Stories for June 2010

Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:04 UTC
Viral epidemic for third year in a row ravages French oyster farms

French oyster-growers are facing ruin because of a viral epidemic that for a third year in a row has been wiping out millions of baby shellfish. From the Mediterranean coast to the bay of Arcachon on the Atlantic and now Brittany, farmers have been watching in dismay in recent weeks as the virus once again moved northwards, keeping pace with the rising sea temperature.
Monday, June 14th 2010 - 04:00 UTC
Russia became world’s leading oil producer in 2009 ahead of Saudi Arabia

Russia overtook Saudi Arabia to become the world's leading oil producer in 2009, while global oil consumption fell the most since 1982, BP has said. According to the oil giant's latest Statistical Review of World Energy, Russia increased oil production by 1.5% in 2009, claiming a 12.9% market share.
Monday, June 14th 2010 - 03:58 UTC
Protestors receive Falklands’ bound Lan Chile flight in Rio Gallegos

As had been anticipated a dissident group of Malvinas veterans protested at the Argentine airport of Rio Gallegos during the Saturday stop over of the weekly Lan Chile flight to the Falkland Islands.
Monday, June 14th 2010 - 03:52 UTC
“I’m running again but my name now is Dilma Roussef” said Lula da Silva

President Lula da Silva said that this coming October election will be the first since 1985 that his name won’ figure, “but to fill that void I will change my name and I will call myself Dilma Rousseff”.
Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 03:23 UTC
Mrs. Clinton promises to sponsor US/Colombia trade agreement

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised this week after meeting with Colombian president Alvaro Uribe that when she returns to Washington she will begin “a very intensive effort to try to obtain the votes to get the free trade agreement with Colombia finally ratified”.
Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:31 UTC
UK Deputy PM Clegg reaffirms Falklands’ British sovereignty

Britain’s Deputy Primer Minister Liberal-Democrat Nick Clegg said in Spain there will be no change in the stance of the Falkland Islands sovereignty and the Islanders wish to remain British.
Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:27 UTC
Major low-cost airline servicing the Caribbean grounded over pay contract

Hundreds of pilots for Spirit Airlines, which services the Caribbean, walked off their jobs early Saturday morning after negotiations over pay broke down. In what industry analysts say is the first strike at a US passenger airline in nearly five years, pilots at the low-cost carrier took industrial action as negotiations reached a stalemate.
Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:20 UTC
In the even of Vatican top official visit, Cuba frees paraplegic political dissident

The Cuban government has freed a jailed dissident and moved six others to jails closer to their homes. Senior Catholic clergymen had urged Cuban president Raul Castro to release Ariel Sigler, 47, on humanitarian grounds.
Sunday, June 13th 2010 - 01:18 UTC
Chavez’ Venezuela “recalls us the times of our won dictatorship`”

The incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur faces a tough battle in the Paraguayan congress following statements’ from the Upper House president who said that “it recalls us the time of the (Alfredo Stroessner) dictatorship” adding it was difficult to dissociate the country from the figure of Hugo Chavez.
Saturday, June 12th 2010 - 04:54 UTC
Argentine ministers call on pickets to abandon roadblock leading to Uruguay

Argentine ministers went public again on Friday to insist that there are no excuses left for keeping a roadblock on a bridge leading to neighbouring Uruguay, a long standing protest since 2006 against the construction of the Botnia pulp mill.