Mercosur

• Tuesday, March 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Dominican Republic and US conclude Free Trade agreement

  The Dominican Republic and the United States successfully concluded this weekend negotiations for a free trade agreement after having overcome some pending details in agriculture, textiles and intellectual property.

• Tuesday, March 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean peso stabilizes in 600 pesos to the US dollar

  Following months of constant appreciation the Chilean currency seems to have rebounded stabilizing above the threshold of 600 pesos to the US dollar.

• Tuesday, March 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela faces a new institutional dispute

  Venezuela's Supreme Court this Monday voided a ruling by electoral authorities that hundreds of thousands of signatures supporting a recall referendum against President Hugo Chavez were “dubious” and must be confirmed by their authors

• Tuesday, March 16th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Socialist Spain returns to the EU flock

  The surprise victory of the Socialists in Spain, and defeat of staunch allied Jose Aznar, comes as a new challenge for the George Bush administration and its Iraq policy.

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Breaking News from Chile.

  Headlines:
  Clocks back one hour mark wintertime in Chile; Lan pays 50,000 US dollars fine; Chilean economy forecasted to grow 5,1%; Air and Space Show to promote stability; Controversy over copper surplus;

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil calls a new oil licencing round

  The Brazilian National Oil Agency, ANP, announced an exploration and production licencing round in line with the country's objective of achieving energy self sufficiency by 2006.

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  A unique sight in Perito Moreno glacier

  Ten thousand people gathered in Argentine Patagonia for a historic sight, the collapsing of a great ice barrier from the world famous Perito Moreno glacier, an event that was last seen in 1988.

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  “Maya V”: scientific observers union blame Captain Flangini

  Observers and scientists from the Uruguayan Fisheries Department, (DINARA), claim that most of the problems encountered by Uruguayan flagged vessels allegedly caught illegally fishing can be tracked to recent resolutions degrading technical conditions for the naming and selection of observers.

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina and Chile renew cooperation and peace vows

  Argentine and Chilean presidents Nestor Kirchner and Ricardo Lagos last Saturday led a ceremony in the Andes at 4,200 metres above sea-level before a ten meters tall statue of Christ the Redeemer that was built when the two countries came to an agreement over their borders a century ago.

• Monday, March 15th 2004 - 21:00 UTC

  Opposition Socialists win in Spain

  The Spanish government acknowledged the opposition Socialist Party's unexpected victory in the general election on Sunday. The new Spanish president is José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero but he will not have a majority in the 350 member parliament: his party managed 164 seats and outgoing president Jose Aznar 148. The remaining seats correspond to minor parties.