Mercosur

• Friday, March 17th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay reviewing links with Mercosur

  Given the mounting difficulties with Mercosur Uruguay is quietly considering different options for different scenarios including the possibility of abandoning the South American customs union, revealed the Uruguayan press in Montevideo.

• Friday, March 17th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner calls a beef boycott to force prices down

  Argentina President Nestor Kirchner administration launched Friday a public relations offensive against the beef industry urging consumers to switch to other foods if prices remain high.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  UN creates new Human Rights Council

  Culminating months of intensive negotiations, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday on a resolution setting up a new Human Rights Council to replace the much-criticized Human Rights Commission ? prompting Secretary-General Kofi Annan to hail this as an “historic” development which will help improve the lives of millions of people worldwide.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  March 24, “a day of memory, justice and truth”

  The official Argentine calendar has incorporated March 24 as a “National Day of memory, truth and justice”, in coincidence with the 30th anniversary of the military coup that inaugurated one of the bloodiest dictatorships the country has known in many decades.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Three Peruvian presidential hopefuls technically tied

  With just over three weeks countdown to April 9 presidential election the Peruvian electorate is baffling candidates and public opinion pollsters. The latest poll this week in Lima shows three leading candidates technically tied.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Protestors block weakened Ecuador government

  Ecuadorian Indians on Thursday promised to continue protests that have blocked the country's main north-south highway until the government stops negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Pulp mills conflict: “no back stepping” says Uruguay

  Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez said that Uruguay is always willing to discuss a solution to the pulp mills dispute with Argentina, but vowed that his administration would not stop the construction of the plants in spite of the “illegal” pickets.

• Thursday, March 16th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Gibraltar/UK constitutional talks are “going well”

  Gibraltar and United Kingdom delegations at the constitutional talks in London which began Wednesday agreed that they had made good progress on various issues discussed during the first day's session.

• Wednesday, March 15th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine Squid landings exceed 42,000 tonnes over the first two months of 2006

  Information provided by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food (SAGP&A) indicates that over the two first months of 2006, landings of shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) were pegged at 42,202.1 tonnes.

• Wednesday, March 15th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner urges: don't buy beef!

  President Nestor Kirchner urged Argentines Tuesday do not buy beef if prices continue to climb and said he wouldn't hesitate to extend to a full year a six-month ban on beef exports by the world's five largest producer