Mercosur

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina expects record crop.

  The Argentine 2004/05 season of wheat, corn, sunflower and soybeans is expected to reach a record 75.5 million tons, according to the latest report from the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Cooperation, IICA.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Lan air traffic expands 20%.

  Chilean flag carrier Lan announced that sales in the first half of the year expanded 20% in line with a more air travel dynamic world market.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Record Chilean dairy exports.

  Chilean Agriculture Under-Secretary Arturo Barrera said dairy exports in 2004 will reach 80 million US dollars, which represents a 50% expansion over 2003 when sales totalled 55 million US dollars.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's basic interest rate unchanged.

  The Monetary Policy Committee of the Brazilian Central Bank decided unanimously this Wednesday to keep the basic Selic interest rate unchanged at 16%.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Malvinas war veterans' census.

  The Argentine government promised a delegation of Malvinas war veterans that next August a census of all former combatants will be undertaken with the purpose of having a real picture of the situation and addressing next of kin claims.

• Thursday, July 22nd 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Japan threatens to leave IWC.

  Japan suffered a new setback in the annual International Whaling Commission, IWC meeting when the request to sixth fold its Antarctic minke quota was rejected. During the meeting currently held in Sorrento, Italy, 19 countries supported Japan but 30 voted against.

• Wednesday, July 21st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Japan Counts Caribbean Nations As Allies.

  Caribbean nations have lined up behind Japan in its bid to reverse an International Whaling Commission ban on commercial whaling; drawing renewed claims from environmentalist groups they are selling their votes for new fisheries and other Japanese-funded projects.

• Wednesday, July 21st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Powell Urges International Aid for Haiti.

  New international aid must flow rapidly to Haiti to bring jobs, better roads, water fit to drink and other improvements to people's lives, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday.

• Wednesday, July 21st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean leader: 'No one in Chile is above the law'.

  Chile's President Ricardo Lagos said Tuesday that no one in the country is above the law when asked whether former dictator Augusto Pinochet should face prosecution for abuses during his 17-year rule.

• Wednesday, July 21st 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Democratic security is restoring Colombia's independence.

  Colombian president Alvaro Uribe said Tuesday his “democratic security” policy, which includes escalated warfare against leftist rebels, is restoring to the nation the independence it lost to insurgency, corruption and poverty.