Mercosur

• Tuesday, June 14th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Earthquake devastates north of Chile

  At least eleven people died and hundreds were injured during a powerful earthquake that rocked Tuesday morning the north of Chile. People in the cities of Arica and Iquique, and in near by villages panicked into the streets as devastation extended. Energy and drinking water services were interrupted.

• Tuesday, June 14th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil and Argentina optimistic about trade talks

  Economy ministers from Brazil and Argentina meeting in Buenos Aires said that they are optimistic that both countries can reach agreements to overcome trade differences.

• Tuesday, June 14th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Limited refining capacity keeps oil prices strong

  OPEC producers considering an increase in oil output limits said they were powerless to rein in prices which this week were back in the 55 US dollars per barrel.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguayan UN soldier dies in Congo

  A Uruguayan soldier who was a member of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) died in an accident in the African nation, the Army said Sunday in Montevideo.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Immediate debt relief for “poorest” countries

  The Group of Eight, G8, the world's most industrialized nations agreed in London to cancel “100 percent” of the multilateral foreign debt of 18 poor countries, including Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Most Bolivians demand full renewal of Congress

  Eight out of ten Bolivians are requesting caretaker president Eduardo Rodríguez to call a general election which includes the renewal of the Executive and all congressional seats, according to an opinion poll published Sunday in La Paz.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Mesa: “No Venezuela meddling in Bolivian affairs”

  Former Bolivian President Carlos Mesa said in an interview published Sunday in Mexico City that his administration found no evidence of meddling in Bolivia's internal affairs by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, as Washington charged.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  US mad cow suspicious cases to be tested in UK

  United States authorities will be sending samples of a possible “mad cow” case to British labs in Weybridge for additional investigation reported US Department of Agriculture USDA officials.

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fisheries: Breaking News

  Headlines:
  Australia leads campaign to prevent whaling increase; Jumbo flying squid invasion threatens hake; South Pacific fisheries organization in the making ; Argentina begins hake juvenile survey; Shrimp survey in South Atlantic yields negative results;

• Monday, June 13th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  New heart operations in Punta Arenas

  Next July a special team of Santiago cardio surgeons will be arriving in Punta Arenas to perform heart operations in the local hospital.