Stories for December 2010

Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 03:58 UTC
Australia present at the Mercosur summit in Brazil

Australian Foreign Secretary Kevin Rudd will be present at the two-day Mercosur summit which begins Thursday in Foz de Iguazu. Rudd met on Wednesday with his Brazilian peer Celso Amorim ahead of the summit and in the framework of the “Australia-Brazil Dialogue” created last September.
Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 03:55 UTC
Facebook Mark Zuckerberg is Time’s Person of the year 2010

The creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg has been announced as Time magazine’s person of the year 2010, “for changing how we all live our lives in ways that are innovative and even optimistic”.
Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 03:45 UTC
Trade among Mercosur members forecasted to reach 42 billion USD

Trade between the four member Mercosur block is expected to reach 42 billion US dollars in 2010 revealed Argentine Industry minister Debora Giorgi who on Thursday will be participating of the Mercosur summit in Foz de Iguazu, Brazil.
Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 03:31 UTC
Brazil expects to reach UN Millennium Development Goals by 2012

The Brazilian government announced Tuesday that the country has seen a solid drop in childhood malnutrition which, together with the social progress achieved in other areas, meets the criteria under the U.N. Millennium Development Goals for the eradication of extreme poverty.
Thursday, December 16th 2010 - 00:55 UTC
Spectacular flypast marks retirement of iconic Falklands’ war veteran Harriers

Britain paid tribute Wednesday to a joint force of Royal Navy and RAF Harrier aircraft with a spectacular flypast to mark their retirement after 41 years of service. A formation of 16 Harriers that became famous during the Falklands’ conflict, took off from RAF Cottesmore into the skies of Lincolnshire.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 23:25 UTC
Brazil world’s fifth economy by 2016, anticipates Lula da Silva

On presenting a review of his eight years in office, Brazilian president Lula da Silva forecasted that Brazil would become the world’s fifth economy by 2016. He also underlined that under his administration combating hunger had become a “national cause” and for him a personal pride.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 23:00 UTC
Inter American Court ruling serious human rights set back for Brazil

In what is considered a historic ruling the Inter-American Court of Human Rights from the Organization of American States held the Brazilian state responsible for the forced disappearance of 62 alleged members of the Araguaia guerrilla movement- a small armed band of communists and Trotskyites crushed by military operations between 1972 and 1974.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:49 UTC
Spain again on the brink as Moody’s questions 2011 financial requirements

Moody's rating agency threatened Wednesday to downgrade Spain's credit rating, hammering markets as it warned of a 170-billion-Euro refinancing challenge ahead in 2011.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:32 UTC
South Georgia shelf graveyard for mega-icebergs with huge impact on marine life

The huge tabular blocks of ice that frequently break off Antarctica get swept towards the Atlantic and then ground on the shallow continental shelf that surrounds the 170km-long island of South Georgia.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010 - 22:30 UTC
Irish parliament approves multi-billon Euro EU/IMF bailout package

Ireland's parliament on Wednesday approved (81 to 75) a multi-billion Euro EU/IMF bailout package in the face of opposition threats to renegotiate the deal to force losses on some senior bondholders in Irish banks.