Mercosur

• Thursday, June 17th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Tragedy in Patagonia coal mine.

  Six miners killed, eight missing and dozens treated for intoxication with carbon monoxide is the primary result of a fire that swept through a coal mine 600 meters deep, in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz a few miles away from Puerto Natales in Chile.

• Thursday, June 17th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Basic rate in Brazil remains unchanged at 16%

  The Monetary Policy Committee of the Brazilian Central Bank decided this Wednesday for the third consecutive time to keep the basic Selic rate unchanged at 16% (9% in real terms). The decision was unanimous.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  More Latins immigrating to Europe.

  Poverty in their home countries and higher obstacles to entering the United States are pushing ever-greater numbers of Latin Americans to immigrate to Europe, from where they send home increasing sums of money now vital to national economies, the International Organization for Migration said in a study published Tuesday

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Menem founds new Peronist faction.

  Former Argentine President Carlos Menem has launched a new political group within the Peronist party and vowed to return to Argentina soon.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  USS Ronald Reagan in South Atlantic.

  One of the largest and most modern US Navy nuclear aircraft carriers, USS Ronald Reagan is currently in the South Atlantic after leaving Norfolk in the East coast and heading for her homeport in San Diego, California.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Freezer vessels and fresh-fish operators' controversy.

  Congressional representatives from the province of Buenos Aires expressed their opposition to freezer vessels operating north of parallel 48º, insisting governor Felipe Solá intercede before federal authorities to rectify the situation.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Buenos Aires Herald owner dies.

  Peter Manigault, main shareholder of the company that holds the English language Buenos Aires Herald died this week in Charleston, South Carolina at the age of 77, reports the Argentine press.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Half a million more millionaires.

  Booming stock markets and a stronger world economy has helped increase the number of millionaires by half a million, who now number 7,7 million according to a report from Capegemini and Merrill Lynch.

• Wednesday, June 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Inflation-scare in the US.

  Consumer prices in the United States surged 0,6% in May, the highest in three years, however the Bush administration and analysts were quick to point out that excluding volatile energy and food the index was really 0,2%.

• Tuesday, June 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  US posts record trade deficit in April.

  In spite of another United States trade record deficit which reached 48,3 billion US dollars in April, Latinamerican and Caribbean countries trade surplus with the US fell in the same month to $5.79 billion, according to the latest release from the U.S. Commerce Department.