Latin America

• Friday, September 5th 2014 - 02:14 UTC

  Brazil leaves basic interest rate unchanged at 11%, given 'inflation prospects'

  

  With Brazil battling recession and inflation a month away from the presidential election, the Central bank kept its key interest rate on hold at 11%. Traders and analysts had forecast no change and the central bank's monetary policy commission (Copom) duly decided to leave all quiet following its monthly two-day meeting.

• Wednesday, September 3rd 2014 - 06:08 UTC

  Falklands' lawmaker highlights in Central America the Islands' political and economic stability

  

  Falkland Islands elected lawmaker Dr. Barry Elsby, concluded a two day visit to Guatemala, aimed at defending the Islanders right of self-determination, and highlighting the economic opportunities in the Islands. Member of the Legislative Assembly Dr. Elsby is in the penultimate destination of his tour, a week ago and which also included Chile, Colombia, Panama and the last stop El Salvador.

• Tuesday, September 2nd 2014 - 22:39 UTC

  UN launches in Haiti second phase of vaccination campaign against cholera

  

  The United Nations (UN) launched in Haiti, the second phase of the vaccination campaign against cholera, which was initiated and implemented by the Haitian authorities as part of the broader framework of the national plan for the elimination of cholera in the country.

• Tuesday, September 2nd 2014 - 06:34 UTC

  Spain's Iberia returns to Carrasco with 2.300 seats a week on the Montevideo-Madrid route

  

  Spain's flag carrier Iberia made its return to Uruguay on Monday after being out of the South American country's market for 18 months, marking the resumption of a route that will offer up to 2,300 seats to travelers on a weekly basis. Iberia, a unit of IAG, will be providing service on the Madrid-Montevideo and Montevideo-Madrid route with four weekly flights.

• Wednesday, August 27th 2014 - 06:24 UTC

  Former Colombian president becomes Unasur new secretary general

  

  Former Colombian president Ernesto Samper was confirmed as Unasur Secretary General following a consultation of the group's member countries presidents. The announcement had been delayed because a Union of South American Nations summit to be held in Montevideo this month was suspended.

• Wednesday, August 27th 2014 - 06:11 UTC

  Some 200 million people remain vulnerable in Latam despite lesser poverty

  

  More than 56 million people have been lifted out of poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). But despite the progress, it warned that some 200m people, or 37.8% of the population, remained vulnerable.

• Tuesday, August 26th 2014 - 07:10 UTC

  Ring of fire hits central Peru and the Napa Valley in California

  

  A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck central Peru late on Sunday, and no immediate reports have surfaced about significant damage or major injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey originally estimated the earthquake to be a magnitude 7 but has since downgraded it, according to The Weather Channel. The impact was also felt in northern Chile.

• Friday, August 22nd 2014 - 23:48 UTC

  Don't blame Columbus: TB in the Americas already was present...in seals

  

  The long-held idea that Europeans were the first to bring tuberculosis to the Americas when they arrived in the 15th Century has been thrown into doubt. Instead, a study suggests that the deadly disease was present in the area hundreds of years before Christopher Columbus made landfall.

• Wednesday, August 20th 2014 - 09:50 UTC

  Dilma admits many problems plague Brazil but refuses to talk about corruption in her party

  

  Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff acknowledged “many problems and challenges” still plague the country's woeful heath system but defended her record on the economy and education on a live 15-minute interview on the Globo television network's nightly news.

• Wednesday, August 20th 2014 - 00:15 UTC

  UN accepts extension of Uruguay's continental shelf to 350 miles; first in South America

  

  The United Nations accepted the proposition of the Uruguayan government to extend the Uruguayan territorial seabed from 200 to 350 miles. Uruguay thus becomes the first South American nation to receive the approval of the UN for such request.