Friday, May 4, 2012

Blabla News
Santiago, Chile
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11C min. 18 C max.

Chilean president to announce new tax reform proposal.

This is a very profound change that seeks to improve quality and equality in education, he said on Buenos Das a Todos.
Chilean President Sebastin Piera (Photo by Jason Suder/The Santiago Times)

Evidence of the earliest human activity found in Chiles south.

University archaeologists found 14,000-year-old knives while studying elephant ancestors.

The Volcano of Osorno (Photo by Claudio Seplveda)

Outbreak of bacteria in hospital causes panic and confusion.

Doctors from the Posta Central public emergency hospital in Santiago and several politicians are facing an investigation for allegedly raising undue public alarm regarding the outbreak of deadly bacteria in the hospital.
Posta Central hospital in Santiago (Photo by Jacob Biba/The Santiago Times)

Politics
Chilean economy ministers assistant paid thousands a month.
Friday, 04 May 2012 17:17 Written b y Olivia Crellin

Retired Mayor Gonzalo Cornejo serving as personal adviser for US$12,000 a month.

Radio Bo Bo has published documents proving that former Recoleta Mayor Gonzalo Cornejo receives thousands of dollars a month from a contract that names him as Economy Minister Pablo Longueiras personal adviser.
The ex-mayor announced his retirement from politics in 2008 and even renounced his membership of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), however, according to the Chilean news source, a blog called YO NO VOT X L shows that he has been continuing to work as Longueiras assistant. In addition to a monthly salary, the former-UDI politician receives payment for expenses, which includes money for travel, food, and accommodation. His wife was formally charged for the misuse of government funds of the sum of US$61,354 (30 million CLP) and had to repay the figure to avoid the trial against her proceeding further. The court absolved Cornejo of all charges. However, serious irregularities were detected in the governments financial records and the incident was serious enough to persuade the politician not to run again for mayor. Recently Chiles senators have been criticized for awarding themselves a US$4,100 monthly increase for expenses.

The position, as advertised publicly on a government website, allows you to receive US$12,270 (6 million CLP) a month working for Longueira on law projects and coordination of parliamentary support. Cornejos contract, approved on Aug. 5, 2011, shows a yeary salary of US$61,354 (30 million CLP).

The reason for Cornejos extended employment, he said, is that the government did not have other people to carry out the work and that the situation is very much accidental and not usual, despite the fact that his 2011 contract paid him an annual salary of US$147,251 (72 million CLP). Cornejos past is hardly spotless. The former UDI member faced a lawsuit for defrauding the Treasury in 2009. His wife, Claudia Nogueira, a UDI deputy, was also involved.

Sebastin Piera meeting with conservative coalition before discussing details on TVN.
Friday, 04 May 2012 12:42 Written by Nathan Frandino

Politics

Chilean president to announce new tax reform proposal.

President Sebastin Piera will discuss his administrations new tax reform proposal on national television at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Bio Bio reported.
In a Wednesday morning television appearance, Piera declared that 100 percent of the additional resources collected through the new tax system would go toward education. This is a very profound change that seeks to improve quality and equality in education, he said on Buenos Das a Todos. The president is scheduled to meet with members of the conservative coalition La Alianza, which is made of members of the far-right Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and the center-right National Renewal (RN) parties, at 8 p.m. The tax reform discussion comes on the heels of Education Minister Harald Beyers new higher education finance plan was released on Monday. So far, critics say the plan does not address removing profit-making in higher education, which has been one of the biggest demands of the student movement. We have to advance in the process of regionalization with more resources and more opportunities, Prez told La Tercera.Therefore the tax reform is an option of having a mechanism that encourages investments in the provinces.

The president maintains that the new finance plan will help 90 percent of Chileans through the creation of a new credit system. UDI Sen. Vctor Prez said that he hopes the tax reform will include more resources for regionsnot just education.
Chilean President Sebastin Piera (Photo by Jason Suder/The Santiago Times)

Chilean senator calls for president to nationalize water rights

Friday, 04 May 2012 17:20 WRITTEN BY JADE HOBMAN

Senate President Camilo Escalona wants answers to the countrys misuse of water resources.

Environment

Senate President Camilo Escalona has called upon President Sebastin Piera to nationalize the countrys water rights in order to recuperate its natural resources. Escalona, a member of the Socialist Party (PS), also said small farmers whose crops had depleted due to the lack of water should be given more water rights to help sustain their livelihood, according to Radio Bio Bio. Juan Pablo Orrego, president of them without a violent revolution Ecosistemas, an environmental is difficult to say. The issue has been simmering for NGO in Chile, said changing quite some time. One problem has water rights into state hands Party for Democracy (PPD) Deputy been water misuse, according to would be almost impossible. Cristina Girardi has been analyzing the General Directorate of Water. Instead, Orrego said he favors the water property issue with In the Valparaso region, giving them to the municipalities. other deputies on a special complaints of water misuse commission and said Chiles water totalled 48 in 2010. In 2011, those It would be difficult because you problem was not going to go away complaints shot up to 132. would need to change the too easily. constitution, the water code, and on top of that taking the rights The water issue has caused a stir from the big companies would be due to the drought and scarcity of challenging, Orrego told The the resource, Girardi said on the Santiago Times. Locals should be Chamber of Deputies website. We in control of the rights rather than must face the problem as a the state, but how can we transfer country. Senate President Camilo Escalona says Chile should
nationalize its water. (Photo by simenon/Flickr)

High levels of smog in Santiago incite driving restrictions

Friday, 04 May 2012 11:34 Written by Abigail Olmstead

Government issues environmental alert, temporary driving restrictions in Santiago.

