Latin America

• Sunday, August 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile announces one billion US dollars tax-cut package

  Chile announced Friday a one billion US dollars tax-cutting package aimed at curbing inflation, which is running at 14 year highs, and boosting growth. Measures include temporary reduction of tax on fuel and tax cuts on checks and electronic transfers.

• Saturday, August 23rd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine/Chilean military exercise in Comodoro Rivadavia

  

  Argentina and Chile ended on Friday a five day military exercise under the name of “Aurora Austral II” which took place in the Argentine Patagonian city of Comodoro Rivadariva with the purpose of confidence building and establishing closer links between the two countries armed forces.

• Friday, August 22nd 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Listerosis scare in Santiago's top private clinics and hospitals

  

  Several medical organisations from Chile requested this week the Public Health ministry declare a state of “sanitary alert” following an unprecedented increase in the number of cases of deadly bacteria identified as “Listeria Monocytogenes”, which is transmitted mainly through the food chain.

• Thursday, August 21st 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Latinamerica faces serious investment infrastructure deficit

  

  Latinamerican economies have an accumulated infrastructure works deficit, since 2000, of over 700 billion US dollars according to the United Nations Latinamerican Economic Commission for Latinamerica and the Caribbean, Cepal.

• Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian stalemate persists with strikes and street clashes

  Bolivian government supporters and opponents clashed in the streets of Santa Cruz one of the five dissident provinces which held a general strike on Tuesday to demand Bolivian President Evo Morales return state shares of oil and natural gas income his administration diverted to fund a pension for the elderly.

• Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela supports production oil cut if prices continue to fall

  

  Venezuela will sponsor an oil production cut at the next OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) meeting in September if prices continue to fall, cautioned Energy minister Rafael Ramírez in Caracas.

• Wednesday, August 20th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Bovine TB outbreak quarantines 20% of Magallanes herd

  

  An outbreak of bovine tuberculosis has forced Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile to declare quarantine in 48 paddocks belonging to twelve farms. The number of cattle involved is 30.000 head which is a considerable percentage of the 180.000 herd of the region according to the 2007 census.

• Tuesday, August 19th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  UN backs commercial weaving among Peruvian Indians

  

  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is backing a project in the Andean mountains of Peru to promote the traditional practice of textile weaving as a commercial venture.

• Monday, August 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile not expected to comply de-mining by 2012 deadline

  Chile is working hard in the elimination of land mines along its borders with Argentina, Peru and Bolivia but still has over 100.000 explosives to deactivate, which at the current rate won't make the 2012 deadline, according to reports in the Buenos Aires press.

• Monday, August 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Unanimous vote for Chile's coastline whale sanctuary

  

  Chile's Chamber of Deputies voted unanimously last week to declare the country's coastline a whale sanctuary. The vote is a major step in protecting whales from hunting in Chilean waters – 200 miles from the coast, along the entire length of the country.