Stories for 2011

Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 15:31 UTC
“Empress of Uruguay”, world’s largest amethyst geode vandalized

The 2.5 tons Empress of Uruguay is slightly less impressive after a tourist pinched a piece of the world's largest amethyst on show in Queensland, Australia.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 12:50 UTC
Spanish group receives soft funding to expand wind farms in south of Brazil

Spain’s Elecnor group is building more wind power plants in Brazil’s southern state of Rio Grande do Sul totalling an estimated 300 MW. The undertaking was boosted by funding from Brazil economic and social development bank, BSDES)
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:27 UTC
With hours before default deadline, US Senate votes on debt ceiling package

US House of Representatives has passed by 269 votes to 161 a last-gasp deal to avoid a federal debt default. The bill is expected to be approved by the Senate and signed into law by President Barack Obama on Tuesday.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:23 UTC
Following weeks of strikes, Chile government open to discuss education reform

After two months of school takeovers and strikes, marches and more, there may be some light at the end of the Chilean student protests. Chilean President Sebastián Piñera announced on Sunday his willingness and commitment to exploring constitutional change for national education reform—something long demanded by the students.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:14 UTC
Salaries in Argentina averaged a 27.6% increase in the last twelve months

Salaries in Argentina averaged an increase of 27.6% in the last twelve months to June, boosted mainly by agreements in the private sector, reported Monday the country’s National Statistics Institute, Indec.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:10 UTC
Timerman ‘appalled’ by ‘heinous’ killing of French tourists in north Argentina

Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman sent a letter to his French counterpart, Alain Juppé, in which he expressed being “appalled” over the killing of two French tourists in the Salta province.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:07 UTC
Brazil’s trade surplus more than doubles in July over a year ago

Brazil’s trade surplus more than doubled in July from a year ago fuelled by higher commodity prices in spite of the over-valued Super Real that is having an impact on manufactured goods exports and promotes the import of ‘cheap’ products.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 07:03 UTC
Brazil forecasted to become world’s third largest automobile manufacturer

Brazil’s car production capacity is expected to jump from the current 3.6 million units per year to 6.2 million by 2025 supported by massive investments from the industry estimated in 19 billion dollars by 2017, according to estimated from the Vanzolini Foundation in Sao Paulo.
Tuesday, August 2nd 2011 - 06:53 UTC
Brazil’s currency the most overvalued: anywhere from 52% to 149% vis-à-vis the US dollar

The Brazilian Real is the world's most expensive currency and is 149% overvalued against the dollar and the Colombian peso, the next most expensive currency is 108% above the US currency, according to British magazine The Economist, which has created a new version of the Big Mac index.
Monday, August 1st 2011 - 23:02 UTC
As promised Chavez went on national television with his Yul Brynner look

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez appeared before cameras on Monday sporting a shaved head, as the effects of chemotherapy begin to take a toll on his body. Chavez, though, looked energetic and even joked about his “new look” which he had anticipated last week as the “Yul Brynner” look.