Stories for June 2010

Friday, June 11th 2010 - 00:37 UTC
Bank of England leaves rates and quantitative easing funds unchanged

UK interest rates have been kept on hold at a record low of 0.5% for the 15th month in a row. The Bank of England also decided on Thursday not to inject any more money into the UK economy under its policy of quantitative easing (QE).
Friday, June 11th 2010 - 00:04 UTC
Taiana announces in Shanghai Cristina’s official visit to China next July

Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is scheduled to make an official visit to China and meet with President Hu Jintao next July, announced Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana during his visit to the Argentine pavilion in the Shanghai World Expo.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 23:57 UTC
Argentina ratifies adhesion to Unasur following unanimous vote in Congress

Argentina ratified this week the adhesion to the South American Nations Union (Unasur) Treaty, following a unanimous vote in the Lower House of Congress. The Senate had already approved the initiative.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 22:25 UTC
Lady Di strapless taffeta dress purchased by Chile’s fashion museum

The Chilean Museum de la Moda (Fashion) purchased a strapless taffeta dress that Princess Diana wore to one of her first official engagements for more than four times the initial price.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 22:18 UTC
Book on Chavez in prison, “I saw him cry”, triggers controversy

A Venezuelan historian and academic presented the book ‘I saw him cry’ in which he affirms that President Hugo Chavez was crying, fearful and pleading to be sent to Cuba on April 11, 2002 during the coup that had him out of office for several days. He also insists there was no plan to have Chavez shot by a firing squad as the ‘official version” of events has since turned into epic days.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:30 UTC
Chile ski resorts still waiting for snow to begin winter season

Though Chilean ski resorts were ready to begin the winter season more than a week ago, the slopes cannot be opened due to lack of snow. A lack of rain in the region has been blamed. The central and southern region of Chile has had a low level of rain this year, causing opening delays for some centres.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:28 UTC
Lula da Silva says “espionage plot” on opposition candidate is a ‘set up’

Brazilian president Lula da Silva talked for the first time about the alleged espionage plot against opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra and described the whole operation as an ‘absurd set up’ with electoral purposes.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:22 UTC
Chile sues banks that cooperated in hiding Pinochet ill-gotten fortune

The widow of (deceased) former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Lucia Hiriart; the dictator’s private secretary, Monica Ananias; and his executor, Oscar Aitken, were summoned this week to a Santiago criminal court pursuant to a warrant from the Southern District Court of Florida, United States.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:20 UTC
Global economic reforms impeded by China’s Yuan policy, claims US

Global economic reforms are being impeded by China's refusal to revalue its currency, the Yuan, US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has said. Addressing the US Senate Committee on Finance he said that distortions caused by China's stance were “an impediment to the global rebalancing we need”.
Thursday, June 10th 2010 - 18:17 UTC
Brazil-Paraguay discussions to review the Itaipú Treaty are ‘done and over’

For Brazil the renegotiation of the Itaipú dam treaty between Brazil and Paraguay ‘is over’ following on last year’s declaration of Presidents Lula da Silva and Fernando Lugo, said Marco Aurelio García the Brazilian president main advisor in international affairs.