Latin America

• Thursday, July 21st 2011 - 23:45 UTC

  Latam regional integration is “too slow” given the challenges says UN expert

  

  The current regional integration of Latin America is too slow in light of the challenges the region faces, a United Nations economic agency official said on Wednesday, calling for greater efforts to rev up the process.

• Thursday, July 21st 2011 - 10:04 UTC

  Parts of Chilean Patagonia covered by nine feet of snow; 6.500 feared isolated

  

  President Sebastián Piñera declared much of La Araucania in Chilean Patagonia, disaster areas on Wednesday, as four days of non-stop snowfall have isolated the region’s predominantly rural communities and wreaked havoc on basic utilities.

• Thursday, July 21st 2011 - 09:58 UTC

  Paraguay, after a dramatic finale (scuffle included) makes it to Copa America final

  

  Paraguay beat Venezuela 5-3 on penalties to reach the Copa America final after regulation and extra-time produced a goalless draw. The Wednesday night match played in the Malvinas Argentina stadium of the city of Mendoza ended with a general brawl among some players and assistants.

• Thursday, July 21st 2011 - 01:40 UTC

  Humala seems ready to accept Peruvian economy is robust and on the right track

  

  In a week’s time Ollanta Humala takes office in Peru as president for the next five years.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 11:17 UTC

  Cuba imports 60% of rice consumption, the basic diet; main supplier Vietnam

  

  Cuba is forced to import more than 400,000 tons of rice each year, 60% of the total amount of this dietary staple consumed on the island, according to official figures published Sunday by the daily Juventud Rebelde.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 09:22 UTC

  Reduced Chinese import makes and cheaper palm oil, see G-3 exports fall

  

  Soybean processing and exports from the US, Argentina and Brazil, the largest shippers, were below expectations in the second quarter on reduced Chinese imports and competition from palm oil, Oil World said in a Tuesday released report.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 07:01 UTC

  Chile’s tsunami victims protest violently demanding government honours aid promises

  

  Residents of Dichato, Chile, capped off a week of demonstrations with violent protests to demand the government revamp assistance efforts for victims of the tsunami that devastated the area in February 2010.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 06:47 UTC

  Punta Arenas supply route cut by snow storms; some food shortages feared

  

  Many trucks loaded with perishables and other food products heading for Punta Arenas extreme south of Chile are stranded in border crossings with Argentina blocked by the snow that has accumulated during the last storms.

• Wednesday, July 20th 2011 - 06:39 UTC

  Beware winter travellers: Chile’s airline overbooking “is permitted and habitual practice”

  

  If you’re planning to take a flight around Chile this winter, you may want to get to the airport early. Otherwise, you may discover that the airline overbooked your flight and there are no seats left.

• Tuesday, July 19th 2011 - 23:22 UTC

  Chavez will run for re-election next year, despite cancer: “there’s no Plan B”

  

  Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez will run for re-election next year despite his struggle with cancer said Finance Minister Jorge Giordani who underlined there’s no Plan B. Giordani’s statement came as the populist leader is in Cuba undergoing chemotherapy and twitted to his compatriots his “insurmountable optimism”.