Latin America

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 15:37 UTC

  Southern Chile Commerson dolphins’ population falls dramatically

  

  A recent study showed a reduction in the population of Commerson’s Dolphins living in the southern tip of Chile. Commerson’s are also known as Panda Dolphins (or Tonina Overa in Spanish).

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 14:45 UTC

  Proposal in Chile to legalize same sex marriage “to install the debate in society”

  

  Socialist Sen. Fulvio Rossi announced Sunday that he will present a law to the Senate on Tuesday to legalize same sex marriage in Chile. The announcement was made at a press conference one day after Santiago Archbishop Francisco Javier Errázuriz publicly called the idea of marriage between two people of the same sex “an outrage,” referring to Argentina’s initiative.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 06:05 UTC

  What happens if Chilean maritime costs force cruises to cancel the Pacific leg?

  

  A Uruguayan cruise industry expert has brought up an interesting debate about the whole business for South America if Chilean port and auxiliary services costs remain so high that they end convincing some of the cruise companies to drop the traditional Pacific and Chilean leg of the tours.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  Chilean wine industry and pork plant clash over land planning and use

  

  Winemakers in Chile’s Casablanca Valley have been fighting pork-producing behemoth Expo Pork Meat for the past two weeks, as the company looks to construct a pork-processing plant in the region.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 05:50 UTC

  Santiago suffering the coldest July since 1908: 2 degrees below monthly average

  

  Santiago just had the coldest July since 1908 with an average temperature of 6 degrees Celsius. That is 2 degrees under the usual monthly average, according to the Department of Geophysics of the University of Chile.

• Tuesday, August 3rd 2010 - 00:18 UTC

  Chilean president Piñera has 45% approval rating and 29% negative

  

  President Sebastián Piñera received a 45% approval rating, while disapproval rates reached 29%, according to a survey reported last week by the Center of Public Education (CEP).

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 06:02 UTC

  Santos security for his swearing-in ceremony: 380.000 police and military

  

  An estimated 160.000 Colombian law enforcement agents will reinforce security for when president-elect Juan Manuel Santos takes office next August 7, said General Orlando Paez Baron, head of the Colombian Police’s Citizens Security´.

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 05:52 UTC

  More Cubans to become self-employed or allowed to set up small business

  

  Cuban President Raul Castro is not planning to make large-scale market reforms to revive the communist island's struggling economy. But Mr Castro said the role of the state would be reduced in some areas, with more workers allowed to be self-employed or to set up small businesses.

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 05:50 UTC

  Mexico recognizes Honduras; OAS could re-consider the issue mid August

  

  Mexico announced this weekend that it was normalizing diplomatic relations with Honduras given the “significant advances” achieved in addressing the consequences of last year’s coup.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:49 UTC

  Venezuela/Colombia conflict features high in Mercosur summit agenda

  

  The controversy between Venezuela and Colombia is to mark the rhythm of political conversations during the Mercosur Summit, to be held on August 2 and 3 in the Argentine city of San Juan city in San Juan province.