Stories for March 16th 2010

Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 21:56 UTC
Briton is recognized as world's first officially genderless person

A British expat who claims to have no gender is thought to have become the first person to be officially recognized as neither male nor female.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 21:43 UTC
Falklands MLAs with greater responsibilities and busy overseas agenda

It is proving a busy overseas season for the Falkland Islands Members of the Legislative Assembly with a full agenda of political and administrative contacts in London, reports Gilbert House, Office of the Legislative Assembly.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 21:41 UTC
Fed leaves rates unchanged in context of moderate growth and unemployment

The United States Federal Reserve left its key interest rate near 0% once again Tuesday and said rates should stay this low for the foreseeable future. In its release the Federal Open Market Committee, FOMC, policymakers repeated their prediction that economic conditions are likely to result in “exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period”.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 18:26 UTC
Chile’s power supply “fragile” for the next six months

Chile’s new Energy Minister Ricardo Raineri said the country’s electricity supply may not normalize for another six months, following a blackout which hit more than 70% of the country late Sunday night.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 18:20 UTC
Petrobras planning to issue 60 billion US dollars of new stock

Brazil’s government managed oil company Petrobras will issue as much as 60 billion US dollars of new stock, most of which will go to the government in exchange for oil rights, Energy Minister Edison Lobao announced Tuesday.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 16:42 UTC
In spite of bad weather 16 cruise vessels visit South Georgia during February

For South Georgia February was one of the busiest months in the 2009/10 tourist season with sixteen cruise ships and six yachts visiting the island.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 16:37 UTC
Chile per capita expenditure on defence, the highest of Latinamerica

Chile is the second largest weapons importer in the Americas and the 11th largest in the world, a recent study has shown. Chile’s defence budget nearly doubled between 1997 and 2007, the study carried out by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 05:16 UTC
Lula da Silva calls for Palestinian state during official visit to Israel

Brazilian President Lula da Silva kicked off a Middle East trip in Jerusalem by saying he wants to promote regional peace, after expressing concerns last week that Israel may attack Iran over its nuclear program.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 05:13 UTC
EC calls on Britain to further cut the budget deficit: “not ambitious enough”

The European Commission will call on Britain to do more to cut the budget deficit, according to a draft document. The EU executive is also expected to say the UK's medium term plans are not ambitious enough. The report will see the light just weeks before a general election is expected to be announced.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 05:10 UTC
Europe agrees to help Greece but loan guarantees have been ruled out

Europe's finance ministers agreed Monday how to help Greece in its battle to control its finances. After a meeting in Brussels, they revealed few details, except that they had ruled out any loan guarantees.