Stories for March 2011

Monday, March 21st 2011 - 21:50 UTC
Speculation that Brazil’s s steel industry is in the process of consolidation

Brazil’s biggest maker of steel products for the auto and construction industries, Gerdau SA, plans to sell as much as 4.2 billion Real (2.5 billion USD) of stock, boosting speculation that it has plans to buy a stake in a Brazilian rival, most probably Usiminas.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 21:41 UTC
EU farm ministers support strong CAP with “proportional financial resources”

European Union agriculture ministers at the weekend rejected capping subsidies to Europe's biggest farms but compromised on a fairer share-out of funds between farmers in Eastern and Western Europe.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 21:37 UTC
Italy fears massive inflow of African refugees, asks for help from EU members

Italy is urging other European countries to take a greater share of the immigrants pouring across from North Africa. The tiny island of Lampedusa is just south of Sicily and only 150 kilometers from the Tunisian coast and has borne the brunt of the flood of refugees.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 19:40 UTC
IATA warns of setback in the air travel industry while Japan recovers

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that fuel prices could increase and the global aviation industry will face a setback while Japan recovers from the earthquake.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 19:35 UTC
Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental begins first successful flight test program

The Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental successfully began its flight test program Monday taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington state, before more than several thousand employees, customers, suppliers and community leaders.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 19:11 UTC
Fearing social unrest, Beijing bans “hedonistic, high-end” lifestyles advertising

China's capital has banned outdoor advertising that promotes hedonistic or high-end lifestyles as the government seeks to ease public concerns about the country's widening wealth gap.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 18:35 UTC
Falklands’ oil find likely to be commercially viable, says Rockhopper Exploration

Rockhopper Exploration announced Monday that its Sea Lion discovery in the North Falkland basin is likely to be commercially viable and anticipated drilling for further appraisal wells (a minimum of three).
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 17:08 UTC
A Southern Cone cruise considered “the best in the world” at Miami’s Seatrade

A Southern Cone cruise (Uruguay, Argentina, Falkland Islands and Chile) was described as “the best in the world” by John Tercek, Vice President of Commercial Development, Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited, at last week’s Seatrade Cruise Shipping Miami.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 16:47 UTC
Fidel: “Will Mr. Obama apologize to the Chilean people for the 1973 coup?”

Cuban revolution leader Fidel Castro questions if US president Barack Obama, who on Monday is visiting Chile will apologize for the military coup against Salvador Allende in 1973, according to his latest article released this Monday.
Monday, March 21st 2011 - 16:37 UTC
President Obama: Chile is a model for the region and for the world

(Editor’s note: The following “hard hitting” interview with U.S. President Barack Obama appeared in the Santiago’s Sunday El Mercurio edition.) Obama arrives in Chile Monday, from Brazil, as part of his Latin American visit that also includes El Salvador.