Mercosur

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Europeans too fat warn UN agencies

  With obesity posing one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century, United Nations agencies warned Thursday that Europeans are in some ways eating worse now than 45 years ago, although agriculture and the right farm policies can promote healthy diets, such as eating more fruit and vegetables.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Death toll in Sao Paulo attacks reaches 138

  A five-day wave of violence and attacks with organized gang style executions, arson, and prison riots in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, finally subsided Thursday with a death toll of 138, --41 members of the police forces and 93 criminals--, according to the latest official report.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Mexican Congress criticizes US border fences

  Mexican Congress members bitterly criticized Thursday the United States Senate approval of constructing additional border fences to curtail illegal immigration, arguing it would hurt bilateral relations.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Former Peruvian president free on bail

  Former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori was released on bail Thursday afternoon by the Chilean High Court after spending six months under arrest in Santiago's Gendarmerie headquarters.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Nicaraguan leader accused of money laundering in Panama

  A Panamanian judge ruled there was enough evidence to move ahead with the trial of former Nicaraguan president Arnoldo Aleman and issued an arrest order for the accused on charges of money laundering.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US Producer price index advanced 0.9% in April

  The United States Producer Price Index for Finished Goods advanced 0.9% in April, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported Thursday.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Magallanes sets export growth record in first quarter

  Exports from Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile soared 41.3% during the first quarter of 2006 compared to a year ago totalling 287.9 million US dollars.

• Thursday, May 18th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean industry stalled by Argentine gas cuts

  Chile expressed Thursday deep concern to Argentina over the latest cuts in gas supply plus reports that any price increase in Bolivian gas will be passed on to Argentina's customers.

• Wednesday, May 17th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile on track to diminish Argentine gas dependence

  Chilean president Michelle Bachelet inaugurated Tuesday the construction of a re-gasification plant that officials say will reduce the country's high dependence on (Argentine) imported natural gas.

• Wednesday, May 17th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Latam nationalisation threatens oil supplies

  Recent moves by Latin American countries to increase state control of oil resources may cause production to fall as governments siphon off cash needed to keep fields pumping, analysts said.