Stories for February 2011

Monday, February 7th 2011 - 18:22 UTC
Toledo consolidates as main candidate for Peru’s presidential election in April

Former Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo has extended his lead ahead of 10 April’s presidential election with Keiko Fujimori possibly disputing the second round, according to a public opinion poll by Lima-based Datum International.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 18:13 UTC
Chile, Venezuela and Argentina among the three most overweight in South America

A recent international study found that Chile is among the three most overweight countries in South America and that Chile’s women have the second highest body mass index (BMI) on the continent. Chile’s men have the third highest.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 18:07 UTC
US condemns South American/Arab leaders summits, say Wikileaks cables

Brazilian policy towards Middle East and the Arab world harm US strategy in the region according to US embassy diplomatic cables between 2004 and 2009, recently exposed by Wikleaks.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 16:41 UTC
High level talks with Chile for a Pacific outlet for landlocked Bolivia

Chile and Bolivia begin talks Monday in La Paz on a 13 point agenda agreed in 2006 and which among other issues includes the landlocked country’s aspiration to recover its outlet to the Pacific lost during a regional war in 1879.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 14:09 UTC
“The show must go on” promise Rio Carnival groups in spite of blaze

A fire has broken out in the carnival district, Samba city, of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, destroying warehouses where floats are made, reports say. At least four warehouses, a samba school and a carnival museum have been damaged in the blaze at Samba City.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 14:06 UTC
Rio do Janeiro police take hold of favelas in early operation with no shots fired

Rio do Janeiro police with the support of the Navy, other security agencies and armoured personnel vehicles in an flash operation on Sunday occupied nine “favelas,” or shantytowns dominated by drug gangs and did so “without a single shot,” officials said.
Monday, February 7th 2011 - 14:01 UTC
Chilean wine exports recover in 2010 and reach 1.5 billion US dollars

Last year was a great year for Chilean wine exports. Despite the drop in wine exports that followed the 2008 financial crisis, in 2010 the wine industry reported sales of 1.5 billion US dollars, a 12.4% increase over 2009.
Sunday, February 6th 2011 - 21:29 UTC
Brazil and UK ready to sign huge defence contract, say media reports

Brazil with a defence market described as “one of the fastest growing in the world” will be signing a defence agreement with the UK which should open the way for a deal worth “billions of dollars”, according to reports in the Brazilian and UK media.
Sunday, February 6th 2011 - 21:02 UTC
Geithner visits Brazil to discuss economic and financial cooperation

United States Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will visit Monday Brazil to discuss economic cooperation. Geithner is scheduled to return on the same day.
Sunday, February 6th 2011 - 20:43 UTC
Droughts could turn Amazon basin from greenhouse gas eater to source of gases

A long-lasting drought that affected the Amazon Rain Forest last year was worse than the once-in-a-lifetime drought that the region suffered in 2005, and a team of British and Brazilian scientists say it may have a bigger impact on global warming than the US does in a year.