Mercosur

• Wednesday, August 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Volcano doubles area of toothfish rich island

  The sub-Antarctic Australian McDonald Island has doubled in size in a week, with lava slowly engulfing two neighbouring outcrops after several eruptions over the past 13 years. The volcano had laid dormant for 75,000 years before erupting in 1992. Some landmarks have been obliterated and others created on the rarely visited cold and windswept island 4.100km southwest of Western Australia.

• Wednesday, August 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru supplied aircrafts and personnel to Argentina in 1982

  Argentina acknowledged the significant military support it received from Peru during the South Atlantic conflict in 1982.

• Wednesday, August 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Mercosur “energy grid”, mere “newspaper talk”

  Bolivia's new chairman of the government owned Oil Company described Argentina and Chile's initiative of a “regional natural gas grid” to supply Mercosur countries as mere “newspaper talk”.

• Wednesday, August 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Ireland willing to hand IRA suspects to Colombia

  The Irish government called Wednesday on the three suspected IRA members who fled Colombia after a conviction on terrorist-training charges to turn themselves in to the national police

• Wednesday, August 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's country risk in new historic minimum

  Chile's country risk dropped to a new historic minimum, 55 basic points. This is one point below July 29 last record and nine points below the end of 2004.

• Tuesday, August 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Tight oil supply with no ceiling for prices

  Crude-oil prices seem to have no ceiling and jumped to a new high above 63 US dollars a barrel on Monday, reflecting the market's persistent uneasiness about strong global demand and tight supplies.

• Tuesday, August 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Punta Arenas, second dearest city in Chile

  Punta Arenas is the second most expensive Region-city of Chile with the country's capital Santiago figuring top of the rank, according to the Business Administration Department from the Concepcion Development University.

• Tuesday, August 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Encouraging prospects for Argentine sheep farming

  The strong recovery of the last two years and encouraging prospects for sheep farming in Argentina was highlighted by Alberto Paz, president of the Corriedale Breeders Association, the most extended breed in the country.

• Tuesday, August 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fed expected to raise rates for the tenth time

  Money markets expect the United States Federal Reserve to raise interest rates once again Tuesday, for the tenth time running, with the purpose of containing inflation.

• Tuesday, August 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian military had plans to build atomic bomb

  Former Brazilian president Jose Sarney revealed that the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil for two decades (1964/1985) had plans to build an atomic bomb but the initiative was discarded once democracy was restored in the country.