ARGENTINA

The mystery behind the birth of lager beer has gained a new clue through the discovery of elusive species of wild yeast in the frozen forests of Patagonia in Argentina.

Latin American precious metals miner Hochschild Mining posted its highest-ever first-half profit, driven mainly by strong gold and silver prices, and said it was on track to meet its full-year production target.

Scientists have cracked the mystery behind the lager beer after years of research and found the yeast's genomic foundation, paving way for new types of designer beers.

The mystery behind the birth of lager beer has been solved. Scientists have successfully traced the origin of the popular alcoholic beverage to a type of yeast, believed to have traveled 7,000 miles from Patagonia to Bavaria 500 years ago.

Both scientists and brewers knew for long time that the yeast that so happened to give beer the ability to ferment at cold temperatures was a hybrid. The knew it was the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the yeast used to make leavened bread and ferment wine and ale. But the yeast remained a mystery to scientists who were unable to find it among the 1,000 or so species of yeast known to science.

The birth mystery of lager beer, prized as the most popular alcoholic beverage of today, may be solved as scientists discovered the yeast's genomic foundation that makes cold-brewing ale possible.

World number two home appliances maker Electrolux AB (ELUXb.ST), looking to further boost its presence in emerging countries and offset weakness in mature markets, has agreed to buy market-leading Chilean appliance company CTI (CTI.SN).

A giant South American rodent weighing at least 100 pounds (45 kgs) was spotted at a waste-water treatment facility in California recently before disappearing in the brush, according to a wildlife official.

The planned layoffs would reportedly include management, pilots, cabin crew and engineers. The company has a total of 35,000 employees.

The world's largest rodent, the South American capybara, has been spotted in a California wastewater treatment plant.

A giant South American capybara rodent weighing at least 100 pounds has been spotted at a California waste-water treatment facility, but has since disappeared in the brush, a wildlife official said on Tuesday, adding that it is apparently an escaped pet.

South America has a right to beef up its armed forces but is not in an arms race, Brazil's defense minister said on Monday

Center-left Argentine President Cristina Fernandez looks set to win a second term in October and deepen her interventionist policies after thrashing rivals in a primary election, results showed on Monday.

Fernandez praised the primary election as "historic" and a "qualitative leap" for Argentina.

A California institute plans to reboot its listening post for intelligent life in space, with private donations to replace government cutbacks.

A Mexican teenager is the first officially known person to die from vampire bat bite and infection with human rabies. The 19-year-old victim was a migrant farm worker from Michoacan, who got bitten on the heel by a vampire bat in July.

South American finance ministers could agree on Friday on ways to strengthen the Latin American Reserve Fund, or FLAR as it is known in Spanish, to protect regional economies from global volatility, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega said on Thursday.

Andy Murray's preparations for the US Open were dealt a huge blow by South African Kevin Anderson at the Montreal Masters.

The Citizens have some major targets before the start of the Premier League season.

Real Madrid spotted the boy, Leonel Angel Coira, during tryouts and gave him a one-year renewable contract.

A young soccer star signs with Real Madrid.