Mercosur

• Tuesday, December 13th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean conservatives lead for the first time since 1989

  Even when the Chilean ruling coalition presidential candidate Socialist Michelle Bachelet won nearly 46% of the vote last Sunday, the warning factor is that for the first time since 1989, when Chile returned to democracy, the conservatives garnered more votes almost 49%, which is crucial for the run off next January 15.

• Tuesday, December 13th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Blair warns on fair deal for poor

  Ministers from 149 members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) gathered in Hong Kong Tuesday afternoon to open the Sixth Ministerial Conference in a new bid to push forward the stalled Doha Round trade talks.

• Monday, December 12th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  A tight run off Bachelet-Piñera next January

  The ruling coalition candidate Socialist Michelle Bachelet led Chile's presidential elections on Sunday but will have to face a tight run-off with a conservative rival in January when she could become the country's first woman president.

• Sunday, December 11th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Greenhouse gas emissions treaty extended beyond 2012

  Ministers at the climate change conference in Montreal managed several last minute breakthroughs in plans to combat global warming, basically extending the treaty on greenhouse emissions reductions beyond the 2012 deadline.

• Sunday, December 11th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Lack of “flexibility” conditions WTO HK meeting

  International Monetary Fund's chief economist, Raghuram Rajan called on the 148 country members of the World Trade Organization, WTO, to show more “flexibility” so an agreement can be reached this week in the Hong Kong ministerial meeting.

• Sunday, December 11th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Anti Corruption Convention comes into force this week

  “Stronger leadership is essential if corruption is to be defeated,” says Huguette Labelle, the new Chair of Transparency International, during the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day on 9 December, two years after the historic signing of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in Merida, Mexico.

• Sunday, December 11th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuelan “accessibly” priced oil for Paraguay

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last Saturday added Paraguay to its “accessible” energy supply scheme which will entitle the landlocked South American Mercosur member to defer 25% payment of the oil bill.

• Saturday, December 10th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina authorizes high seas squid catching

  The Argentine Fisheries Federal Council authorized high seas licenced vessels to catch Illex squid outside the 200 miles Exclusive Economic Zone, EEZ.

• Saturday, December 10th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  FAO warns about trade reform impact on the poor

  Just a couple of days ahead next week's make-or-break World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong, where a final push will be made to reach an agreement to liberalize agricultural trade, the FAO warned that the benefits of trade reform may not reach the poor unless urgent complementary policies and investments are made.

• Saturday, December 10th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela calls for a more “political” Mercos

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez officially signed Friday in Montevideo, Uruguay, the incorporation of his country as a Mercosur “full member” and called for a more “political” block with a greater input of strategic planning.