Mercosur

• Thursday, February 3rd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine hopeful with squid season.

  With great expectation the squid season opened in the Argentine EEZ, south of parallel 44, reports Pescare from Mar del Plata.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Boycott against Benetton for sheep “museling”.

  The United States chapter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA has called on consumers to boycott Italian Benetton textile fashion garments claiming they are made of wool from Australian sheep exposed to some of the worst abuses in the industry.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Subcutaneous micro chips against kidnapping.

  Brazil's most powerful businessmen mostly from Sao Paulo, have began using subcutaneous microchips which can be easily tracked if they are kidnapped, and have also ordered bullet protection vests for their under 12 children.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Kirchner-Chavez strengthen bilateral cooperation.

  Argentina and Venezuela underlined Tuesday in Buenos Aires that regional integration and bilateral cooperation are the paths that will lead the great “South American community” away from backwardness and poverty.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Punta Arenas: Concern with growing unemployment.

  The Punta Arenas Production and Commerce Confederation (CPC) described the latest report on jobs and unemployment in Magallanes Region as “worrisome”.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil and US ready to resume FTAA talks.

  Representatives from United States and Brazil revealed that they were exploring ways to re-launch the stalled talks for the creation of a Free Trade Association of the Americas, FTAA.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Exploratory drilling for gas in Tierra del Fuego next March.

  Chile's government owned oil company, Enap, is preparing tender conditions for drilling an exploratory well in Lake Mercedes basin, Tierra del Fuego, reports Punta Arenas press.

• Tuesday, February 1st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Test period for EU-Cuban diplomatic relations.

  The European Union decided this week to temporarily lift all diplomatic sanctions imposed on Cuba since June 2003 and establish a “constructive” dialogue with Havana authorities, announced Luxemburg's Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn.

• Monday, January 31st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chubut processing plants have exhausted hake quota.

  Members from the Chamber of Fisheries And Fresh Fish Processing Companies of the Gulf of San Jorge (CAEPPEFRE) in Argentine Patagonia have warned that all fresh fish vessels operating out of the Port of Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut province, have already exhausted the hake (Merluccius hubbsi) quota allocated by the federal government in early January 2005.

• Monday, January 31st 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chavez proclaims “Socialism is not dead”

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez proclaimed to activists at the World Social Forum Sunday in Brazil, that “socialism is not dead” and announced an “agrarian revolution” in his country with the seizure of 20 million hectares (49.3 million acres).