Stories for August 2012

Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 05:28 UTC
US scientists develop a translucent polymer robot inspired in the squid

Scientists in the United States said they had devised a rubbery robot, inspired by the squid and octopus, which can crawl, camouflage itself and hide from infrared cameras. The Pentagon-backed gadget is the latest type of a so-called soft machine, meaning silicone-based robots that are made from squidgy, translucent polymers.
Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 02:37 UTC
In nine years of “Kirchner era” Argentina honoured 32 billion dollars in debts

Argentina’s Central bank confirmed that during the “Kirchner era” the country paid 32 billion dollars in pending debts, “the centre piece of the policy to recover sovereignty by cutting indebtedness” and praised the decision to appeal to the bank’s international reserves to support such a policy.
Saturday, August 18th 2012 - 02:02 UTC
OAS decides to hold ministerial meeting on Ecuador-UK conflict next week

The Organization of American States (OAS) has scheduled an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers next week to discuss the differences between Ecuador and Britain over the asylum that Quito granted to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 17:34 UTC
Brazilian new middle class pay their bills and like to keep their names clean

Brazil National Confederation of Store Managers, CNLD, and the Credit Protection Service, SPC, report that payment delinquency was down 5.6% in July. At the same time the two organizations revealed that over the last five years indebtedness in Brazil has risen 20% annually.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 11:20 UTC
Cuban health authorities admit dengue and yellow fever outbreaks

The Cuban Public Health Ministry (MINSAP) this week again called on people's support to help eradicate the proliferation of the dengue transmitter Aedes aegypti mosquito during the summer months, when vector-associated diseases are on the increase.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 07:16 UTC
Latam support for Ecuador could turn Assange case in another ‘Falklands issue’ for UK

Another major diplomatic conflict between South America and the UK, as with the Falkland Islands’ sovereignty dispute, could turn nasty following Latinamerican strong support for Ecuador and its granting of political asylum to Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and London’s explicit determination to deny him a safe conduct and have him extradited to Sweden.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 07:08 UTC
Falklands’ residents share HMS Dauntless ‘secrets’ during a reception on board

Falkland Islands residents and the local media discovered the ‘secrets’ of ultra modern Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless last weekend at Mare Harbour following her journey to the South Atlantic via Africa and a stop off at Tristan da Cunha.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 07:02 UTC
Falklands’ Desire updates oil potential of promising Elaine and Isobel prospects

The AIM traded company Desire Petroleum said on Thursday it will seek industry partners to participate in the further exploration of the North Falkland basin based on the quality of its maturing prospect inventory.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 06:56 UTC
New Dominican president takes office: “my wife will help you look after the place”

Economist Danilo Medina was sworn in on Thursday as the Dominican Republic's new president and pushed for a pact against poverty as he assumed the post. The economist, who belongs to the Dominican Liberation Party of outgoing President Leonel Fernandez, won May 20 election on a promise to raise the country's standard of living.
Friday, August 17th 2012 - 06:51 UTC
Buenos Aires most liveable city in Latam, but region scores in the bottom half

Buenos Aires is the most liveable city of Latinamerica followed closely by Santiago de Chile and Montevideo, according to the 2012 report form the Economist Intelligence Unit which ranks the degree of satisfaction and comfort of residents in 140 cities from all over the world based on several factors.