Latin America

• Monday, June 13th 2011 - 16:25 UTC

  Unasur, looking at the EU, freezes project for common currency and central bank

  

  The Union of South American Nations, UNASUR has frozen the project for a common currency and Central Bank following on conclusions from the European Union experience (and crisis), said the Argentine representative before the organization.

• Monday, June 13th 2011 - 16:20 UTC

  Agriculture emergency is Argentine Patagonia because of the volcanic ash

  

  The Argentine government is expected to announce Monday an agriculture emergency in several Patagonian areas as a consequence of the Chilean Andes volcanic eruption that has covered most of the territory with a blanket of ash leaving thousands of sheep with no water or pasture.

• Monday, June 13th 2011 - 12:30 UTC

  Chilean Navy purchase of Dutch frigates under scrutiny

  

  Weapons dealer Guillermo Ibieta will face questioning this week about a possible link between his company and four second-hand frigates purchased from the Netherlands for the Chilean Navy in 2005, according to Chilean daily La Tercera.

• Monday, June 13th 2011 - 11:37 UTC

  Volcanic ash cloud reaches New Zealand and Australia

  

  A cloud of ash from an erupting volcano in Chile has drifted over the Atlantic and Indian oceans to lie over southern parts of New Zealand and Australia, prompting the cancellation of dozens of flights.

• Saturday, June 11th 2011 - 11:27 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez presidential bid “is headed towards a predictable scenario”

  

  The candidacy of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner “is headed towards a predictable scenario” assured Buenos Aires province Governor Daniel Scioli in an interview he granted to Ambito Financiero's new TV show, “Ambito de debate”.

• Saturday, June 11th 2011 - 11:04 UTC

  Chile’s volcanic eruption devastates regions fishing; threatens cattle and tourism

  

  A week’s ago volcanic eruptions in Chile’s South have crippled the fresh-water fishing industry there and potentially threaten the cattle industry, too.

• Saturday, June 11th 2011 - 10:09 UTC

  Colombia signs landmark “Victims Law” to redress victims of internal conflict

  

  Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos signed into law Friday a landmark “Victims' Law” aimed at redressing the estimated 4 million victims of the country's long-running internal running conflict.

• Saturday, June 11th 2011 - 09:48 UTC

  EU challenges and opportunities with Mercosur and Latin America

  

  By Antonio Tajani - The challenges and opportunities in Latin America are dear to my heart. This is the first time in many years that a European Commissioner for industry heads to the region. And it is not by chance that I strongly wished to go, as this was a priority set in my new mandate.

• Friday, June 10th 2011 - 05:55 UTC

  The South Cone and Falklands remain under the volcanic ash cloud

  

  Uruguay, most of Argentina, the south of Chile and even the Falkland Islands is the South Atlantic are suffering the consequences of the volcanic ash cloud that remains hovering over the region forcing airlines to cancel flights until further notice.

• Friday, June 10th 2011 - 05:17 UTC

  Chile is China’s “gateway to Latin America” and its unique ally in the region

  

  China Vice-President Xi Jinping arrived in Chile Thursday to forge closer ties with the nation that has branded itself as China's “gateway to Latin America”.