Latin America

• Friday, September 4th 2009 - 09:24 UTC

  Rio do Janeiro and Buenos Aires among world’s ten happiest cities

  

  Brazil’s Rio do Janeiro and Argentina’s Buenos Aires open and close the Forbes list of the world’s ten happiest cities according to a recent survey conducted by policy advisor Simon Anholt and market researcher GfK Custom Research North America.

• Thursday, September 3rd 2009 - 03:10 UTC

  Dead sea lions toll in north Chile rises to 1.067, mostly pups

  

  The official Chilean government count of dead sea lions that washed up on the shores of Chile's northern coast in the past two weeks has risen to 1,067, reported the National Fishing Service (SERNAPESCA).

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:48 UTC

  Colombian lawmakers pass Uribe re-election bill

  

  Colombian lawmakers passed a bill on Tuesday aimed at allowing President Alvaro Uribe to seek a third consecutive term if the conservative U.S. ally chooses to run for re-election next May.

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:23 UTC

  Amnesty International calls for an end to the US embargo against Cuba

  

  President Barack Obama should take the first step towards dismantling the US embargo against Cuba by not renewing sanctions against the island under the Trading with the Enemy Act, said Amnesty International in an official Tuesday release.

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:16 UTC

  Unemployment in Punta Arenas remains the lowest in Chile: 4.6%

  

  Magallanes in the extreme south of Chile remains as the region with the lowest unemployment in the country, 4.4% according to the latest release from the regional branch of the Statistics Office.

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:03 UTC

  The “morbid obsession” of Cuban censors to protect their perks

  

  An article published Sunday in the official Cuban daily Juventud Rebelde criticizes the “morbid obsession” and “paranoia” of some officials for censuring information and rejecting criticism by other officials in an attempt to maintain the image of the Castro ruled island or their own positions.

• Wednesday, September 2nd 2009 - 13:00 UTC

  Torturers of Pinochet era still on Chilean government payroll

  

  Chilean Defence Minister Fransisco Vidal confirmed Monday that the Military still employs people accused or convicted of human rights abuses under Chile’s military dictatorship (1973-1990). The state employees receive monthly salaries of up to 2,200 US dollars.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 13:36 UTC

  Chavez takes time to reply to Peruvian President García ironies

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that his country will continue exporting oil to the United States because it is in interest. In a statement published in the Lima daily El Comercio that “many people don’t know” that Venezuelan state oil giant PDVSA, through its Citgo subsidiary, has seven large refineries and more than 10.000 service stations on US soil.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 12:28 UTC

  Chile launches trucks’ scrappage plan to boost economy and fight pollution

  

  The Chilean government will subsidize the purchase of more fuel-efficient trucks for citizens through a program set to start later this year. The program, called “Cambia tu Camión,” or “Change your Truck,” will offer a bonus of 4, 8 or 12 million pesos (7.200, 14.500 or 21.700 US dollars respectively), toward the purchase of a new, more fuel efficient car, with the trade-in of a truck over 25 years old.

• Tuesday, September 1st 2009 - 00:25 UTC

  Between 1.600 and 1.700 vessels cross the Magellan Strait annually

  

  An estimated 1.600 to 1.700 vessels cross the strategic Magellan Strait annually according to the Chilean Navy that last week celebrated the 161th anniversary of its patrolling task along the country’s coastline of almost 6.500 kilometres.