Uruguay

• Saturday, February 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Vazquez launches cabinet reshuffle with October 2009 in mind

  

  Uruguayan president Tabare Vazquez confirmed Saturday a deep reshuffle of the cabinet which in this first stage includes at least four relevant posts: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Industry and Energy; Education and Culture and Housing and Environment. The announcements are scheduled to be made public in the course of next week.

• Saturday, February 9th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay denies military alliance with Venezuela

  

  The Uruguayan government told Congress in Montevideo that it has no plans for a military alliance with Venezuela. The question was brought up following revelations that a delegation of Venezuelan military and scientists would be traveling in a Uruguayan navy vessel to Antarctica later this month.

• Wednesday, February 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Tycoons and world's top mega-yachts visit Punta del Este

  

  The world's fifth largest yacht and one of the most expensive, 100 million US dollars, is currently anchored in the Uruguayan exclusive resort of Punta del Este. “Le Grand Bleu” was built in the Vulkan Bremen shipyards, designed by world famous mega-yachts Kusch Yachts and originally belonged to Roman Abramovich the Russian tycoon who among other things owns the English football club Chelsea.

• Monday, February 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay's “double risk”: inflation or exports incentive loss

  

  Uruguay's consumer prices index, CPI increased 0.78% in January, below expectations but the largest monthly rise since last August, 1.73%. January's CPI a year ago was 1.77% and in 2006, 1.37%. The last twelve months CPI now stands at 7.44%, still above the 3 to 7% Central Bank target.

• Monday, February 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay keeps consolidated budget deficit on target

  

  In spite of a surge in expenditure in the last quarter Uruguay managed to keep to its fiscal target in 2007 with a budget deficit equivalent to 0.34% of GDP, below the 0.5% established in the Central Bank financial program.

• Monday, January 28th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay: Shellfish ban lifted in Maldonado and Rocha

  

  The National Directorate of Aquatic Resources (DINARA) on Friday lifted the ban on bivalve mollusc fishing, trade and transportation in the departments of Maldonado and Rocha after tests indicated the area was newly free of the red tide bloom.

• Wednesday, January 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Fossilized skull of largest rodent found in Uruguay

  

  The fossilized skull of the largest rodent ever recorded has been described by scientists for the first time. The remains of the one-ton beast, found in Uruguay, indicate that it would have been as big as a bull.

• Wednesday, January 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Toxic algae forces Uruguay to ban mollusk consumption

  

  Uruguay's Aquatic Resources Directorate (DINARA) on Tuesday extended for another ten days the ban on extraction, trade and transport of bivalve mollusks (mussels, cockles and clams) as the red tide continues to expand along the country's Atlantic coastline.

• Wednesday, January 16th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Aussie forfeited rogue longliner Viarsa broken up in India

  

  Famed, controversial fishing vessel Viarsa was dismantled in a Mumbai, India ship breaking yard last December, Australian authorities confirmed this week. The Uruguayan-flagged, 65-metre longliner had played a singular role as the subject of the longest pursuit in Australian maritime history.

• Sunday, January 13th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Uruguay calls on Argentina to stop bridge blocking

  

  The Uruguayan government called on Argentina yesterday to “stop” demonstrators who have been blocking the General Artigas international bridge that connects the two countries.