Latin America

• Thursday, August 5th 2010 - 01:32 UTC

  Mining and agriculture disputing scarce water resources in northern Chile

  

  With the mining industry increasing its presence in northern Chile, problems over resources are arising between the mining and agricultural industries, especially over water.

• Wednesday, August 4th 2010 - 22:08 UTC

  Venezuela’s oil corporation profits plummet because of “•global capitalist crisis”

  

  State-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA earnings reached 4.49 billion US dollars in 2009, down from 9.41 billion in 2008, Energy and Petroleum Minister Rafael Ramirez revealed this week. Speaking at PDVSA headquarters in Caracas, he cited the “global capitalist crisis” as a major factor in the sharp fall in net income.

• Wednesday, August 4th 2010 - 21:55 UTC

  Released Cuban dissident arrives in Chile as political refuge

  

  One of the 20 released Cuban political prisoners who arrived in Spain last month left on Tuesday to settle in Chile. Jose Ubaldo Izquierdo Hernandez, 44 arrived in Santiago de Chile Wednesday accompanied by his wife, children and several other family members after having stayed almost two weeks in a Madrid hotel.

• Wednesday, August 4th 2010 - 20:56 UTC

  Fidel Castro back on stage to discuss “issues of interest in the international situation”

  

  Former Cuban President Fidel Castro’s request for an extraordinary session of parliament to discuss foreign affairs was granted Wednesday which could mean the retired leader of the 1959 revolution may be taking a greater role in government.

• Wednesday, August 4th 2010 - 06:55 UTC

  North of Chile, land of telescopes, preparing to promote “astronomy tourism”

  

  With the installation of the world's biggest telescope planned in northern Chile many communities there are hoping the tourism industry will benefit from the world of astronomy.

• Wednesday, August 4th 2010 - 06:51 UTC

  Mexico to debate legalization of drugs; 28.000 deaths related to the ‘war’

  

  Mexican president Felipe Calderon has invited the country to a serious debate on the legalization of drugs in light of the latest figures indicating that over 28,000 people had been killed in a four year period.

• 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.