Stories for April 2011

Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 18:47 UTC
Desperate call from FAO for aid to North Korea to combat spread of FMD

Around one million US dollars of equipment and vaccines are urgently needed to help stem outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in North Korea, where farm animals are crucial to food security, the United Nations warned.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 17:43 UTC
FMD outbreak in South Korea under control, but Seoul now faces bird flu

South Korea is moving to stem future cases of bird flu as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks have been largely put under control, the government.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 17:39 UTC
Spanish Socialist PM steps down from 2012 re-election bid

The Socialist Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, says he will not seek a third term in the country’s general election next year. Spain is in the midst of a deep recession. At 20% it has the highest unemployment rate in the Euro zone.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 17:36 UTC
US proposes regulating calorie labelling on menus in chain restaurants

The United States Food and Drug Administration, FDA, issued proposals for regulating calorie labelling on menus and menu boards in chain restaurants, retail food establishments, and vending machines.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 15:56 UTC
Chile Medical Schools’ accreditation system for students sparks controversy

Out of the 19 universities in Chile whose students took the Examen Médico Nacional (EMN), (National Medicine Exam) three accounted for over half of the students who failed the test.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 15:46 UTC
Timerman recalls April 2 Falklands’ invasion saying Argentina is not alone in its Malvinas sovereignty claim

Argentina has the support of numerous international organizations and regional forums in its sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands, writes Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman in an article under the heading of “Argentina is not alone in its Malvinas claim”
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 10:02 UTC
Document reveals magnitude and extent of 2007/2008 global financial crisis

The magnitude and extent of the 2007/2008 financial crisis and the liquidity mechanisms put to work, mainly the US Federal Reserve “discount window” has surfaced following disclosure this week in response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The following is a piece from Bloomberg’s which describes some of the surprises of those hectic days when the global financial system was on the edge of the cliff.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 08:21 UTC
Moyano hails as personal victory the increase by 20% of minimum income tax floor

Argentina’s powerful organized Labour Confederation leader Hugo Moyano celebrated Friday as a victory for the “workers movement” that the government of Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner decided to raise by 20% the minimum income tax floor.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 08:13 UTC
Brazil’s March sales of cars rose 11.6% but fell 14.4% from a year earlier

Sales of new cars and light commercial vehicles rose 11.6% in March from February, Brazil's Federation of Vehicle Distributors, Fenabrave, said on Friday, but they fell sharply from a year ago.
Saturday, April 2nd 2011 - 08:01 UTC
Vale’s CEO, first victim of Brazil’s policy to cut reliance on commodities exports

Brazil's government is considering creating an iron ore export tax meant to spur investment in local steel production, a leading Brazilian newspaper reported on Friday. The measure is in the framework of President Dilma Rousseff’s intention of cutting Brazil’s reliance on non processed commodities exporter.