Stories for January 5th 2010

Wednesday, January 6th 2010 - 03:19 UTC
Uruguay confirms total support to China’s Taiwan and Tibet policies

China thanked Uruguay for its staunch and sustained support in crucial issues such as the one-China policy and Tibet. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Uruguay’s Lower House president Roque Arregui, currently visiting China, met earlier this week in Beijing.
Wednesday, January 6th 2010 - 03:16 UTC
Coldest winter in a century and snow close down Britain

Britain was in the grip of snow chaos as Arctic conditions forced the closure of schools, roads and airports. Some train services were also cancelled as forecasters predicted one of the coldest winters in 100 years.
Wednesday, January 6th 2010 - 03:15 UTC
Major earthquake east of South Georgia & South Sandwich

A major 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Atlantic Ocean early on Tuesday east of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, a sparsely populated British territory, according to a US monitor.
Wednesday, January 6th 2010 - 01:36 UTC
Blue-fin tuna sold at Tokyo New Year auction for 176.000 USD

A huge bluefin tuna was sold for USD 176,000 in the first auction of the year at a Tokyo fish market on Tuesday, amid growing pressure on Japan to help save the threatened fish.
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 22:27 UTC
HMS York has arrived in the Falkland Islands

HMS York arrived in the Falkland Islands on 2 Jan 10, having met up with the homeward bound HMS Gloucester and the tanker RFA Gold in the area around Rio de Janeiro
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 13:11 UTC
Chile’s presidential January 17 run-off in its decisive leg

On Sunday evening Chile’s two presidential hopefuls – billionaire businessman Sebastian Piñera and Senator Eduardo Frei – began airing five-minute TV spots designed to win votes for the January 17 run-off presidential election. The spots will run through January 14.
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 13:09 UTC
Global trade recovery from major contraction in 70 years forecasted slow

Global trade is expected to pick up again this year at a significant rate but not sufficient to overcome losses of 2009. Last year trade plunged 12.25% the worst result in seventy years and a full recovery can only be anticipated for 2011 when China will be confirmed as the world’s leading exporter.
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 13:06 UTC
Argentina’s inflation third highest in the world, say private consultants

Private consultants estimate that Argentina’s inflation in 2009 and in spite of the devalued government statistics was the third highest in the world behind the Democratic Republic of Congo and Venezuela.
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 13:00 UTC
Dakar rally considered a “gold mine” for northern Chile tourism industry

The Dakar Rally that began in the Southern Cone on New Year’s Day has some people applauding, but others not so happy. The Dakar Rally is divided between Argentina and Chile and includes eight days of racing in Chile before concluding January 16 in Buenos Aires.
Tuesday, January 5th 2010 - 12:56 UTC
PM Brown admits he is the underdog in the forthcoming general election

UK Gordon Brown has admitted he is the underdog in the forthcoming general election battle - but insisted he is ready to “fight” for Britain. The Prime Minister said voters faced a “big choice” between the Tories promise of “austerity” and Labour's plans to encourage “aspiration”.