Stories for February 2012

Monday, February 6th 2012 - 19:48 UTC
“Leo” wines to support Messi’s Foundation programs to help children promoting sports

An Argentine winery will be launching next April a line of Sauvignon and Chardonnay with the brand name “Leo” in honour of the brilliant player and striker of the world’s currently greatest team Barcelona, Leonel Messi.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 19:45 UTC
Brazil privatizes concessions of the country’s three busiest air terminals

Brazil awarded on Monday contracts for private companies to expand and operate terminals at three of the country's busiest airports, hoping concessions worth 24.5 billion Reais (14.21bn dollars) will improve the cramped and delay-plagued facilities amid soaring demand for air travel and preparations for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 18:45 UTC
Chile supports Malvinas claim but underlines ‘special relation’ with the UK

“Chile’s support to Argentina’s claim over the Malvinas Islands is a state policy for our country” said Chilean Executive secretary Andres Chadwick, but it does not mean any impediment to that “very special relation we have with the UK”.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 10:44 UTC
Top US official for Latinamerica scheduled to visit Peru and Argentina

US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta S. Jacobson travels this week to Peru and Argentina to meet with government, business, and civil society members in these key regional partners.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 07:22 UTC
Close confident of Cristina Fernandez re-floats idea of a third consecutive mandate

The rumours of a constitutional amendment in Argentina which could include a re-re-election review privileging a possible third consecutive mandate for President Cristina Fernandez have again resurfaced and this time by a close confident of the Kirchner family.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 07:16 UTC
Uruguayan president downplays the impact of Argentine imports’ restrictions

The new trade barriers enforced by the Argentine government are “insignificant, nothing to worry about,” Uruguayan president José Mujíca said to a Montevideo newspaper insisting that the best path is ‘dialogue’ dismounting each obstacle ‘step by step’.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 07:10 UTC
Fidel Castro presents two-volume memoirs and cautions about limits to Socialism

Former Cuban President Fidel Castro presented a two-volume memoir at a public ceremony in Havana, where he referred to the mistake of believing that with socialism all economic problems are solved, official media said Saturday.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 07:03 UTC
Caribbean states join Mercosur in barring Falklands’ flagged vessels from their ports

Several Caribbean states and Nicaragua announced this weakened they will bar from their ports any vessel flying the Malvinas flag, according to a release from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 06:59 UTC
Another setback for Carnival: several cruise vessels victims of the Norovirus

More than 100 people on board a cruise ship operated by a unit of Carnival Corp have fallen ill with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing the world's biggest cruise company, which came under scrutiny last month for the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.
Monday, February 6th 2012 - 06:55 UTC
Chavez lavish celebration of aborted coup with troops hailing the “Socialist fatherland’

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez mounted a lavish celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the failed coup that helped launch his political career, as opposition leaders slammed the event as a blemish on the country's democracy.