Stories for October 7th 2006

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Brazil/Bolivia provisional agreement on natural gas

Brazil' government owned oil giant Petrobras announced a provisional natural gas price understanding with Bolivia, based on the current contract. Bolivia is Brazil's main supplier of natural gas.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Chile stamps 23% “provisional tariff” on Argentine dairy produce

Chile took this week the first step to impose a 23% provisional safeguard tariff on imports of liquid and powder milk, and Gouda cheese from Argentina.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Mixed signals from the US economy

Good and bad news from United States. The federal budget deficit dropped to 250 billion US dollars in 2006, compared to the 318 billion of a year ago according to estimates released Friday by the Congressional Budget Office, CBO.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Brazil's nine month inflation 2%

September's consumer prices index in Brazil crept 0.2%, above expectations and August's 0.05%, according to the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

EU concerned with Latinamerican “democratic fragility”

The European Union is increasingly concerned with signals of “democratic structural fragility” coming from Latinamerica, warned the EU commissioner for International Relations Benita Ferrero Wadner speaking in Biarritz, France.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

“Fragile” truce between Bolivian miners factions

A “fragile truce” was holding Saturday following a two days deadly dynamite battle between rival groups of Bolivian miners while President Evo Morales fired his Mines minister and the head of the country's Mining Company, Comibol.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

TIME magazine says Castro has terminal cancer

Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro is believed to have terminal cancer and is unlikely to return to power, Time magazine reported Saturday, citing US government officials.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Argentina to appeal Chilean safeguard tariff on dairy exports

Argentine dairy farmers will appeal the Chilean decision to impose a 23% safeguard tariff until next December on Argentine milk and cheese imports. Chilean farmers claim Argentina is involved in “disloyal competition” practices which have helped boost dairy exports several times.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Final week for Ecuador's presidential race

Former Economy minister Rafael Correa is the clear frontrunner in Ecuador's October 15 presidential race with 37% of respondents, --up 11 points since September--, supporting the Alliance Country (AP) candidate, according to a public opinion poll released by Cedatos/Gallup.

Saturday, October 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

Brazil's Lula sprints for the run off with eight points lead

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva launched his run off presidential campaign leading his opponent Geraldo Alckmin by eight points according to the latest public opinion polls released Saturday