Public support for Michelle Bachelet has markedly increased in Chile, according to a poll by Ipsos. 56.8 per cent of respondents approve of the Chilean president's performance, up 9.9 points since August.
Chinese dairy firms involved in the tainted milk scandal are to compensate the families of the nearly 300,000 affected children, state media said. Twenty-two companies will make an undisclosed one-off cash payment to the families Xinhua reported quoting the China Dairy Industry Association.
Land locked Paraguay is suffering a shortage of fuel because a serious drought has left the main river, and lifeline, too shallow for vessels with a plus ten feet draught, according to the capital Asunción press.
Brazilian police detained a rancher suspected of the murder of rainforest activist Dorothy Stang for allegedly acquiring titles illegally to land that the United States missionary died trying to defend.
RAF Corporal Kevin Carver and Air Dog Leo have received further recognition for their part in the discovery in the Falkland Islands of 30 kilos of cocaine on board the Spanish flagged fishing vessel Venturer last October 29.
Brazil's 2008/09 harvest is forecasted to experience a loss of 5 to 10% compared to the previous record crop of 143 million tons, according to Katia Abreu, president of the Brazilian Agriculture and Livestock Confederation CNA.
A new stamp issue celebrating the Centenary of Letters Patent, formally defining South Georgia as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies has been released.