Stories for March 2010

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.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 05:06 UTC
Mercosur/Israel free trade agreement becomes effective April

Brazil expects a new free trade agreement with Israel to swell bilateral trade to more than 3 billion US dollars within five years, officials said on Monday. Trade between Israel and Brazil slipped below 1 billion USD in 2009 from a peak of 1.6 billion USD in 2008 -- 1.2 billion USD of which were Israeli exports -- due to the global economic crisis.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 04:58 UTC
Rio Tinto/Alcan presents project for 2.5bn aluminium smelter in Paraguay

Rio Tinto Alcan, a unit of global mining giant Rio Tinto formally presented on Monday plans to invest 2.5 billion US dollars in an aluminium smelter in Paraguay, according to corporation and Asuncion sources.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 04:57 UTC
British Airways announces strike contingency plan for 60% of its customers

British Airways says 60% of its customers will be able to keep their travel plans during planned strikes by cabin crew. Industrial action is set to begin with a three-day walkout from Saturday March 20, followed by a four-day stoppage from Saturday March 27.
Tuesday, March 16th 2010 - 02:03 UTC
Argentine scientists research bio-diesel production from micro-algae

A team of Argentine researchers from the National Technological University of Mar del Plata (UTN) is working on a research project to produce bio-diesel from marine micro-algae, with the aim of developing economically viable and environmentally sustainable processes.
Monday, March 15th 2010 - 21:58 UTC
Lula da Silva refers to Ahmadinejad and Chavez as two “nutties”, says O’Globo

Brazilian president Lula da Silva allegedly referred to Iranian president Mahmud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez as “nutty” leaders which must be kept under control through close links, reports the Brazilian newspaper O’Globo.