Mercosur and the European Union have scheduled several facilitating meetings previous to the Lima summit next May which should help re-launch the stalled negotiations for a cooperation and association agreement.
Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner called on farm leaders to a serious dialogue, but cautioned that the more than two weeks long strike must be previously lifted.
Headlines: Runaway truck hits farmhouse; No big change to shipping rates; MoD airbridge fare goes up.
The Colombian government has offered to suspend the sentences of hundreds of rebel fighters from FARC if it frees Ingrid Betancourt, a captive French-Colombian politician, and other hostages.
Cubans have been allowed unrestricted access to mobile phones for the first time in the latest reform announced under new President Raul Castro. In a statement in official newspaper Granma, state telecom monopoly ETECSA said it would offer mobile services to the public in the next few days.
Uruguayan Ministry of Economy admitted that inflation has become a permanent challenge demanding an ongoing monitoring of prices. Remarks follow the latest readjustment of fuel (2.4%) and bakery (14%) prices which have been influenced by the soaring values of oil and wheat.