Mercosur

• Monday, February 28th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Riggs Bank to create Pinochet victim fund.

  A Spanish judge on Friday dropped fraud and money laundering charges filed against Riggs Bank in the United States in connection with millions of dollars deposited there by former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet.

• Monday, February 28th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fisheries News.

  Headlines:
  Trawler caught in South Atlantic EEZ limits tangle; Argentina's toothfish TAC: 2,250 tons; Poor Illex catches but better than 2004.

• Monday, February 28th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela insists with US plot against Chavez

  Venezuela whose leftist president Hugo Chavez claims the United States plans to kill him, said Monday that it has beefed up maritime and air-space “vigilance” following the announcement of U.S. military exercises near Curacao, an island off the country's northern coast.

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Restoration program for Torres del Paine

  A restoration program for the 14,000 hectares of Torres del Paine National Park consumed by a fire that has been raging for over a week was trusted to the Chilean Forestry Corporation, reported Chilean acting Agriculture Minister Arturo Barrera.

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian Central Bank insists with tight money

  Brazil's Central Bank will continue to raise the basic interest rate, Selic, and will keep it high for a considerable period, in spite of declining inflation risks and strong criticism from business and unions.

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil reacts angrily to Amazon proposal

  Brazil reacted angrily to former European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy's proposal to declare the Amazon region and other rain forests as “global public assets” subject to world management

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF praises Uruguayan economy performance.

  The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, highlighted Uruguay's economic program for successfully steering the economy out of the 2002 financial crisis and praised the incoming authorities for their commitment to continue with the current framework and build on the progress made to far.

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine optimism with defaulted bonds exchange.

  Argentina's defaulted debt restructuring swap concluded this Friday at 18:15 with prospects of a high level of acceptance which is estimated between 70 and 80%.

• Saturday, February 26th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Prince Edward visits Uruguay and Chile.

  Prince Edward will be visiting Uruguay and Chile beginning next week. In Uruguay he will participate in the taking office ceremony of elected President Tabare Vazquez Tuesday March 1.

• Friday, February 25th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Govt. opens market, C&WB's monopoly ends.

  The government of Barbados officially opened up its telecoms market this week, ending the monopoly of Cable & Wireless Barbados (C&WB) and handing new licenses to three competitors, according to local newspaper Nation News.