Mercosur

• Tuesday, November 21st 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine: Kirchner inaugurated oil plant, keeps mum about oil protest.

  President Néstor Kirchner yesterday avoided talking about an oil workers protest in three Patagonian provinces as he addressed a crowd in Santa Cruz. But he did say that the province's next governor must be a courageous person.

• Tuesday, November 21st 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Cruise grounded in Antarctica rescued by Spanish vessel

  A Malta flagged cruise vessel with 150 passengers and which grounded in Antarctica Monday night were rescued by a Spanish Navy icebreaker currently on support duty in Antarctica.

• Tuesday, November 21st 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Fears of “Norwalk” virus in Ushuaia/Punta Arenas run

  The cruise virus “Norwalk” apparently struck early this month aboard a Chilean flagged cruise traveling from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas affecting an estimated fifty passengers, reports the local press.

• Tuesday, November 21st 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  World Bank grants loan for Uruguayan pulp mill

  The World Bank agreed Tuesday to finance a controversial pulp mill project in Uruguay that has caused tensions with Argentina over concerns it will cause environmental damage to a shared river.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Optimistic outlook for Argentina next year

  The Argentine economy is accelerating and not decelerating said JP Morgan's vice president for emerging markets Vladimir Werning addressing an annual meeting of the Council of Americas on Argentina's prospects for next year.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Mexico's Lopez Obrador to be sworn in

  Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has toured the country as if taking a victory lap. He's named a Cabinet and called for donations to fund his government.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Norwegian super trawler for krill industry

  Norwegian industrial holding company Aker ASA announced that its subsidiary Aker BioMarine has decided to invest 170 million US dollars in building a second krill harvesting ship, probably the highest cost ever for a fishing vessel.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Pulp mills conflict: pickets begin “indefinite” blockade

  Argentine pickets resumed action Monday afternoon with the “indefinite” blockade of land access to Uruguay to protest the building of a pulp mill plant on the Uruguayan side of the river that divides the neighboring countries.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazilian foreign debt totals 174.5 billion US dollars

  Brazilian foreign debt totaled 174.560 billion US dollars at the end of October which represents a 13.7 billion US dollars increase, 8.5%, over September reported Monday the Central
  Bank.

• Monday, November 20th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Bachelet: nice to be in Venezuela, sorry New Zealand!

  “It's not just a protocol two days visit, it's a visit to confirm achievements which are good for Venezuela?Venezuela? ?my God I'm nuts, I mean New Zealand” said Chilean president Michelle Bachelet during one of the events prepared for her in New Zealand.