Mercosur

• Friday, June 2nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean students offered concessions

  President Michelle Bachelet offered several concessions to Chilean high school students, whose nationwide protests have posed an early challenge to her three-month-old government.

• Friday, June 2nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil asks explanation for Mr Blair's gaffe

  Relations between Britain and Brazil have struck a new low after a careless slip by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, during a major foreign policy speech in Washington last week.

• Friday, June 2nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva looks unbeatable for Brazilian opposition

  Brazil's incumbent Socialist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seems comfortably on track to re-election elections next October reveals a new public opinion poll released this week by Rede O'Globo the country's main network.

• Friday, June 2nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  India sets foot in Bolivia with giant steel/iron project

  India's Jindal Steel and Power has won the contract to mine and process the rich Bolivian iron ore deposit of Mutun, next to the Brazilian border, an investment in the range of 2.3 billion US dollars, announced Bolivia's Planning and Development Minister Carlos Villegas

• Friday, June 2nd 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Foreign companies after Chile's untapped gas resources

  At the end of June Chile's government owned oil corporation ENAP will release the natural gas final exploration results from the Lake Mercedes area of Tierra del Fuego, revealed to the Chilean press sources from the company.

• Thursday, June 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine Jan-April fisheries exports total 315 million

  Argentine fish and shellfish exports including by products reached 315 million US dollars in the first four months of 2006, according to a release from the National Service of Health and Agro-Food Quality, Senasa.

• Thursday, June 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  UN honors fallen peacekeepers

  Lending gripping immediacy to the dangers faced by blue helmets around the world, the United Nations solemnly observed Wednesday the International Day of Peacekeepers in New York amid calls for the release of seven Nepalese soldiers who are being detained following a clash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which killed one of their countrymen also serving with the world body's operation there.

• Thursday, June 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Former Lula da Silva ally targets his voters

  Three Brazilian left wing groups have teamed up and last Sunday nominated a woman as candidate for the October 2 presidential election.

• Thursday, June 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile downplays US pressure in UN voting

  Chile is downplaying threats made by the United States Department of State aimed at squashing Chile's support for Venezuela's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council.

• Thursday, June 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's basic interest rate at its lowest since 2001

  For the eighth time running Brazil's Central Bank on Wednesday cut the basic Selic rate to 15.25% from 15.75%, the lowest level since March 2001.