Stories for December 6th 2011

Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 23:50 UTC
“It’s a good joke…I’m hoping for a tie for Christmas” from Benetton

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez laughed off a Benetton advertisement that showed him kissing his ideological adversary and US counterpart Barack Obama, admitting that it was a “good joke.”
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 20:20 UTC
Brazil slowdown faster than expected: negative growth in the third quarter

Brazil’s economy shrank in the third quarter, prompting the government to slash its growth forecast for the year, one week after announcing stimulus measures to contain the spillover from Europe’s debt crisis.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 19:04 UTC
Chilean education system tends to “exclusion and discrimination” says UNESCO

The Chilean education system promotes inequality and exclusion according to a report from UNESCO regional office released in Santiago, based on comparing education legislation from Argentina, Uruguay and Finland.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 18:51 UTC
Forum to promote trade and investment relations Latam-India

The potential of India for Latinamerican exports and investment opportunities was underscored during the presentation of a report “India and Latin America and the Caribbean, opportunities and challenges in trade and investment relations” sponsored by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 18:49 UTC
Boom of the wind power energy in north-east Brazil: 11.2 MW by 2014

Brazil is going through a wind power boom as production prices fall and government incentives attract a growing number of foreign suppliers. The wind power sector has a current capacity of around 1,400 megawatts, and is expected to grow nearly eight-fold by 2014, according to the Brazilian Association of Wind Energy ABEEolica.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 18:21 UTC
Repsol-YPF extracts almost 10% of Ecuador’s oil production

Repsol-YPF has raised its output in Ecuador to 45.000 bpd thanks to two new wells in the Amazon region, although the Spanish oil major still is forecasting a steady decline in production in the coming years, company executives said.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 17:25 UTC
Argentina keeps to the book: (“traitor”) Cobos will swear-in re-elected Cristina Fernandez

Argentine Vice-president Julio Cobos confirmed that he will be part of the swearing-in ceremony of re-elected president Cristina Fernández, and that he is “ready to face any uncomfortable situation that may happen.”
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 17:17 UTC
Uruguayan Army “will not tolerate or cover up” murderers within its ranks

The Uruguayan Army will not “accept, tolerate or cover up for” murderers and criminals within its ranks, said Commander General Pedro Aguerre speaking to the media about the discovery of the remains of teacher and journalist Julio Castro disappeared after being detained by soldiers in 1977.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 15:26 UTC
Tripartite Forum (UK, Spain and Gibraltar) “dead” says incoming Rajoy delegate

The Tripartite Forum which includes Spain, UK and Gibraltar is dead and the incoming Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy is not willing to accept Gibraltar as a third party in sovereignty talks over the disputed British Overseas Territory.
Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 15:20 UTC
Uruguay prepares to combat leishmaniasis, which threatens to spread from Argentina

The advance of the mosquito transmitted leishmaniasis in South America, (Uruguay and Chile are the only countries with no registered cases) motivated a recent symposium to address the challenge in Punta del Este.