Mercosur

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombia charms oil and gas investors

  Colombia has become a hot spot for oil and gas exploration in Latin America as energy multinationals face increasingly hostile business conditions elsewhere in the region, industry experts say.

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Australia, France to sign Southern Ocean fishing treaty

  Australia and France have agreed to sign a treaty to fight illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean, the waters encircling the continent of Antarctica.

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian diplomacy denies alleged Lula's admissions

  Brazilian ambassador in Chile described as mere “fantasy” alleged statements by President Lula da Silva particularly offensive towards Chile, Argentine president Nestor Kirchner and former Uruguayan president Jorge Batlle.

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru and Mexico negotiate free trade pact

  Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said here Thursday that his country and Peru are “90 percent” of the way to concluding a free trade agreement.

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentines protest against violent crime

  Tens of thousands of protesters held aloft candles and photographs of murder victims Thursday night, exhorting President Nestor Kirchner to get tough against rampant crime.

• Thursday, August 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Blair refuses to set departure date

  Tony Blair has faced down Labour rebels by refusing to set a timetable for his departure.

• Wednesday, August 30th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Foreigners pay extra on Argentine flights

  If you are a tourist flying in Argentina, you risk paying twice as much for a ticket as an Argentine passenger.

• Wednesday, August 30th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Magallanes Region has lowest unemployment in Chile, 4.2%

  Magallanes was Chile's region with the lowest unemployment in the May-July quarter, 4.2%, compared to the national average of 8.8% according to the latest release from the Chilean Statistics Institute.

• Wednesday, August 30th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Labour dispute paralyzes VW main plant in Brazil

  Volkswagen Brazil workers voted Wednesday to halt all activities in protest over the layoff notices sent to 1.800 members of the workforce.

• Wednesday, August 30th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US economy expands 2.9% in second quarter

  United States economy expanded at an annual rate of 2.9% in the second quarter, above estimates, but still below the 5.6% of the first quarter of 2006 according to the latest release from the Department of Commerce.