Mercosur

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Peruvian underdog candidate could give a surprise

  Peruvian ultra nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala could perform better than expected in next Sunday's presidential run-off in spite of being ten points behind favourite Social democrat Alan Garcia.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Petrobras announces jumbo petrochemical complex

  Petrobras presented plans for a 6.5 billion US dollars petrochemical complex described as the “biggest single project in the history of the company.”

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguayan vet elected OIE vice president

  The World Animal Health Organization seated in Paris, OIE, nominated Uruguay's delegate Dr. Carlos Correa as vice-president following an overwhelming 95% support from the 140 countries present at the annual meeting.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FAO calls for improved fisheries management

  Booming fish exports are having a positive effect on food security in the developing world, but good management of fisheries by developing nations is essential if they are going to continue to benefit over the longer term, FAO said Tuesday.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  “Possible retaliation” behind Brazil's ban of Chilean fruit

  Chilean exporters are disgruntled with Brazil's decision to temporary block Chilean fruit imports following the discovery of a “mite” amongst the imported table grape, with the potential “to devastate 30% of Brazil's grapevines”.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US and Chile preparing for another UN run-in

  In a meeting in Washington, April 21, the U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, told her Chilean counterpart, Alejandro Foxley, that Washington would “simply not understand” if Chile were to support Venezuela's bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nation's Security Council.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  President Chavez has a long arms shopping list

  Venezuela is buying helicopters, boats and military transport planes in defense deals worth about 2.7 billion US dollars, according to the latest figures compiled by the London based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Repsol-YPF/Enarsa to explore for oil in South Atlantic

  Spain's Repsol-YPF and ENARSA Argentina's newly created government owned oil corporation have contracted a seismic surveying vessel for three dimensional exploration in the South Atlantic offshore Colorado Basin.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile students clash with police

  Police have fired water cannons and tear gas at protesters supporting a nationwide strike by high school students to demand reforms in Chile's education law, including a federal takeover to reduce inequality between rich and poor schools.

• Wednesday, May 31st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bachelet fires riot squad chief who beat up students

  Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced Wednesday the firing of the head of the riot police and severely condemned the “excesses” committed by over-zealous Carabineros during the violent repression Tuesday in Santiago of protesting students.