Mercosur

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Punta Arenas hotel industry in a bind.

  Punta Arenas hotels are fully booked for December and January and the season has been described as “excellent”. This has had a positive impact on hostels, motels and bed and breakfast homes that meet the spill over demand.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean economy picking up strongly

  Chile's foreign debt reached 44,8 billion US dollars last October 31, which is 1,4 billion more than last December 2003, according to preliminary figures from the Central Bank.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Bill Rammell visits Venezuela and Peru

  Bill Rammell, Foreign Office Minister for Latin America, is visiting Venezuela and Peru from Sunday to December 15.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Unveiling Pinochet's bacteriological lab.

  A prosecutor will be sending the Chilean Army an official letter requesting all information available on the bacteriological laboratory that the Army had in Santiago during the military regime of General Pinochet.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Fisheries News.

  Headlines: Chile leads in farmed salmon production; EC calls for closures in some fishing grounds; South Africa grants large pelagic rights locally; N Z seafood industry thankful for additional quotas; Chilean salmon industry acquires Norwegian laboratory; Fishmeal and Fish Oil landings of 15.3 million tons; RCEP calls for fishing species protection in UK.

• Monday, December 13th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Chilean judge indicts Pinochet.

  After deciding that Augusto Pinochet is mentally fit to stand trial, a Chilean judge on Monday indicted the 89-year-old former dictator for his alleged role in the abduction and summary execution of suspected political opponents in the 1970s.

• Sunday, December 12th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  LatAm ?very vulnerable to extreme weather events'

  A report on ecological damage from greenhouse gases dominated a UN conference on global warming yesterday in Bs. Aires as delegates from nearly 200 nations began to assemble for meetings next week on the launch of the Kyoto Protocol.

• Saturday, December 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  OPEC to cut excess production next January

  The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, agreed Friday to eliminate the excess production that has enabled oil prices to drop from its recent historic highs.

• Saturday, December 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Brazil formalizes candidacy to lead WTO.

  Brazil formally launched Friday the candidacy of diplomat Luiz Felipe de Seixas Correa to lead the World Trade Organization, WTO.

• Saturday, December 11th 2004 - 20:00 UTC

  Pot-banging protest is declared a crime in Venezuela

  Ruling pro-President Hugo Chavez lawmakers approved changes in the Venezuelan penal code making pot-banging protests known as “cacelorazos”, and other noisy demonstrations punishable by law, as well as increasing penalties for slander and libel, while softening other crimes such as stealing food or medicines