Latin America

• Monday, July 8th 2013 - 06:46 UTC

  Over a third of Argentine population in poverty conditions says food and nutrition report

  

  At least 17.8% of the Argentine population lives in indigence conditions, taking as reference a ‘Healthy Food Basket’ which estimates family monthly needs in 3.700 Pesos which is more that five times the official stats office Indec reference sum of 730 Pesos.

• Monday, July 8th 2013 - 04:13 UTC

  Brazil demands an explanation from the US regarding electronic surveillance of its citizens and companies

  

  Brazil will demand an explanation from the United States over reports its citizens' electronic communications have been under surveillance by US spy agencies for at least a decade, foreign minister Antonio Patriota said on Sunday.

• Saturday, July 6th 2013 - 07:16 UTC

  Venezuela and Nicaragua prepared to offer ‘humanitarian asylum’ to Snowden

  

  Presidents Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua and Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela said Friday they were willing to grant asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. The NSA whistleblower has asked for asylum in several countries, including Nicaragua and Venezuela.

• Saturday, July 6th 2013 - 07:01 UTC

  H1N1 influenza virus outbreak in north Chile; government considering decreeing ‘health alert’

  

  Eleven people have died from the H1N1 influenza virus in northern Chile in an outbreak that the health minister raised the possibility of decreeing a health alert to restrict people's mobility.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:52 UTC

  Brazil cuts spending determined to ensure 2.3% primary surplus, pledges Mantega

  

  Brazil announced on Friday it will immediately cut government spending by 6.65 billion dollars to balance the budget and achieve the goal of a primary fiscal surplus of 2.3% of GDP. The decision is seen as a strong signal to recover investors’ confidence following weeks of turmoil and poor performance of the economy.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:41 UTC

  Bachelet and Longueira will dispute the Chilean presidency next November

  

  Chilean president Sebastián Piñera congratulated former president Michelle Bachelet and ex Economy minister Pablo Longeuira who emerged as winners in the two main coalition’ primaries held last Sunday, the first time such an event takes place in the country.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:35 UTC

  Brazil’s growth refuses to take off, despite all of government incentives

  

  Brazil’s industrial output fell 2% in May after jumping a revised 1.9% in April, the national statistics agency announced this week in Rio de Janeiro. The fall was greater than forecasted but still was 1.4% above a year ago. However as the government or President Dilma Rousseff struggles to fight inflation, the latest data complicates the strategy to prop growth.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 23:27 UTC

  Brazilians want ‘trial of the century’ jail sentences to be implemented immediately

  

  An overwhelming majority of Brazilians are demanding the immediate compliance of the criminal rulings which sentenced 25 high ranking officials in the so called ‘trial of the century’ for their involvement in corruption practices back in 2005 and which at the time almost toppled the administration of then president Lula da Silva.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 22:57 UTC

  John Paul II and John XXIII will be made saints, announced the Vatican

  

  The late Pope John Paul II will be made a saint, the Vatican said on Friday, announcing that Pope Francis had approved a second miracle attributed to the Polish pontiff, who led the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005.

• Friday, July 5th 2013 - 22:52 UTC

  Spain calls for calm over Bolivian plane incident, but anticipates ‘no apologies’

  

  Spain called for calm on Friday in a diplomatic row ignited when Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane was diverted because of suspicions that fugitive US intelligence ‘leaker’ Edward Snowden was aboard. However he anticipated there would be no apologies from Spain as South American countries are demanding.