Latin America

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile: Finnish tourist held over Easter Island ear

  

  The authorities on Easter Island have detained a Finnish tourist on suspicion of trying to steal an earlobe of one of the world-famous moai stone statues.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Little chance FARC will free high-profile hostage

  

  There is little chance Colombia rebels will free one-time Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt after that country's March 1 attack on a rebel camp inside Ecuador, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Tuesday

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile to spend millions removing borders' landmines

  

  Chile will spend nine million dollars this year to remove thousands of land mines planted along the Argentine, Bolivian and Peruvian borders during a territorial dispute in the late 1970s, according to a report published this week.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Gigantic ice shelf breaking away 1.000 miles from S. America

  

  A chunk of ice the size of the Isle of Man and bigger that the US state of Connecticut has started to break away from Antarctica in what scientists say is further evidence of a warming climate.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  James Bond latest thrill begun to be filmed in north Chile

  

  As the mysterious 007 agent he represents in the film, Daniel Craig has been out of the limelight, locked in his hotel since he arrived Tuesday night to Antofagasta, in the north of Chile for the filming of “Quantum of solace”.

• Wednesday, March 26th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean Senators ask for tougher measures against salmon virus

  

  Chilean Senators are calling on authorities to take tougher measures toward preventing the ongoing spread of Infectious Salmon Anemia, ISA, a highly contagious fish virus that has caused major problems for Chile's 2.2.billion US dollars farmed industry.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Bull market for lamb and mutton in 2008 predicts SUL

  

  In the first six weeks of 2008 the average price of Uruguayan ovine meat exported to Brazil averaged 2.593 US dollars per ton, which is 17% higher than in the same period of 2007, according to the latest edition of the official publication from the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat (SUL).

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean Air Force pilots migrating to commercial airlines

  

  The Chilean Air Force is increasingly concerned with the “loss” of highly trained pilots that are migrating to commercial airlines attracted by higher salaries and better working conditions. The issue is considered so serious that the Congressional Senate and Lower House Defence committees have decided to address the issue.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brown and Sarkozy to call for greater bank transparency

  

  British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French president Nicholas Sarkozy are expected to call on banks this week to issue “full and immediate disclosure of their write-offs” as a consequence of the global credit crunch, according to British sources.

• Tuesday, March 25th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Earthquake strikes northern Chile, no damage reported

  

  A 6.1-magnitude quake has hit northern Chile close to the border with Bolivia, the US Geological Survey reports.