Environment

Municipality officials declared an environmental alert in Santiago on Friday due to worsening conditions of ventilation in the capital in order to protect the health of the citys population, reported La Tercera. At 10 a.m., Seremi, the Health Ministry's office for the Metropolitan Region, issued "bad" ratings at two of its monitoring stations: Quilicura and Cerro Navia. Quilicura registered 269 on the Air Quality Index for Particles (ICAP) while Cerro Navia registered 293. The measure involves the permanent restriction of vehicles that lack the green seal (not environmentally approved). Cars with licenses ending in 3, 4, 5 and 6 are restricted from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the neighborhoods of Santiago Centro, Puente Alto and San Bernardo. Authorities reminded the citys population that it is prohibited to use any kind of heater that runs on wood or other organic material in any part of the metropolitan region. This measure will begin Friday at midnight and last 24 hours.
Santiago (Photo by alita/Flickr)

alert of 2012, Cooperativa reported. Seremi monitors air quality daily here.

It is the first environmental

102 arrested, including photographer, as bank, school and public property are set ablaze.

Human Rights & Law

Chiles National Labor Day march ends in chaos

Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:59 Written by Olivia Crellin

Like many countries across the globe, Chile celebrated International Labor Day on Tuesday as thousands marched downtown Santiago along Alameda in honor of workers rights.

"Changing the political constitution requires a referendum where citizens can decide for itself the kind of country they need," Arturo Martinez, president of the Confederation of Workers (CUT), told La Tercera. We must end profits from education and work to improve public healthcare. It is for this reason that we are here this morning demanding our rights.

indigenous families dressed in traditional costumes and leaders from the education movement such as Camila Vallejo filled the streets. However, tensions heightened between protestors and Chiles police force, the Carabineros, when masked youth, also known as encapuchados, arrived. The concealed figures destroyed bus stops, shop windows and traffic lights while antagonizing the police by attacking them with broken pieces of concrete and paint

bombs. "The march itself is fine. It's only afterwards when the encapuchados come that it usually turns violent," protest participant Luis Miranda, 42, told The Santiago Times.

The mayhem reached its climax when protest participants set a private education institution and a bank on fire near the Unin
Latinoamericana Metro stop on Alameda.

Like the majority of protests in Chile's capital, the march started peacefully as workers,

Chilean police investing in US$6.7 million in riot control vehicles

Sunday, 06 May 2012 07:00 Written by Jade Hobman

Carabineros to receive keys for 10 new water cannon trucks to replace damaged vehicles.

Human Rights & Law.

movement in 2011 and the Aysn social movement early this year. In March 3,000 demonstrators in Aysn overpowered police and destroyed several police vehicles during protests that were demanding attention to the issues of the region. Amnesty International accused the Carabineros of using excessive force after numerous reports of injuries caused by the police in Aysn were appearing throughout the media. Those reports included incidents of

The Carabineros, Chiles police force, have bought 10 brand new vehicles with water cannons at a cost of US$6.7 million due to a truck shortage and high demand, according to Radio Bio Bio. The Chilean blog Yo No Vot x l (I didnt vote for him) first published the leaked order online, showing that the police had purchased ten Mercedes Benz trucks of the Actros model. Originally, the Carabineros put their order up for bidding to private companies, a process which failed. The organization then bought the vehicles directly from industrial supplier Pirecsa. The newly ordered vehicles are the same types that were used against protesters in the student injuries caused by rubber bullets and tear gas. Other rights groups also condemned actions of certain protesters who had injured various police officers. Throughout this time, Chileans confidence in the police fell to 47.1 percent, according to a Universidad Diego Portales (UDP) survey.

(Photo provided by Olivia Crellin/The Santiago Times)

Business
Study looks to uncover Chiles image in the international press.

Business
Chiles tax reform meetings produce fuel price measures

Chilean lawyers and diplomats in Europe to observe Hague case

Tuesday, 01 May 2012 14:52 Written by David Pedigo

Chile hopes to prepare for its own international dispute by observing separate trial.

