Stories for 2009

Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 14:03 UTC
OAS mission finds “no conditions” for Zelaya’s return to Honduras

The head of the Organisation of American States has said he found no willingness in Honduras' interim government to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya. Jose Miguel Insulza said that “unfortunately, in Honduras the conditions are not there for Zelaya's return”.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 13:58 UTC
US regulators close seven banks; 52 so far in 2009

United States bank regulators closed seven institutions this week including six banks in Illinois controlled by one family and a small bank in Dallas, bringing the total number of US bank failures to 52 so far this year. (This compares with 25 in 2008 and 3 in 2007).
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 09:17 UTC
Brazil threatens to take Argentina to WTO on import licences

Brazil may file a complaint at the World Trade Organization against Argentina because of its delays in issuing import licenses for Brazilian goods according to Foreign Trade Chamber Secretary Lyntha Spindola.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 08:21 UTC
Petrobras begins refining oil from the pre-salt basin

Brazil’s government managed oil corporation Petrobras reported this week it had begun refining oil from the Tupi field, located at the pre-salt area of Santos Basin which is Brazil’s great hope for becoming a major player in the world’s hydrocarbons market.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 08:19 UTC
A/H1N1 virus “unstoppable”; vaccine access a “political question”

The United Nations top health official opened a forum in Mexico on combating the A/H1N1 flu saying that the spread of the virus worldwide is now “unstoppable”. World Health Organization head Margaret Chan added that the holding of the meeting in Cancun showed confidence in Mexico, which has been hard hit.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 08:17 UTC
Rio Tinto shareholders help to reduce stress of the balance sheet

A call for cash by Rio Tinto has seen a strong take-up from its existing Australian shareholders - a day after similar success in the UK. The mining giant saw 95% of the heavily discounted shares available in Sydney taken up. It had earlier reported a 96.97% take-up of London shares.
Saturday, July 4th 2009 - 08:15 UTC
Deficit shocked California closes state offices and prints IOUs

The governor of California has declared a fiscal emergency in the US state to address a budget deficit of some 24.3 billion US dollars. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also ordered many state offices to close for three days each month until June 2010, with staff unpaid for those days. As an immediate reply the state began printing 53 million US dollars in IOU.
Friday, July 3rd 2009 - 13:55 UTC
Mercosur agrees on the agenda for the presidential summit

Advance teams from Mercosur country members reached a tentative agenda for this month’s presidential summit at the end of the month, (July 23/24) according to sources in Paraguay the country which will hosting the meeting.
Friday, July 3rd 2009 - 13:52 UTC
Argentina reports 44 deaths; highest A/H1N1 virus flu mortality rate

Argentine health officials reported 17 more H1N1 flu deaths, bringing the total to at least 44 in the country hardest hit by the A/H1N1 virus in the southern hemisphere. Health Minister Juan Manzur said that “between 43 and 44 deaths” linked to the virus had been confirmed, a significant jump from the 26 that had been reported by the ministry on Friday.
Friday, July 3rd 2009 - 13:45 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Hundreds to lose out as means testing kicks in; End of the line for fresh milk as Stanley Dairy set to close; Farmer livestock costs to rise.