Stories for December 2010

Friday, December 17th 2010 - 22:43 UTC
Moody’s shocks EU: downgrades Irish debt five notches to Baa1

Moody's has downgraded debt-stricken Ireland by five notches just days after the Irish parliament approved a multi-billion euro international bailout.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 22:38 UTC
WikiLeaks claims worst attacks are from in Dubai, US, UK and Switzerland

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said his organisation had come under attack not so much from governments but from banks as he vowed to release damaging leaks about them.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 22:28 UTC
Uruguay, only “full democracy”• in South America; ranks 21 world-wide

Uruguay is South America’s leading democracy and ranks 21 internationally according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, which makes an annual evaluation of democratic conditions.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 18:41 UTC
New guide documents marine life amazing diversity in Chilean Patagonia

After more than 10 years of research, Chile’s San Ignacio de Huinay Foundation has published a guide chronicling the amazing diversity of marine life in Chile’s Patagonia, with photographs of 473 marine life species
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 07:17 UTC
Mercosur after closer trade relations with Cuba, Palestine, Syria and NZ

Member nations of Mercosur will seek to boost economic and political ties with Cuba in a bid to make the island an associate member of the trade bloc.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 07:11 UTC
Mercosur condemns UK on Malvinas; promises to monitor shipping in support of oil activities

The Mercosur summit approved Thursday a declaration protesting “formally and energetically” UK’s decision to hold military exercises in the Malvinas islands and reiterated support for Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the South Atlantic Islands.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 07:09 UTC
Chile could be next country to recognize Palestine with borders prior to 1967

The decisions by the governments of Brazil and Argentina last week to recognize an independent Palestinian state with borders prior to the 1967 Six Day War has prompted criticism from the United States and intense lobbying in Santiago de Chile.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 07:05 UTC
Euro zone agrees (strict conditionality) bail out permanent mechanism

European Union leaders have agreed to set up a permanent mechanism to bail out any member state whose debt problems threaten the 16-nation Euro zone.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 07:01 UTC
Asia’s emerging giants move closer; agree trade goal of 100 billion USD by 2015

India and China agreed to raise the bilateral trade to 100 billion US dollars by 2015, step up investments and permit banks of other countries to open branches and representative offices.
Friday, December 17th 2010 - 06:56 UTC
WikiLeaks Assange free on bail and tagged moves to ten bedroom mansion

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted bail Thursday by the High Court in London and will move from a prison cell in Wandsworth to a country retreat in Norfolk when he is released from custody.