Latin America

• Wednesday, August 17th 2011 - 07:36 UTC

  Sao Paulo, Rio, Caracas and Bogotá most expensive cities in South America

  

  The Brazilian cities of Sao Paulo (19) and Rio do Janeiro (26), together with the Venezuelan capital Caracas (47) and Bogotá (57) Colombia, figure among the most expensive cities in Latin America, according to a bi-annual rating from the Swiss bank, UBS.

• Wednesday, August 17th 2011 - 07:35 UTC

  Only seven Latam universities among the 500 ranking from Shanghai Jiao Tong

  

  US universities continue to dominate the upper echelons of world rankings, taking 17 of the top 20 spots in the Shanghai Jiao Tong top 500 ranking. Five Brazilian, one Mexican and one Argentine figure among the 500 list.

• Wednesday, August 17th 2011 - 07:22 UTC

  Conference to upgrade international movement of horses in South America

  

  The FEI (International Equestrian Federation) and the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) will jointly host a conference in Guadalajara, Mexico on 24 October focusing on modernizing international movement of horses in South America.

• Wednesday, August 17th 2011 - 01:06 UTC

  Venezuelan creditors want cash and gold reserves ‘closer home’, claims lawmaker

  

  Venezuela could transfer billions of dollars in cash and gold reserves held in U.S. and European banks to financial institutions in “allied” countries, claims opposition lawmaker Julio Montoya.

• Tuesday, August 16th 2011 - 13:41 UTC

  Chile approves massive coal mining project in extreme south Patagonia

  

  The controversial Isla Riesco coal-mining project in the extreme south of Chile took another step forward last Friday when a high-level government commission gave final approval to the first of five mines, Mina Invierno.

• Tuesday, August 16th 2011 - 06:12 UTC

  Santiago mayor suggests military may be necessary to contain Chilean students’ violence

  

  Over the weekend, Santiago Mayor Conservative Pablo Zalaquett made it clear that if the violence and destruction associated with student protests continues to escalate, intervention of Chile’s Armed Forces may be necessary.

• Tuesday, August 16th 2011 - 05:52 UTC

  World Bank warns a ‘hard landing’ in China would have great impact in Latam

  

  The World Bank's chief economist for Latin America and the Caribbean said Monday that the bank is maintaining its 2011 outlook for the region's economic growth at about 4.5% despite concerns of a new global crisis.

• Monday, August 15th 2011 - 23:15 UTC

  Renewed UK interest in South America in spite of Argentina’s Falklands’ policy

  

  The UK is showing a renewed interest in South America and has been successful in establishing cooperation with individual countries in spite of Argentina’s attempts to gather multilateral support for its claim on the Falkland Islands, according to World Politics Review.

• Monday, August 15th 2011 - 22:32 UTC

  Chilean family group interested in taking over Shell assets in Argentina

  

  Chile's Luksic family group plans to buy Royal Dutch Shell Plc's assets in Argentina, which include service stations and the country's second-biggest oil refinery, financial daily Ambito Financiero reported on Monday.

• Monday, August 15th 2011 - 04:35 UTC

  Unasur creates three task groups to protect the region from ‘industrialized north crises’

  

  The Union of South American Nations must act quickly to protect the region's growing economies from another global financial crisis, Economy ministers and Central bankers from the 12-nation organization agreed at an emergency meeting convened Friday in Buenos Aires.