Mercosur

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  APEC's growing importance for Magallanes.

  The coming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, APEC, to be held in Chile, and the tourism chapter scheduled in Punta Arenas have highlighted the importance of the Pacific rim for Magallanes Region, according to Marcos Leal regional director of ProChile, the organization which promotes the country overseas.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  China applies for IDB membership.

  China has officially requested to become a member of the Interamerican Development Bank, IDB, --the region's main multilateral organization--, with the purpose of increasing “our already significant financial relations” with the region's countries.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil considers reducing IMF dependency.

  Brazilian Central Bank president Henrique Meirelles confirmed that Brazil is planning to abandon stand-by agreements with the International Monetary Fund. This will probably happen next March when President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva officially announces the non renovation of the current agreement.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  SpaceShipOne Wins $10 Million Prize with Flight.

  The world's first privately funded manned spacecraft soared through the blue fringe of Earth's atmosphere to the blackened frontiers of space on Monday for the second time within a week to win a $10 million prize designed to spur commercial space travel.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  US supports Brazil's Security Council candidacy.

  United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said this Tuesday that Brazil is “a solid candidate” to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and praised Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for his regional leadership and international standing.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean consumer prices stable.

  Chile recorded this year the lowest September consumer prices index since 1931, that is 0,1% with an accumulated nine months rate of 2,3% and 1,5% during the last twelve months according to the latest release from the Chilean Statistics Office.

• Tuesday, October 5th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record fisheries exports.

  Chilean fisheries exports reached 1,468 billion US dollars during the first seven months of 2004, a 12,8% increase over the same period last year indicating that the 2,5 billion US dollars target for the whole twelve months can be achieved, reported the Fisheries National Society, SNP.

• Monday, October 4th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Six hour daily blackouts in Cuba.

  Cuban authorities announced a daily six-hour blackout plan for Havana as one of the steps taken by the government recently to stem the island's serious energy crisis.

• Monday, October 4th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Deadline for OAS Secretary General.

  Costa Rican president Abel Pacheco said he will ask for the resignation of Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Miguel Angel Rodriguez if he does not explain strong allegations of corruption by this Monday.

• Sunday, October 3rd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lula, Cardoso parties vie for Brazilian municipal posts.

  The parties of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his predecessor Fernando Henrique Cardoso are set to duke it out on today Sunday in elections to fill more than 55,000 seats in the country's 5,562 municipal governments.