Mercosur

• Thursday, September 2nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine bomb suspects acquitted.

  The five members of the so-called “local connection” implicated in the 1994 extremist bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people were acquitted here Thursday for lack of evidence. Relatives immediately reacted calling it the “end of Justice” in Argentina.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian economy picking up speed.

  Brazil's economy is recovering strongly after last year's contraction according to the latest release from the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute, IBGE.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina expects record beef export year.

  Argentine beef exports during the first half of this year jumped 52% in volume and 72% in revenue compared to the same period a year ago.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News.

  Headlines:
  APEC Tourism ministers summit in Punta Arenas;
  Santa Cruz cracks on rustling; Last Ona descendent dies at 91.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  President Kirchner's two big NO.

  Argentine president Nestor Kirchner categorically rejected two requests from visiting International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato which supposedly would help resume discussions in the framework of the IMF-Argentina stand-by arrangement, according to the Buenos Aires press.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  EU blames Mercosur for stalled trade talks

  The conclusion of a trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur depends on “political decisions from both sides”, but “particularly from Mercosur”, said this week EU Trade Commissar Pascal Lamy addressing the European Parliament.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lagos and Kirchner mend fences.

  A double Argentine homage to Chilean Nobel Prize poet Pablo Neruda served last Tuesday as a good motive to patch up the recent months strained bilateral relation.

• Wednesday, September 1st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF praises Uruguay's “political” consensus

  International Monetary Fund Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato praised the sound management of the Uruguayan economy which “has delivered impressive results over the past two years” and highlighted “last year's landmark debt exchange” which has improved the medium-term debt profile.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  IMF suggests flexible exchange rate for China.

  In its latest report on the Chinese booming economy the International Monetary Fund warns that a “soft landing is not yet assured” and recommends the quick introduction of a more flexible exchange rate. The Yuan is pegged to the US Dollar and has been criticized for unfairly cheapening Chinese exports.

• Tuesday, August 31st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile tightens control on high seas fishing.

  A new decree which regulates foreign flagged factory vessels operating in high seas next to Chile's EEZ that call into Chilean ports was highlighted as “extremely positive” both at regional and national level by Jorge Cofré, president of the Fishing Crews Union in Punta Arenas.