International

Tuesday marked the beginning of a round of closing statements that will be given at the UNs International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague in the Netherlands concerning a maritime dispute between Nicaragua and Colombia. Former Chilean Undersecretary Nicaragua ceded the islands to boundaries. of Foreign Affairs, Alberto van Colombia was invalid on the Klaveren, attended to observe grounds that Nicaragua was Although the Peru-Chile case is the proceedings and prepare occupied by the U.S. during that different, it will be interesting for Chiles upcoming case period. Though the ICJ found to see how the Court interprets before the ICJ, which concerns that the sovereignty of the the treaties, academic sources a maritime dispute with islands was out of its told Chilean daily El Mercurio. Peru. Van Klaveren will lead the jurisdiction, Nicaragua Chilean delegation in its first continued with its claim to the Peruvian Ambassador Allan oral argument this December. surrounding waterways at The Wagner, who leads the Hague. Peruvian delegation, will also The two ICJ cases are similar in be attending the proceedings that they both dispute the In the Peru-Chile case, Peru this week. The final closing jurisdiction of previous treaties claims that its maritime statements in the Nicaraguathat were meant to settle boundary should run in a Colombia case will be given on Friday. maritime border disagreements southwestern direction from its many years ago. land border, while Chile asserts Area disput that Peru had previously agreed ed by In the original Nicaraguato divide the maritime territory Peru Colombia case, Nicaragua along a latitudinal line in (Photo disputed Colombias bilateral treaties signed in 1952 courte sovereignty over the San and 1954 (see image). Peru, sy of Andrs Archipelago, claiming however, claims that these Evzob/ wikipe that the 1928 Esguerratreaties established fishing dia) Brcenas Treaty in which rights, not maritime

Chile sends observers to Syria to help United Nations mission

Friday, 27 April 2012 18:18 Written by Olivia Crellin

President sends officials to Middle East, despite sceptical U.S. reaction to the mission.

International.

Chilean Defense Minister Andrs Allamand announced this week that Chile has deployed two observers in Syria to help with the U.N. Peacekeeping mission.

President Piera recently authorized the deployment of two observers in Syria for the U.N. Observation Mission, Allamand said in a press conference after his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Thursday. They were located in Lebanon and the Golan Heights, an area on the border between Syria and Israel, but now they are with the U.N. in Syria.

(Photo by Yunchung Lee/Flickr)

The U.S. Defense Secretary came to Chile as the last stage in his tour of Latin America, after visiting Colombia and Brazil. The U.S. has been skeptical of the U.N. mission and requests the Security

Council increase the sanctions and pressure against Syria. The conflict in Syria against President Bashar Assad began on Jan. 26, 2011 and is a part of a series of popular revolutions against authoritarian leaders in the Middle East that has become known as the Arab Spring. The U.N. monitoring mission of Syria will take place initially for 90 days.

Health
Outbreak of bacteria in hospital causes panic and confusion.

Health
Chile has the highest percentage of teenage smokers

Science and Technology

Evidence of the earliest human activity found in Chiles south

Science and Technology.

ALMA telescope publishes first images

Culture
Two Chilean films to premiere at Cannes Film Festival

Culture
Chilean anti-poet Nicanor Parra receives Cervantes Prize.

Police want to limit stadium violence by fostering a family friendly atmosphere.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012 16:46 Written by Struan Campbell Gray

Sports

Colo Colo and La U prepare to clash in Chile's el clasico

Fans, players, and riot police are preparing themselves ahead of the most hotly anticipated match in Chilean soccer. Universidad de Chile, the meeting the two opposing Latin American soccer game. current league leaders, and team captains met for coffee at Furthermore, just 3,000 Colo Colo Colo (the eternal a cafe in Santiago and both Colo fans will be permitted champions) will play at 4 p.m. expressed hopes that the entry to the stadium, and on Sunday at the Estadio match would be a peaceful many will be subjected to onNacional in what is known in affair. the-spot alcohol tests. Chile as el clasico. "We want this to be a quiet The two teams enter the week, La U captain Jose match with starkly disparate Rojas told El Hincha. I think standings in current its best to let the talking be competition. Colo Colo last done on the field. week drew with the Talca Meanwhile, Colo Colo captain Rangers and currently sit at Esteban Paredes said, "We ninth in the league standings. hope that it will be a very Meanwhile, La U are six points relaxed afternoon, and that ahead at the top and reached the family can return to soccer the second round of the Copa (Photo by Pedro Pablo Vivanco D./Flickr) once all the violence in de Libertadores. stadiums comes to an end. "La U may come into the The match, which showcases Still, police in the stadium will match winning, but this is a the most established rivalry in not be taking these coffee different game," Colo Colo Chilean football, has over time table promises on face value. striker Roberto Gutirrez, told developed a reputation for fan Officials have set out strict local press. I trust my team, violence. But this year police plans to ban the presence of my teammates. We have great and club chairmen are looking Banderas (large flags) and players and I think we will to minimize antagonisms and drums in the stadium, move forward. hope to promote a family removing two of the friendly atmosphere. quintessential elements of a In a prearranged peacekeeping

Worlds top big wave surfers will test their skills at Playa Punta de Lobos in Pichilemu.

Sports

Big wave surf competition comes to Chile

Wednesday, 18 April 2012 18:41

Written by Struan Campbell Gray

Every Southern Hemisphere winter, vast low pressure systems line up in the south Pacific, funneling mountains of water toward the Chilean coast. There, surfers from across the globe come to harness this oceanic energy, resulting in epic rides, savage beatings, and an incredible sporting spectacle.

games