Mercosur

• Saturday, April 8th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Pulp mills conflict: Uruguay appeals directly to Mercosur

  Uruguay considers negotiations with Argentina regarding the pulp mills dispute “are over” and formally requested an “urgent and extraordinary” meeting of Mercosur's Council to address the conflict, most probably next April 18 or 20.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England leaves interest rates at 4.5%

  The Bank of England left Thursday its key interest rate unchanged for the eighth consecutive month as rising energy prices and a recovering housing market offset worries about slowing growth in the services and manufacturing sectors.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Upbeat message on future of Latin America

  San Pablo- World Economic Forum participants heard a message of optimism for the future of Latin America, with many countries today said to be in a vastly stronger economic situation than at the start of the 90s, and democracy itself no longer in question.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina's squid landings total 85,000 tons

  Argentina's Fisheries Undersecretariat reported Friday that landings of Illex squid to March 31 totalled 85.793 tons.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  John Cheek fined US 400.000 for illegal fishing

  The owners of the Falkland Island flagged fishing vessel “John Cheek” pleaded guilty of fishing illegally in Argentine territorial waters and were fined US 400.000 according to the Argentine press.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US unemployment reaches 5 year low: 4.7%

  The US economy created 211,000 jobs in March, as the unemployment rate dropped to 4.7% according to a government report that President George W. Bush said revealed an “economic resurgence”.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Serious shortage of health workers in 57 countries

  A serious shortage of health workers in 57 countries is impairing provision of essential, life-saving interventions such as childhood immunization, safe pregnancy and delivery services for mothers, and access to treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  HMS Endurance completes repairs in Puerto Belgrano

  The Royal Navy's Ice Patrol HMS Endurance is back in sailing conditions following the completion of the repair work on her rudder at the Naval Dockyard at Puerto Belgrano according to Argentine Navy sources.

• Friday, April 7th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner conditions lifting ban on beef exports

  Restrictions on Argentine beef exports will become more flexible once supply of the domestic market is ensured at accessible prices, promised Friday Argentina's cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez.

• Thursday, April 6th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Slush fund scandal threatens Lula's re-election bid

  Amid noisy opposition from ruling coalition members, a Brazilian congressional committee voted Wednesday to approve a report recommending the indictment on corruption charges of two former top aides to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.