Latin America

• Friday, May 30th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Unemployment in Punta Arenas remains stable at 2.6%

  Unemployment in Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile was 2.6% in the three months period, February, March, April, compared to a national average of 7.6%, according to the latest release from the Statistics Office.

• Thursday, May 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Fuel prices force Lan Chile to cut flights to US cities

  

  Lan Chile one of the leading air carriers in South America said it expects slower growth in 2008 because of rising fuel prices and lower than expected passenger volume, which will force it to scale down international flights.

• Thursday, May 29th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan resumes flights to center and extreme south of Chile

  Lan Chile and Sky Airlines resumed flights on Thursday to the south of Chile which earlier this week had to be suspended because of the high ash concentration in the atmosphere originated in the eruption of the Chaitén volcano.

• Wednesday, May 28th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuador reinforces Colombia border with Russian choppers

  Ecuador which already has acquired combat aircrafts and frigates from Brazil and Chile announced the purchase of three Russian helicopters to reinforce its border with Colombia, announced the Commander in Chief of the Army General Ernesto Gonzalez.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  HMS Marlborough takes on the colors of the Chilean Navy

  This Wednesday the former Royal Navy HMS Marlborough will officially fly the colors of the Chilean Navy under the name of FF06 “Almirante Condell”.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Peruvian government promises to revamp Machu Picchu ruins

  The Peruvian government will invest an estimated 35.7 million US dollars in archeological research in the Machu Picchu ruins area of influence.

• Tuesday, May 27th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru, Singapore and Canada set to sign free trade agreement

  

  Peru, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, will sign free-trade deals with Canada and Singapore next Thursday announced President Alan Garcia. Peru recently signed a landmark free trade agreement with United States.

• Monday, May 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia calls on new FARC leaders to talk peace

  The Colombian government appealed on Sunday to the new head of the rebel guerrilla group FARC, Alfonso Cano and his commanders, to “walk into the door of peace” or they will face the same strong determination as happened to the recently deceased Manuel Marulanda Velez.

• Sunday, May 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean income growth remained near stagnant in 2007

  Despite near stagnant income growth Chile has the third largest income growth in Latinamerica. Chilean workers' wages rose 8.6% from this time last year. However, consumer price inflation surged at 8%, so real incomes grew a mere 0.6% compared to the first quarter of 2007, the National Statistics Institute (INE) reported.

• Saturday, May 24th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia military confirms rebel leader “Sureshot” is dead

  Colombia's Defense Ministry said Saturday it believes the legendary leader of Latin America's largest guerrilla army is dead and President Alvaro Uribe announced he is willing to offer rebels who free hostages “conditional liberty” and passage abroad.