Latin America

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 07:58 UTC

  Unemployment in Magallanes region soars in first quarter

  

  Unemployment in the extreme south Chilean region of Magallanes more than doubled during this year’s first quarter having reached 5.6% compared to the same period a year ago according to the latest official Statistics Office release.

• Monday, May 4th 2009 - 07:45 UTC

  Iranian president visits South America; US calls it “disturbing”

  

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad begins this week a tour of South America visiting three countries, Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela, reported Iranian Foreign Affairs minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

• Sunday, May 3rd 2009 - 12:13 UTC

  Spread of flu is slowing down in Mexico reports WHO

  

  The World Health Organization (WHO) says the H1N1 flu virus continues to spread around the world, with the number of confirmed cases reaching 615, in 17 countries. WHO officials say they expect to raise their alert to the highest level but experts say the spread of the flu is slowing down in Mexico, where the outbreak started.

• Saturday, May 2nd 2009 - 09:53 UTC

  Bolivia announces agreed nationalization of BP aviation fuel division

  

  Bolivian President Evo Morales announced the nationalization of the local unit of BP's aviation division on Friday, further tightening state control over the energy industry. At a May Day rally, Morales said he signed a decree to take over Air BP, a division of British oil major BP Plc.

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 12:55 UTC

  US tourism industry readies for ban-end to travel and vacation in Cuba

  

  There are growing expectations in the Florida based tourism industry that the US government will let US citizens vacation in Cuba. Next Monday begins a trade fair, considered the largest Caribbean island showcase for tour operators, travel agents, airline and cruise representatives from around the world and all eyes are set on the political decision to open Cuba to US tourists after a 47-year trade embargo, reports USA Today.

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 12:43 UTC

  Cuba reacts to US blacklisting calls Washington “international criminal”

  

  Cuba reacted strongly on Thursday calling the US government an “international criminal” after Washington said it was keeping Cuba on a list of countries that allegedly support terrorism. The US State Department released a report lumping Cuba with Iran, Syria and Sudan on a blacklist as sponsors of terrorism.

• Friday, May 1st 2009 - 00:40 UTC

  A US diplomat and lobbyist who helped carve recent Latinamerican history

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner surfaced this week the name of a former US ambassador, and US corporation lobbyist, linked to notorious events of Latinamerican history of the last century at a ceremony in Government House.

• Thursday, April 30th 2009 - 12:37 UTC

  Peru confirms first swine flu case in South America

  

  Peruvian Health Minister Oscar Ugarte Wednesday confirmed that an Argentine woman was the first case of swine flu in Peru. This makes the first case reported and confirmed in South America.

• Thursday, April 30th 2009 - 12:19 UTC

  Chilean energy company confirms coal mining in Magallanes

  

  Roberto Angelini, president of the Chilean industrial Angelini conglomerate which owns petroleum distribution company COPEC, announced plans for COPEC's expansion in 2009, worth 678 million US dollars, despite the financial crisis

• Thursday, April 30th 2009 - 12:08 UTC

  Raul Castro still open to talks with US, but rejects idea of symbolic gesture

  

  Cuban President Raul Castro said Wednesday his country does not need to make any symbolic “gestures” as it pursues better relations with the United States. Addressing the Non Aligned Movement meeting in Havana Castro said he is still willing to talk about all issues and that it was up to the US to make the next move.