Mercosur

• Tuesday, October 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Cuba bans US dollar transactions.

  Cuban President Fidel Castro announced Monday that he was stopping circulation of the dollar as legal tender as of Nov. 8 and will substitute it with a convertible Cuban peso valid only on the island.

• Tuesday, October 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay, U.S. sign trade and investment treaty.

  Representatives for Uruguay and the United States signed here Monday a bilateral treaty on safeguarding foreign investment and promoting two-way trade.

• Tuesday, October 26th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile honours EU Trade Commissioner.

  European Union Trade Commissar Pascal Lamy was bestowed in Brussels Chile's greatest honour for his contribution to the association agreement signed between Chile and the EU in 2002.

• Monday, October 25th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  EU Proposes End to Trade Dispute With U.S.

  The European Union's top trade official said Monday he would move to lift millions of euros (dollars) in punitive tariffs on U.S. goods following the repeal in Washington of corporate tax breaks that were ruled illegal by the World Trade Organization.

• Monday, October 25th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Press Association Faults U.S. Restrictions

  The Inter-American Press Association criticized the U.S. government on Sunday for placing restrictions on foreign journalists' travels and for recent court rulings ordering reporters to reveal secret sources.

• Monday, October 25th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil Back in Space

  A test rocket which Brazil successfully launched on Saturday provided reassurance to the country's space programme 14 months after a more powerful one exploded before lift-off killing 21 people.

• Sunday, October 24th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Young Chileans disenchanted with politicians.

  The registry of young Chileans in the Electoral Roll has dropped a dramatic 50% between 1997 and 2003 according to a report form the Chilean Youth Institute.

• Sunday, October 24th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  China slowing but expansion still above 9%.

  China's economic expansion has slowed for the third consecutive quarter sliding to an annualized 9,1% which is almost in line with Beijing's target of 9%.

• Sunday, October 24th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF warns about soaring oil price.

  The soaring price of crude oil has become a risk for the world economy and will have a visible impact over growth next year, said International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato.

• Saturday, October 23rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Court overturns Menem dismissal.

  A Buenos Aires court on Friday overturned a ruling dismissing charges against former Argentine President Carlos Menem in a case involving arms smuggling to Ecuador and Croatia between 1991 and 1995