Environment

• Thursday, July 22nd 2010 - 10:11 UTC

  Whale jumps and crashes on deck, almost sinking yacht off South Africa

  

  A couple of whale watchers off the South African coast got more than they bargained for. Various media outlets are reporting that a whale breached the surface of the ocean just metres away from the boat of Paloma Werner near Cape Town on Sunday.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2010 - 09:05 UTC

  Uruguay/Argentina on 48 hours ‘reflection period’ before retaking negotiations

  

  Uruguay and Argentina agreed Wednesday on a 48 hours “reflection period” before retaking formal negotiations for the joint monitoring of the River Uruguay, which is at the heart of the pulp mills dispute, and alleged contamination, between the neighbouring countries.

• Wednesday, July 21st 2010 - 07:07 UTC

  Hundreds of dead penguins washed up on Brazilian beaches

  

  Hundreds of penguins have been washed up dead on the beaches of Brazil southern state of Sao Paulo.

• Tuesday, July 20th 2010 - 04:20 UTC

  Southern Cone frozen: 100 dead and thousands of cattle lost

  

  The polar wave that has trapped the Southern Cone of South America has caused an estimated one hundred deaths and killed thousands of cattle, according to the latest reports on Monday from Argentina, south of Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia.

• Tuesday, July 20th 2010 - 04:12 UTC

  Russians exposed to the worst heat wave in 130 years

  

  Russia is going through its worst drought in more than a century. In Moscow, it’s hotter than in European and African resorts. The heat has caused asphalt to melt, boosted sales of air conditioners, ventilators, ice cream and beverages, and pushed grain prices up. Environmentalists are blaming the abnormally dry spell on climate change.

• Monday, July 19th 2010 - 00:15 UTC

  World production of rough rice affected by dry weather in Mekong River

  

  Global production of rough rice, the staple for half the world’s population, may be 6 million tons less than estimated earlier this year after prolonged dry weather in the Mekong River region hurt crops, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

• Saturday, July 17th 2010 - 06:09 UTC

  Intense cold weather in Chile anticipates higher prices for fruits and vegetables

  

  The past week’s intensely cold weather has hit farm in central and southern Chile hard, especially those growing fruits and vegetables. Production is expected to drop sharply and there has already been a 20% rise in fruit and vegetable prices.

• Saturday, July 17th 2010 - 06:01 UTC

  Buenos Aires City prepares for the coldest Saturday in recent decades

  

  A polar air mass settled in Argentina the week of July 13, pushing temperatures down across the country and causing rare snowfall in the Buenos Aires province. People in downtown Buenos Aires City bundled up against the cold as temperatures ducked down near freezing.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 07:24 UTC

  Chile Transparency Council orders transgenic seeds’ information be made public

  

  The debate is finally over: early this month Chile’s Transparency Council unanimously ruled that the Agriculture and Livestock Service (SAG) has 15 days to publicize the names and locations of transgenic seed growers in Chile.

• Wednesday, June 30th 2010 - 20:50 UTC

  Otters in southern Chile help contain invasion of exotic mink

  

  With its pert face and furry coat, the slender mink looks like a charming pet. But beneath the sweet façade lies an opportunistic predator that has become a menace to biodiversity in the southern parts of Chile.