:54 UTC
Brazilian Senate suspends vote on Venezuela’s Mercosur admission

The Brazilian Senate agreed to postpone a full house vote on the admission of Venezuela to Mercosur given the “strained climate” generated by President Hugo Chavez who alerted his people of a “possible” war with Colombia.
Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 05:53 UTC
First foreign cruise of the season arrives in Punta Arenas; business down 27%

The first international cruise called this week in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile, signalling the official beginning of the 2009/10 season which local tourist operators are anticipating is going to suffer a significant fall from the previous.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:54 UTC
Book crudely exposes Kirchner’s tactics to remain in power

The Landlord (El Dueño) is the title of the latest book released in Argentina which tells the story of how a shy and humiliated adolescent manages to become the richest, most powerful and vindictive president of Argentina, according to the internet site Hipercritico.com which belongs to the author of the book Luis Majul.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:36 UTC
OAS Insulza admits frustration with the stalled Honduras situation

Organization of American States Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza said he was not sure the two sides involved in the Honduras crisis would resume dialogue and discarded any idea of sending OAS observers for the scheduled presidential election at the end of November.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:32 UTC
Brazil downplays Venezuela/Colombia “continental rhetoric”

Differences between Venezuela and Colombia won’t reach extreme situations and both neighbours will find a way out through dialogue, said Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:29 UTC
Chavez “war alert” shell-shocks Mercosur admission debate in Brazil

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez alert calling on the Army and the people to prepare for “a possible war” with Colombia shell-shocked the Brazilian Senate that this week is scheduled to vote on Venezuela’s full incorporation to Mercosur.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:23 UTC
Argentina Seeks to Resolve Defaulted Debt Issues, While “Vulture Funds” Are Determined to Undermine

The Argentine government recently announced a plan to offer a debt swap to investors still holding US$20 billion (plus interest) in unpaid bonds from the country’s 2001 debt default.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:20 UTC
UK risks loosing AAA sovereign credit rating because of budget deficit

The United Kingdom is the developed nation most at risk of losing its AAA sovereign credit rating because of the budget deficit and virtually no margin left in the event of another downturn, Fitch warned Tuesday.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:15 UTC
Glaxo donates 50 million doses of H1N1 virus vaccine to WHO

The international laboratory GlaxoSmithKline has promised to donate 50 million doses of pandemic H1N1 vaccine to the World Health Organization (WHO) under an agreement signed at WHO headquarters in Geneva.
Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:11 UTC
Foreign Office embarrassed: Sorry, did you mean Algeciras or Algeria?

In 2006, British officials filed an application to list part of Gibraltar waters as an EU protected nature site. Now it has emerged they got the wrong coordinates: Instead of designating the sea around Gibraltar, they listed a stretch of water somewhere off the coast of Algeria.