Politics

• Sunday, June 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chavez calls on FARC to end armed struggle and release hostages

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged Colombian FARC rebels on Sunday to lay down their weapons and unilaterally free dozens of hostages ending to a decades-long armed struggle against Colombia's government.

• Sunday, June 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina: 4 million young adults are poor says Catholic Church

  Four million young adults in Argentina are poor, according to a report of the Argentine Catholic University published over the weekend. The UCA report called on the authorities “not to look the other way” and face the current situation.

• Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean truckers end strike following fuel tax rebate

  Chilean truckers lifted on Friday a national strike against high fuel prices that threatened the supply of basic goods hitting food and fuel supplies to retail customers and the key copper mining industry.

• Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers respond to Church and ombudsman calls

  Argentina's farmers announced Friday the end of their third strike in three months at the request of the Catholic Church, as of next Monday, but warned they'd continue on “alert” until the government repeals new export taxes on grains and oilseeds.

• Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Arms dealer involved with FARC extradited from Spain to US

  The Spanish government on Friday authorized the extradition to the United States of a suspected Syrian weapons dealer accused of planning to supply arms to Colombian rebels, the government said in Madrid.

• Saturday, June 7th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine flag request for Darwin cemetery conveyed to London

  The British ambassador said the Argentine government request to have a permanent flag at the Darwin cemetery in the Falkland Islands will be conveyed to the Foreign Office, according to the spokesperson for the UK diplomatic representation in Buenos Aires.

• Friday, June 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

  Headlines: Leiv sails single-handed from Spain; Options were limited for disposal of Ocean 8; Fishing industry 'penalised' by FIG; Dong Bang burns in FOCZ north.

• Friday, June 6th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine president denies shopping spree in Rome

  The Argentine government “emphatically” denied a publication in the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, which with “manifest malice” reported about some alleged extravagant shopping of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner during her recent visit to Rome for the summit on hunger emergency.

• Thursday, June 5th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina: suitcase stashed with money case resurfaces

  

  Two Venezuelan citizens linked to the frustrated attempt to illegally introduce a suitcase with 800.000 US dollars to Argentina have an international Interpol arrest warrant following on a request from the Argentine judge who has the case.

• Wednesday, June 4th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Ombudsman to mediate in Argentine farmers' conflict

  Argentina' ombudsman promised on Tuesday following a meeting with farmers that he would do his best “to channel camp's claims” before the government and help find a solution to the conflict because of the current “social situation” in the country.