Stories for October 8th 2011

Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 09:29 UTC
LAN surprises restaurant patrons with free roundtrip tickets to South America

LAN Airlines, South America's premier airline, has just surprised patrons of New York restaurant Nuela with tickets to the region. Close to 200 unsuspecting diners were presented with vouchers that can be redeemed for one roundtrip ticket to such thrilling destinations as Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Argentina.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:39 UTC
Brazil’s inflation above target and at its highest annually since May 2005

Annual inflation in Brazil hit a six-year high in September, government data showed on Friday. The benchmark IPCA consumer price index rose 7.31% in the 12 months through September -- above the official target range ceiling of 6.5% for the sixth straight month and the highest 12-month rate since May 2005.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:29 UTC
Santiago de Chile is experiencing highest levels or solar radiation since 2008

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has increased three points compared to last September in Santiago de Chile, according to a study released by Chile’s National Cancer Corporation (Conac) and the UV monitoring network of the Universidad de Santiago (USACH).
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:23 UTC
Argentine proposal to issue coins commemorative of the Fakland/Malvinas War 30 anniversary

The Argentine Congress Foreign Affairs Commission supported a motion from a Tierra del Fuego Deputy for a special coins issue commemorative of the thirtieth anniversary of the (1982) Argentine Islas Malvinas epic geste.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:20 UTC
Chronicle of a foretold cut: Fitch downgrades Italy and Spain’s credit rating

Fitch cut on Friday Italy's sovereign credit rating by one notch and Spain's by two, citing a worsening of the Euro zone debt crisis and a risk of fiscal slippage in both countries. Fitch cut Italy's rating to A+ from AA- and lowered Spain to AA- from AA+.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:16 UTC
Moody’s downgrades 12 UK finance firms on fears BoE will not rescue weak banks

Moody's has downgraded the credit rating of 12 UK financial firms including Lloyds TSB, RBS, Nationwide and Santander UK. The ratings agency said it now believed the government was less likely to support firms that got into trouble.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:13 UTC
Justice Minister admits a “culture of violence” and “impunity” in Brazil

“Economic interests” and a “culture of violence” are to blame for rate crimes in Brazil and conspire against government plans to disarm the population and improve security, claimed Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo.
Saturday, October 8th 2011 - 08:09 UTC
Latin America has highest rates of intentional homicide, says UNDOC report

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, has released its first “Global Study on Homicide”, which shows that young men, particularly in Central and South America, the Caribbean and Central and Southern Africa, are at greatest risk of falling victim to intentional homicide.