Stories for December 2010

Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 14:11 UTC
Uribe confirms Wikileaks: he was prepared to cross into Venezuela territory

Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) confirmed the contents of a confidential US State Department confidential cable exposed by Wikileaks, according to which he contemplated sending troops across into Venezuelan territory to capture and arrest FARC guerrilla leaders.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 14:05 UTC
Colombia’s Ecopetrol announces seventh technical oil discovery in 2010

Colombia’s Ecopetrol has reported oil shows from a second stratigraphic well on the Cano Sur block, where Shell holds a 50% stake. Ecopetrol said that it completed drilling of the Draco-1 well, located in the southeastern province of Meta.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 14:00 UTC
Airlines profits for 2010 and 2011 up but “margins remain pathetic” says IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) revised its industry outlook for 2010 to a net profit of 15.1 billion USD (up from the 8.9 billion forecast in September). Similarly IATA revised upwards its projections for 2011 to a net industry profit of 9.1 billion (up from the 5.3 billion forecast in September). However net margins remain weak at 2.7% for 2010 and falling to 1.5% in 2011.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 06:48 UTC
Brazilian president-elect will work for stronger Mercosur institutions

Brazilian president-elect Dilma Rousseff will attempt to strengthen Mercosur institutions and establish a protagonist dialogue with United States, according to the presidential advisor on international affaire Marco Aurelio García who has been confirmed in his post.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 06:43 UTC
Bolivia’s first (Chinese built) telecommunications satellite operational by 2014

The Bolivian Space Agency (ABE) and the Chinese Great Wall Industry Corporation signed a commercial contract for the construction and launching of the first Bolivian telecommunications satellite, which has been baptized Tupac Katari.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 06:38 UTC
Whaling and non-whaling countries call for restrain ahead of new hunting season

Four countries, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and United States have jointly expressed concern over confrontations between Japanese whaling ships and anti-whaling activists in Antarctic waters and called for responsible behavior by the two sides.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 02:24 UTC
Billions in Venezuelan infrastructure projects for Brazilian corporations

Bridges, highways, petrochemical, steel and power plants, aqueducts, agriculture, livestock and abattoirs, shipyards and even simple cable cars are among Brazilian major corporations’ contribution to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez construction of “Socialism XXI century”, according to Fernando Portela president of the Brazilian/Venezuelan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010 - 02:20 UTC
South Korea reports outbreak of FMD; officials say 147.173 livestock destroyed

South Korea reported on Monday a further case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the south-eastern part of the country, according to Seoul's Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Monday, December 13th 2010 - 23:26 UTC
Paraguay finally says ‘aye’ to Venezuela’s Mercosur full membership

Venezuela’s incorporation as a full member of Mercosur has been secured following the confirmation of a political agreement in Paraguay, the only of the four-country group that still had a vote pending in congress.
Monday, December 13th 2010 - 22:48 UTC
Argentina lifts trade blockade: Paraguay will attend Mercosur summit

Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo will be attending the Mercosur summit this week following on Argentina’s guarantee that the blockade on Paraguayan goods and merchandise imposed by an Argentine maritime union will be lifted, effective Monday.