Stories for October 2008

Wednesday, October 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Companies sign code of conduct committed to online free speech

Microsoft, Google and Yahoo have signed a global code of conduct promising to offer better protection for online free speech and against official intrusion. The Global Network Initiative follows criticism that companies were assisting governments in countries like China to censor the Internet.
Wednesday, October 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Top Chilean party leader resigns after electoral debacle

The head of the main party in Chile's ruling centre-left coalition quit on Tuesday and has given up on competing in next year's presidential race, following a poor showing in Sunday's municipal elections.
Wednesday, October 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Overwhelming UN support to end US embargo on Cuba

The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly 185-3 on Wednesday to renew its annual demand that the United States end its 46 year trade and financial embargo against Cuba.
Wednesday, October 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
WWW warns about incoming “ecological credit crunch”

Human demands on the world's resources are nearly a third more than what the earth can sustain, setting the stage for an “ecological credit crunch,” says a new report. The WWF's 2008 Living Planet Report, which offers a summery of the planet's health, says future generations will face a “crunch” if humans continue to amass an ecological deficit.
Wednesday, October 29th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Uruguay's diaspora 700.000, approx. 21.1% of total population

An estimated 700.000 Uruguayans are overseas residents according to a report from the Uruguayan Foreign Affairs ministry based on the recompilation of data from communities in 32 countries and 28 cities.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Latinamericans prefer Obama over McCain three to one

A majority of Latin-Americans know little or nothing about the coming US presidential election but a modest majority, 29%, believe Democrat Barack Obama would be more convenient for the region, according to the 2008 version of the Santiago based Latino-barometer public opinion poll which included three questions on the issue.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Arctic icecap thinning faster than expected even in

British researchers have found that the Arctic icecap is now shrinking at an unprecedented rate even in winter, a development that could mean that the summer icecap may vanish within a decade.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Bush pledges help to fight corruption, poverty in Paraguay

President George Bush joined Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo Monday in a pledge to bring assistance to the poverty-stricken South American nation while fighting corruption in the ranks of its government.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Municipal elections in Chile advance a cabinet reshuffle

Setbacks in Sunday's municipal elections appear to have pushed Chile's president to shake up her Cabinet, according to Interior minister Edmundo Perez Yoma.
Tuesday, October 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Falklands present at the OT Consultative Council in London

Elected Councillor Mike Summers is representing the Falkland Islands at the tenth two day meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) which opened Monday in London, presided by Foreign Office Minister Gillian Merron.