Stories for 2009

Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 08:34 UTC
Brazil flooded in the north and under severe drought in the south

Brazil rushed aid Wednesday by air, over land and through rapidly rising waters to scores of cities and towns isolated by floods that have killed at least 32 and left nearly 200,000 homeless. However in the south the country is suffering a severe months-long drought which is threatening hydroelectricity generation and agriculture.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 06:06 UTC
Mercosur agenda remains stalled complains Paraguay

With only two months for the Mercosur presidential summit there have been no advances in vital issues such as trade barriers and the Customs Code, reported Oscar Rodríguez Campuzano, Paraguay’s Deputy minister for International Economic Relations.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 05:33 UTC
Chile can become a major player in the global lamb and wool markets

Chile, more precisely the Magallanes region in the extreme south of the country, could play a major role in the global lamb and wool markets? Yes says Jose Marin a Magallanes sheep farmer who has a flock of 135.000, mostly Merino, Corriedale and Meat Merino and thirty years experience and innovation in the industry, reports El Mercurio.
Thursday, May 7th 2009 - 05:32 UTC
EU/US reach provisional deal on hormone-treated beef

United States and the European Union have reached a provisional deal to end a dispute over an EU ban on US hormone-treated beef. The move should prevent the US from implementing 116.8 million US dollars in new retaliatory duties on European products such as French cheese.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 13:06 UTC
Antarctic continental shelf survey could help predict sea-level rise

Motorway-sized troughs and channels carved into Antarctica's continental shelves by glaciers thousands of years ago could help scientists to predict future sea-level rise, according to a report in the May issue of the journal Geology.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 13:03 UTC
Drought forces Brazil to increase gas imports from Bolivia

Brazil will increase the amount of natural gas it imports from Bolivia later this month to bring on stream several thermoelectric power plants that had been inactive, Brazilian government managed energy company Petrobras said.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 12:53 UTC
Fiat planning a new auto giant with Chrysler and GM Latinamerica

Fiat is eyeing US auto giant General Motors' operations in Latin America as well as those in Europe (Opel) and discussions on a possible deal are under way, an industry source said Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 12:44 UTC
Lula da Silva wants more “clean” energy but also “more crude”

Brazilian President Lula da Silva said that while his government will continue promoting the use of “clean” energy sources such as ethanol and bio-diesel, he wants government managed oil company Petrobras to press ahead in the search for additional crude.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 10:28 UTC
Martinelli’s victory in Panama has turned into a conservative landslide

Sunday’s conservative victory in Panama is turning into a landslide: the winning party Democratic Change, CD, headed by president elect Ricardo Martinelli will also hold a majority in Congress.
Wednesday, May 6th 2009 - 10:22 UTC
Brazil promises “fair and viable” solution for Itaipu differences with Paraguay

Brazilian president Lula da Silva and the ministerial cabinet will consider Wednesday a “fair and viable” solution to differences with Paraguay regarding the energy from the world’s largest operational hydroelectric dam, Itaipú, announced in Brasilia Foreign Affairs minister Celso Amorim.