Mercosur

• Friday, March 11th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivia: new round of negotiations in the making

  The tension that prevailed all week in Bolivia slacked off Friday as protesters removed some highway blockades despite threats by unions to intensify their opposition to President Carlos Mesa administration.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  EU calls for the release of Cuban political prisoners.

  Luxembourg, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union called Tuesday on Cuba to release dozens of political prisoners.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil market remains extremely bullish

  Oil prices continued Wednesday their record breaking surge in spite of the United States government reporting the highest commercial inventories in eight months.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Lavagna: IMF-Argentina relation has resumed

  Argentine Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna described as “positive” his meeting in Washington with IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato which helped resume Argentina's relation with the multilateral organization following the completion of the defaulted sovereign debt exchange.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Natural gas shortage crisis brewing in Chile

  Current reductions of Argentine natural gas supply which are affecting Chile's industries will not have a negative overall impact on the economy, said Wednesday Francisco Vidal, Minister Secretary General of the Chilean Executive.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil plumbs the depths.

  The Brazilian navy launched the biggest and most advanced submarine ever built in Brazil Wednesday, an achievement that President Luiz Inacio da Silva said “makes Brazil and our navy proud.”

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  L A countries losing ground on the global scene

  With the exception of Chile, most Latin American countries are losing ground with respect to other parts of the world in the race to turn information and communications technologies into powerful engines of growth and improved competitiveness.

• Thursday, March 10th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina arrests jigger allegedly poaching.

  Argentine Navy corvette ARA Drummond arrested a Korean jigger last March 9 allegedly poaching in Argentina's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), some 350 kilometers (190 nautical miles) east of the Port of San Julián, Santa Cruz province.

• Wednesday, March 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  New Uruguayan administration committed to combat IUU fishing.

  A union leader from the Uruguayan fishing industry Daniel Montiel took office last March 2 as the new Director of the country's National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA).

• Wednesday, March 9th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  FAO debates sustainable and responsible fishing.

  Fisheries management problems, potential contributions for protected marine areas leading to sustainable fishing and responsible resumption of fishing efforts in Southeast Asian tsunami-affected countries are among the main issues to be debated this week by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations (FAO) Committee on Fisheries.