Stories for August 22nd 2006

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Review of the US GSP irritates Brazil

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim said it would be an “unfortunate” gesture if the United States excluded Brazil from the General System of Preferences which benefits exports of developing countries.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Heightened alarm over Antarctic ecosystem

Rising temperatures, glacial melting, and the acidification of water due to high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide are threatening the Antarctic, warned scientists at the Latin American and Chilean symposia on Antarctic studies, which concluded Sunday in Concepción.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Chile pioneers free trade agreement with China

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet signed Monday a free-trade agreement with China to reduce tariffs on 92% of exports over ten years, to the Asian country.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Colombian rebels blame drug trade on US addicts

Colombia's guerrilla closely linked to the narcotics trade said Monday that Bogotá's Washington-funded anti-drug strategy is faltering because the United States isn't doing enough to reduce consumption among its “32 million addicts”.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Volkswagen threatens to close main plant in Brazil

Volkswagen has warned it will close down its main factory in Brazil if an agreement is not reached with the unions on a restructuring plan which contemplates leaving 6.000 workers redundant.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Radars and X ray equipment for Punta Arenas airport

Punta Arenas airport is introducing two new radars and state of the art X ray equipment to check cargo and luggage, announced this week the head of Chile's most extreme south international air terminal Hector Jara Fernández.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Argentine fisheries 2006 TAC for hake and hoki

Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council (CPF), following on scientific recommendations, established total allowable catches (TAC) for common hake, hoki, Patagonian toothfish and southern blue whiting.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

President Bachelet's approval rating eroding

Chilean Socialist President Michelle Bachelet's approval rating has dropped 8 points since last May and now stands at 57% according to the latest public opinion review from Santiago's pollster CERC.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Happy final for Mexican fishermen

Three Mexican fishermen who claim they spent nine months adrift in the Pacific Ocean finally reached dry land when the fishing boat that rescued them arrived at a remote island chain thousands of miles from their homeland.

Tuesday, August 22nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Castle remembers Glamorgan

HMS Dumbarton Castle spent the weekend completing her final preparations for passage before sailing to complete important upper-deck maintenance.