Mercosur

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fox admits errors but is satisfied with his administration

  Mexican President Vicente Fox admitted that extreme poverty and insecurity are the main unresolved issues that the incoming administration that takes office in 2006 will have to face and address.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Three IRA members convicted in Colombia flee to Ireland

  Three alleged IRA members who fled Colombia after being convicted of training leftist guerrillas in bomb-making are back in the Republic of Ireland, the country's RTE network reported Friday.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Spanish, compulsory optional language in Brazil

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed into law Friday a bill making Spanish a mandatory option in all public and private Brazilian high schools as of 2010.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner accuses La Nation of embracing dictatorships

  Argentine president Nestor Kirchner accused Buenos Aires daily La Nacion of having encouraged in 1976 the military coup which gave birth to the country's last dictatorship extending until 1983.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fears of political crisis encroaching Brazil economy

  The corruption scandal engulfing Brazil is beginning to have effects on the economy and business confidence since it will delay government efforts to keep the country on a steady sustainable growth track, was the main conclusion of an economists and bankers conference in Sao Paulo organized by the Council of Americas.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF full of praise for the Chilean economy

  The International Monetary Fund forecasted the Chilean economy would expand between 5,5 and 6% in 2005, a drop from the original estimate of 6,1%, although all the fundamentals of the economy remain “very robust”.

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Blair announces new counter-terrorism measures

  Primer Minister Tony Blair announces stricter deportation laws to combat terrorism. “The rules of the game are changing.”

• Saturday, August 6th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Robin Cook dies after collapse

  Robin Cook, the former U.K. foreign secretary who resigned from Prime Minister Tony Blair's government over the 2003 invasion of Iraq, died after he collapsed while hill-walking in Scotland. He was 59.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  New record for the Chilean peso against the US dollar

  The Chilean peso on Thursday reached its highest against the US dollar in five years, 550 pesos, with prospects of further appreciation given an expected rise in interest rates and the excellent performance of the economy.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush ratifies full support for Plan Colombia

  United States president George Bush ratified full support for Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and his fight against the narcotic trade and leftist guerrillas highlighting “this is the way to promote security and democracy in the Americas”.