Mercosur

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Electricity shortage looms over Uruguay

  Lack of sufficient rainfall and lesser regional solidarity is forcing Uruguay to save electricity and elaborate an emergency alternative that could include blackouts, according to the latest report from the country's government owned energy company UTE.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Divided Latinamerica arrives in Vienna summit

  A deeply divided Latinamerica and in the midst of several growing conflicts meets, beginning Thursday in Vienna, Austria, with the European Union 25 leaders in the framework of the two regions fourth summit.

• Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  LatAm leaders seeking better European market access in Vienna

  Latin American government leaders are heading for Austria this week for a summit with EU leaders featuring an agenda dedicated primarily to economic matters, with better access to the rich European market high on the list of the visitors' priorities.

• Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Arias Takes Over Presidency in Costa Rica

  Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias returned to the Costa Rican presidency on Monday, hoping to use his skills as a mediator to unite a country sharply divided over free trade with the United States.

• Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela's council of ministers reportedly approves 33.3% oil royalty

  The new levy, which President Hugo Chavez' s cabinet passed on Monday, will be imposed to all oil businesses operating in Venezuela. Revenues of USD 1.34 billion a year are expected.

• Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile: Medical leader and Legislators call for stronger action to fight Santiago pollut.

  Santiago's environmental situation is “untenable,” said Juan Luis Castro, the president of Chile's medical association, and implored President Michelle Bachelet to seriously address the issue during her term in office.

• Tuesday, May 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina, Uruguay in new UN Human Rights Council

  Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Cuba are among Latin American countries elected to the newly-created United Nations Human Rights Council, which will replace the Geneva-based Human Rights Commission.

• Monday, May 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Contamination in Chile's capital city of Santiago grows worse

  Greater Restrictions On Car Traffic Foreseen, As Santiago's Polluted Air Becomes Increasingly Unbearable

• Monday, May 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Copper boom prompts Chile into saving mode

  Few countries are benefiting quite as much from the bonanza in raw material prices as Chile, Latin America's fourth largest economy.

• Monday, May 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivia studying hiking natural gas price by 65% plus

  Bolivia is aiming to raise prices on its natural gas exports to Argentina by up to 65 percent, its planning minister said in an interview with a leading Argentine newspaper on Sunday.