Mercosur

• Friday, May 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Religious festivity calms Bolivian protests

  Bolivia's capital La Paz woke up Thursday in relative peace after protesters who for the last few days had paralyzed the city declared a truce in honour of a religious festival.

• Friday, May 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil-Japan team after permanent Security Council seats

  Japan and Brazil plan to press ahead in their efforts to gain permanent United Nations Security Council seats, forging a new “alliance” to bolster economic links and bring Asia and South America closer.

• Friday, May 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Insulza promises to make OAS effective and global

  Chilean Socialist Jose Miguel Insulza took office Thursday as Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS, one of the oldest hemispheric associations but also considered in Washington circles as one of the most ineffectual and discredited.

• Friday, May 27th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  EU constitution “in no way changes” Falklands status

  Foreign ministers from 17 Latin American nations are in Luxembourg Thursday, for talks with their European Union counterparts to create the world's biggest free-trade area.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Andes tragedy: Officers could be jailed ten years

  The Chilean Army officers allegedly responsible for the deaths of 34 recruits and the missing of another 11 in the snow covered Andes could receive prison sentences of up to 10 years, judicial sources said Wednesday in Santiago.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian Armed Forces support President Mesa

  Amid continuing street protests and coup rumours Bolivian Armed Forces expressed Wednesday their full support for President Carlos Mesa after two rebellious officers called for his resignation.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela demands tax and royalty arrears from oil industry

  Venezuela's Energy minister and head of the government owned petroleum company PDVSA said Wednesday that foreign corporations operating in the country will have to pay an additional 30% royalty on excess crude oil production.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan Argentina will fly to all domestic destinations

  Lan Argentina formally requested all the air routes that the Argentine government was insistent the new operator had to cover --whether they were profitable or not--, putting an end to several weeks of controversy.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Paris rated the most vital hub

  The most difficult air route? Getting from Mount Pleasant in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands to Wasu, Papua-New Guinea, requires 15 separate flights.

• Thursday, May 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile and EU closer to an open skies agreement

  The European Union and Chile are working in the finishing touches to an open skies agreement which will enable reciprocity for air operators of each side, announced Luxembourg's Foreign Affairs minister Jean Asselborn.