Latin America

• Friday, January 29th 2010 - 11:45 UTC

  New species moving into Chilean waters because of climate change

  

  “I felt a rush and a little fear when I saw it,” said Chilean surf champion Diego Medina after spotting what appeared to be a shark off the beaches of La Serena (Region IV). In reality, the creature was one of the large swordfish species that recently migrated to Chile's shores as a consequence of warming water currents.

• Friday, January 29th 2010 - 06:08 UTC

  Chilean peso slumps on poor economic data and China: 530 to the US dollar

  

  The Chilean peso fell for a ninth day running, its longest losing streak in 15 months, as December industrial sales and production data came in below forecasts and bearish prospects for the country’s main export, copper given China’s strong liquidity and credit restrictions.

• Friday, January 29th 2010 - 02:22 UTC

  Tough year ahead for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is facing a tough 2010 with growing complaints over shortages of electricity and water and a sharp currency devaluation that could harm the chances of his supporters in congressional elections in September.

• Friday, January 29th 2010 - 01:54 UTC

  Canada confident of its oil potential development in spite of Venezuela

  

  An assessment that Venezuela sits on one of the largest oil fields on record does not threaten the potential of Canadian reserve development, analysts said.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 23:52 UTC

  Tourism Law Aims To Professionalize Chile’s Industry

  

  A new tourism law passed by the Chilean Congress earlier this month is set to change the face of Chile’s tourist industry by setting standards for operators and guides.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 14:15 UTC

  Honduras Lobo moving “in the right direction”, but no US aid restoration yet

  

  Newly-inaugurated Honduran President Porfirio Lobo is taking his country “in the right direction,” but the United States has not decided whether to restore aid to Honduras, said Arturo Valenzuela, US assistant secretary of state for western hemisphere affairs.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 14:09 UTC

  NASA surveillance flights to anticipate quakes in Haiti

  

  US space agency NASA will send surveillance flights over Haiti and the Dominican Republic to look for signs that more earthquakes may hit the area after a giant quake that killed as many as 200,000 people two weeks ago.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 06:30 UTC

  Chile completes modernization of air power with 44 F16s

  

  Chilean Defence minister Francisco Vidal and Air Force Commander General Ricardo Ortega announced this week that Chile had completed the renovation of its air power with the purchase of 18 F-16s from Holland, 12 Brazilian Super Tucano for training purposes, three KC 135 transport aircrafts and 12 Bell 412 helicopters.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 05:52 UTC

  Santiago de Chile pollution has doubled in eight years

  

  A new study by Universidad de Santiago de Chile (USACH) shows fine particulate matter from construction and traffic has more than doubled in the Santiago metropolitan region over the past eight years.

• Thursday, January 28th 2010 - 05:41 UTC

  “Super Charlie”, 7 year-old from London collects £ 200.000 for Haiti

  

  Seven-year-old Charlie Simpson, from west London, met on Wednesday British Prime Minister's wife at 10 Downing Street after raising more than £200,000 for earthquake victims in Haiti.