Mercosur

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Sweeping reforms in Argentine airports security.

  The Argentine government is planning a new security agency to man the country's airports following the recent drug traffic scandal at Buenos Aires main international terminal, Ezeiza.

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchner optimistic with defaulted bonds exchange

  Argentine president Nestor Kirchner “kindly” called on all creditors of the country's defaulted sovereign debt to remember that this week is the last chance to accept the exchange for new bonds.

• Tuesday, February 22nd 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina arrests second squid poacher in a week.

  Headlines:
  Argentine Coast Guard arrests second Taiwanese poacher; Invasive oyster threatens Gulf of San Matias; Santa Cruz shrimp fishery opens March 1.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Further purge in Venezuelan government oil industry

  Rafael Ramirez Venezuelan Energy and Oil Minister, and president of Petroleos de Venezuela, or PDVSA, announced the government owned company was sacking dozens of managers and supervisors allegedly involved in corruption practices.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Fisheries News.

  Headlines:
  Uruguayan Navy arrests Brazilian poacher;
  Salmon safeguards: EU accepts consultation process with Chile; European Fisheries Agency takes off in 2006; 199 Spanish vessels allowed to fish in Northeast Atlantic; New denomination for Chilean scallop exports to Italy.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian business and unions blast monetary policy.

  Brazilian business organizations and trade unions bitterly criticized the Central Bank's monetary policy which last week raised the basic interest rate, Selic, for the sixth consecutive time, to 18,75%, considered the highest in the world.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  OAS Secretary General still an open race.

  United States Under Secretary for Hemispheric Affairs Roger Noriega said that the coming election of the next Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General should be decided before June when the region's Foreign Affairs ministers will be holding a regular meeting in Fort Lauderdale.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Massive shellfish intoxication in Chile.

  Chilean Deputy Public Health Minister Soledad Ubilla discarded decreeing a “sanitary emergency” since the medical centres capacity has not been overwhelmed by the extending sea food intoxication crisis which has reached 5,955 cases.

• Monday, February 21st 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News.

  Headlines:
  Torres del Paine Park fire out of control; Project to grow fresh lettuce in Antarctica; Copper makes Chilean peso surge.

• Saturday, February 19th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Ezeiza drugs scandal sweeps with Air Force chief.

  Argentine president Nestor Kirchner named this Friday a new Air Force Commander following a drug traffic scandal involving the airline Southern Winds and the Aeronautics police in the country's main air terminal Ezeiza in Buenos Aires.