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index-February-2007-1.html English News Blog for  Chile News Blog February Archive 

Salmon Is Becoming Chile's Cash Crop

By Shannon at 02/20/07 03:36

Salmon has become Chile's third-largest export. A $2 billion industry for this developing country, it is responsible for more than 50,000 jobs on farms and in processing factories. Environmentalists warn, however, that the rapid growth of the industry is an environmental mess in the making.

Original source: ABC News. Where Salmon Is King

Chile leads Latin America in Broadband connections

Broadband connectivity is frequently seen as a key ingredient for a successful, innovative economy. Chile recently passed the one million mark, ahead of the planned 2010 timeframe. Businesses are not the only beneficiaries of policies that seek to increase high-speed connections. President Bachelet said late last year that ending Chile's digital divide was essential to the country's success and her government would specifically focus on increasing Internet connections in Chile's schools.

Original source: World Press. Chile Surpasses One Million Broadband Connections

Despite female President, Chile ranks low on gender representati

President Bachelet hopes to resolve this with gender quotas for the Chilean Congress. Cristian Monckeberg, secretary-general National Renovation Party called President Michele Bachelet's support for a gender-quota law a "a sickly obsession" that excludes men and creates a "risky and divisive discourse." Chile's minister for women, Laura Albornoz, says gender quotas are politically tricky because they threaten the political longevity of at least some male legislators.

Original source: Womens E-News. Chile Kick-Starts Debate on Gender Quotas

Transport overturns spilling millions in precious metals

The armour-plated vehicle was travelling from a precious metals mine when the driver swerved to avoid a bus accident and overturned. Twenty-seven boxes, each with 200 kilograms of a gold-silver

alloy, fell onto the road and some of them opened on impact.

Original source: Raw Story. Accident spews 6 million dollars precious metals on Chilean road

Quakes not as serious as feared

Following the weeklong burst of seismic activity that frightened citizens all over the region, experts have determined that this is not a precursor to eruption of the Hudson Volcano as the locals had feared. They have concluded instead that the quakes are originating from a point approximately 12 miles north-west of Puerto Chacabuco

Original source: Santiago Times. SOUTHERN CHILE QUAKES NOT A SIGN OF PENDING DISASTER

Bachelet to undertake major tour

Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet has scheduled a tour of Latin American countries to encourage regional cooperation. Then she plans to visit Europe to compare notes with “sister” countries famed for their welfare states. Bachelet pledged to develop a social protection network in Chile by the end of her term. She has already begun to introduce groundbreaking social policies.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE’S PRESIDENT BACHELET SCHEDULES IMPRESSIVE TOUR

Domestic dispute turns deadly, Prefect killed

Ricardo Arrué Montenegro, prefect of Ñuble, died early Sunday morning after suffering a gunshot wound to the head during a domestic dispute turned hostage negotiation. While trying to reason with the suspect who was on the other side of a fence wall, he raised his head above the wall to talk and the suspect shot him in the face. The suspect was immediately shot and killed, Arrué died later that morning.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE’S REGION VIII PREFECT MURDERED IN DRUNKEN SHOOTOUT

Health Ministry threatens to pull Kent cigarettes for noncomplia

The new law requires equal space on the box’s surface for brand advertising and government designed health warnings. The new Kent packs are designed to open up like a book. Kent’s parent company denies any claims that the pack violates the law, because the extra advertising is displayed inside the box and not subject to the 50/50 rule. The government disagrees.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE TABACO FACES SCRUTINY OVER ILLEGAL CIGARETTE PACKS

Weeklong spate of quakes terrify Aysen region

Hundreds of earthquakes and tremors are causing anxiety among locals. Residents are worried that volcanic activity is producing the tremors, a sign of imminent eruption. The quakes have brought back memories of the 1991 disaster caused by the Hudson Volcano

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE: REPEAT EARTHQUAKES TERRIFFY CITIZENS IN AYSEN

Chilean Navy goes co-ed

For the first time in it’s history the Chilean navy has accepted women. 44 female cadets joined the ranks of male cadets in parade. Women will be allowed to achieve full ranks and careers – everything in the Navy is wide open to them. The only exceptions in the Chilean military will be the Marines and the Submarine corp. The marines are closed for physical reasons and the Submarine corps cannot provide adequate conditions at this time because of space limitations. But that may change in the future as well.

Original source: Santiago Times. CHILE’S NAVY TO RECEIVE WOMEN FOR FIRST TIME IN 188 YEARS