Mercosur

• Friday, January 7th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Tsunami fisheries update.

  More than two weeks have passed since huge tidal waves hit islands and countries in the Indian Ocean, taking thousands of human lives and devastating fishing communities throughout the region.

• Thursday, January 6th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Tsunami tidal effect recorded in Brazil

  The effects of the sea bed earthquake and following tsunami that devastated southeastern Asian countries and the east African coast were recorded in Brazilian coasts according to Brazilian scientists.

• Thursday, January 6th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  ANNAN launches nearly $1 billion appeal for aid to tsunami victims.

  Kofi Annan, United Nations secretary-general, on Thursday appealed for immediate aid of $977m to pay for humanitarian relief to around 5m people affected by tsunamis that swept acoss the Indian Ocean on December 26.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Pinochet closer to a human rights trial

  Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet moved closer to his first trial on human rights abuses following Tuesday's 3-2 decision by the Chilean Supreme Court's five judge criminal panel ratifying the indictment of the 89-year-old retired general on ten counts of murder or “disappearance”.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Canada confirms “mad cow” case

  Canadian veterinary officials confirmed a second case of mad cow disease among dairy cattle.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile ranks as “most liberal economy” in the region

  Hong Kong is considered the most liberal (open) economy of the world and Chile leads in Latinamerica with position eleven in a global rating of 155 countries, according to the latest report from the Conservative and influential US Heritage Foundation.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine 2005 hubbsi hake quota: 380,000 tons

  The Argentine Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food announced the hubbsi hake quota for 2005 which will total 380,000 tons.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Booming high season in Uruguay

  An estimated 350,000 visitors have flooded Uruguayan resorts along the Atlantic coast since mid December according to official statistics and consumption figures.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  World leaders step up tsunami aid pledges.

  World leaders began preparing for Thursday's tsunami relief summit in Jakarta with a flurry of new aid announcements and a strengthening debate on how to alleviate the problems of afflicted countries.

• Wednesday, January 5th 2005 - 20:00 UTC

  Annan arrives in Indonesia to launch UN flash appeal for tsunami victims.

  Praising as “marvellous” the world response so far to last week's devastating Indian Ocean tsunami, Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, today to launch the United Nations flash appeal expected to total many hundreds of millions of dollars for the most urgent needs over the next six months.