Latin America

• Monday, September 17th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Independence Day holidays celebrates Chile

  Last Saturday kicked off a record five days of “Fiestas Patrias” celebrations, as the entire nation celebrates its Declaration of Independence from Spain, declared nearly two centuries ago. Most work came to a grinding halt Friday at mid-day, as thousands prepared for a quick exit to coastal or mountain retreats, or a fun-filled weekend of dance and music at the hundreds of 'fondas' that will dot city and rural landscapes during the five day celebration.

• Monday, September 17th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Latin America Indians conference in Bariloche

  

  Representatives from indigenous communities from across Latin America will join international experts in Bariloche, in a bid to articulate their concerns over threats to their ancestral lands.

• Monday, September 17th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez Threatens to Nationalize Private Schools

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, after nationalizing oil, electricity and telecommunications this year, said private schools that fail to teach a ''socialist'' curriculum will be taken over by the state.

• Thursday, September 13th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile accepts 100 Palestinian refugees displaced from Iraq

  

  Several Chilean cities have offered to take in as many as 100 Palestinian refugees that are currently living in refugee camps along the Iraqi border. These include the cities of La Calera and San Felipe in Region V, and Ñuñoa in the Metropolitan Region.

• Wednesday, September 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Two thirds of Chilean workers earn less than 480 US dollars

  

  Nearly 15% of Chile's work force earns a salary that is less than the legal minimum wage, according to the latest Survey of National Socioeconomic Composition (CASEN).

• Wednesday, September 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner, Uribe and Calderon, region's most popular leaders

  

  Argentina's president Nestor Kirchner together with the presidents of Colombia Alvaro Uribe and Mexico's Felipe Calderon rank as the top of the list of Latinamerican leaders in performance support according to Consulta Mitofsky a respected Mexican public opinion consultant.

• Wednesday, September 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile heading for 10.000 US dollars GDP per capita

  

  Chile is slated to become the first country in Latin America to reach a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over 10.000 US dollars per capita, according to a recent report by Columbia University's Economist Intelligence Unit.

• Wednesday, September 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Visa and “economic solvency” for US citizens visiting Bolivia

  

  Bolivia confirmed this week it will require visas for Unite States tourists beginning December 1, following through on a pledge to treat visiting US citizens much like they treat Bolivians entering the United States.

• Wednesday, September 12th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Policeman shot dead and riots on Pinochet coup anniversary

  

  One police officer was killed and 41 people injured in Chile's capital Santiago when hundreds of protesters battled with riot police through the night on the anniversary of the September 11, 1973 military coup. The Chilean government reported on Wednesday that 216 people were arrested.

• Tuesday, September 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Rate of melting glaciers has doubled in ten years

  

  Scientists from the Center of Scientific Studies of Valdivia (CECS) said this week that Chile's glaciers are melting at twice the speed observed just ten years ago. The scientists, who recently participated in a specially called international forum on glaciers, also warned that this trend could have devastating ramifications due to current plans to construct hydroelectric dams around Chile.