Stories for 2009

Monday, July 6th 2009 - 09:54 UTC
Brazil creates Fisheries ministry; plans 40% landings increase in 3 years

Brazilian president Lula da Silva sanctioned last week the bill which confers the Special Secretariat of Aquaculture and Fisheries, SEAP, the status of ministry, enacted to boost the fishing sector and develop the country’s maritime and fluvial potential.
Monday, July 6th 2009 - 09:41 UTC
Gibraltar joins Spanish and UK officials to prepare ministerial meeting

A delegation from Gibraltar with Chief Minister Peter Caruana is participating of a three day non-ministerial round of the Tripartite Forum in Madrid which is expected to prepare the ground for a full ministerial meeting of the Forum in mid-July that will include Spanish Foreign Secretary Miguel Angel Moratinos.
Monday, July 6th 2009 - 09:31 UTC
UK to announce sweeping banking reform this week

The United Kingdom Chancellor Alistair Darling has hit out at “kamikaze” bankers for damaging the British economy and said a shake-up to be unveiled this week would prevent a repeat.
Monday, July 6th 2009 - 09:22 UTC
Venezuela takes over Banco Santander and pays first instalment

Venezuela has taken formal control of its third largest bank, the previously Spanish-owned Banco de Venezuela. The first instalment of a 630 million US dollars price tag was made amid much ceremony in the capital Caracas, with nearly all the shares passing to the government.
Monday, July 6th 2009 - 09:15 UTC
New “marketing” for British overseas aid

Britain’s overseas aid is to be re-branded in a bid to raise public awareness at home and abroad and help maintain support for spending during the downturn. The Department for International Development (DFID) will use the name “UKaid” for its funding of projects in the world's poorest countries following concerns raised by Parliament.
Monday, July 6th 2009 - 08:59 UTC
Lula da Silva stands by his Senate ally; warns about “instability”

Brazilian president Lula da Silva said that the resignation or suspension of Jose Sarney as president of the Senate could generate a “very serious crisis” leading to “instability”, according to official sources in Congress.
Sunday, July 5th 2009 - 12:00 UTC
Zelaya insists in returning to Honduras; Catholic Church warns of “bloodbath”

Ousted President Manuel Zelaya has vowed to return to Honduras on Sunday, despite being threatened with arrest. The Honduran Catholic Church called on all parties to avoid a “blood bath”.
Sunday, July 5th 2009 - 11:53 UTC
Argentina confirms 55 deaths from the A/H1N1 virus flu

Argentina’s minister of Health Juan Manzur confirmed on Saturday that the number of deaths from the A/H1N1 virus influenza had reached 55, although non government organizations insist the number is higher.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 14:09 UTC
Argentine dissident Peronists want control of the party

Dissident members of the Argentine ruling Justicialista (Peronist) Party have asked for the removal of the party’s interim president and the naming of new authorities, following the debacle of last Sunday’s mid term election for President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and husband Nestor Kirchner.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 14:04 UTC
Peruvian PM to step down; opens door for a cabinet reshuffle

Peruvian Prime Minister Yehude Simon said on Friday he planned to “irrevocably” step down next week following heavy criticism of the government's handling of violent Amazon protests in which at least 50 people died last month.