Mercosur

• Sunday, December 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Red, Orange UV alert in Punta Arenas and Tierra del Fuego

  Punta Arenas in the extreme south of Chile has released a Ultra Violet radiation alert recommending people to avoid photo-exposure, particularly between 10:00 in the morning to 16:00 hours in the afternoon, given the high (orange and red) levels registered in Punta Arenas and two locations in Tierra del Fuego.

• Sunday, December 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Spain's “Law of Grandchildren” spurs long queues in Cuba

  Starting Monday, hundreds of thousands of descendants of Spaniards who went into political exile around the world during the years of Francisco Franco's dictatorship will be able to petition for Spanish citizenship under the provisions of a law intended as reparation for past injustices.The period of time established in the bill extends from July 18, 1936 to December 31, 1955.

• Saturday, December 27th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  South Georgia stamps celebrate centenary links to Falklands

  

  A new stamp issue celebrating the “Centenary of Letters Patent”, formally defining South Georgia as part of the Falkland Islands Dependencies has been released.

• Friday, December 26th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Jobs opportunities down, lay offs up in Chilean economy

  Despite government pleas to the contrary, some of Chile's largest industries have already begun laying off workers en masse, evidence that the global financial crisis is beginning to take serious hold here.

• Friday, December 26th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Lan reduces air fuel surcharge and slashes fares

  

  Chile's leading airline Lan and Sky Airlines have virtually eliminated the fuel surcharge in all domestic flights and slashed fares, in line with the falling prices of fuel, reports the Financial and Business section of Santiago's main daily El Mercurio.

• Thursday, December 25th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands Governor: new Constitution, democracy milestone

  

  Falkland Islands governor Alan Huckle in his Christmas message described the new constitution which becomes effective next January first as a democracy and accountability milestone for the Islands.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Giant Wal-Mart could end up as Chile's main retailer

  The world's largest department stores chain Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced it will launch a tender offer to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares and American Depositary Shares of Chile's Distribución y Servicio D&S S.A.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Drought in Argentina and Paraguay threatens soy crops

  South America's 2008/09 soy harvest is forecasted to drop from previous estimates because of drought in Argentina and Paraguay according to reports in the Oil World magazine.

• Wednesday, December 24th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Forget Mercosur, sign trade accord with EU says Brazil industry

  A leading number of Brazilian businessmen belonging to the country's powerful National Confederation of Industry, CNI, said it was time to sign a bilateral agreement with the European Union, --which would leave out Mercosur--, according to press reports in O Estado de Sao Paulo.

• Tuesday, December 23rd 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean tourism expanded 6% in 2008 with 2.65m foreigners

  Tourism activity in Chile during 2008 has expanded 6% compared to the previous year according to Oscar Santelices, Chile's head of the Tourist Office, Sernatur.