Mercosur

Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Qatari leading Dakar Rally in Argentina disqualified

Dakar Rally leader Nasser Al Attiyah has been kicked out of the gruelling event for missing too many mandatory way points. The BMW driver from Qatar, who won the first and third stages of the 2009 rally in Argentina, led the overall standings by more than seven minutes.
Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: MBE for dedicated music teacher; Kayakers set out to circumnavigate the Islands
Friday, January 9th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
US unemployment 7.2%; 08 job losses highest since 1945

More US workers lost jobs last year than in any year since World War II, with employers axing 2.6 million posts and 524,000 in December alone. The US jobless rate rose to 7.2% in December, the highest in 16 years according to the US Labor Department release.
Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
“Ponzi” Madoff inquiry targets SEC and regulators

The US Congress has launched an inquiry into a suspected 50 billion US dollars fraud allegedly run by the US hedge fund manager, Bernard Madoff. The House Financial Services Committee is to question regulators and investors to try to determine why the authorities failed to uncover the scandal.
Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Chile's presidential election has two main candidates

A public opinion poll gauging the support of what are considered Chile's five main political leaders –and presidential hopefuls--, shows the head of the conservative opposition leading comfortably, but his runner up is closing in.
Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Uruguay, Peru, Brazil best performing economies

Brazil's economy, Latin America's largest, will likely end 2008 with an expansion of 5.9%, according to new estimates from the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Wednesday, January 7th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Chilean Congress investigates ENAP losses & gas projects

Chile's Lower House unanimously approved this week the naming of a special committee to investigate the financial performance of government owned hydrocarbons corporation ENAP, that suffered huge losses in 2008, and gas exploration projects in Tierra del Fuego which have been described as commercially “non viable”.
Tuesday, January 6th 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Wall Street Ratings agencies threatened? Standards too Poor?

Ratings companies used to have a great name. No longer. The subprime mortgage crisis has seen to that. Once seen as being blue chip companies with a sterling reputation, the ratings companies have now come to be seen as part of the sordid network of double dealing in Wall Street in which conflicts of interest and outright dishonesty led to millions losing money, while the fat cats of the ratings companies raked it all in.
Thursday, January 1st 2009 - 20:00 UTC
Raul Castro marks Cuban revolution

Cuba's revolution is “stronger than ever” the country's president has said, as he led ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the overthrow of the US-backed government.
Wednesday, December 31st 2008 - 20:00 UTC
NY becomes US number 1 tourist city with 47 m. visitors

New York City attracted an estimated 47 million visitors and $30 billion in total spending in 2008, both record highs according to figures released by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and confirming the Big Apple as the projected number one tourist city of the United States.