Costa Rica, Central America's small but most stable country in the region will be casting ballots next Sunday to elect president, two vice presidents, 57 members of the Legislative Assembly and 81 municipal authorities.
One of the world's oil giants Royal Dutch Shell reported the highest profit in UK corporate history. The rapid rise in oil prices boosted Shell's surplus to 22.9 billion US dollars, almost 30% on last year when it set a UK record with profits of 17.59 billion US dollars.
The new Bolivian administration managed Thursday its first agreement with a foreign oil corporation following Brazil's Petrobras acceptance of a 50/50 share in the lucrative natural gas business.
The European Central Bank (ECB) decided Thursday to leave basic interest rates unchanged at 2.25% but said it will remain vigilant about long term inflationary pressures.
Last year was a record year for Mexico in macroeconomic fundamentals according to the Mexican Central Bank: the lowest inflation and public debt in four decades and the highest income ever from oil and remittances from Mexicans overseas.
The European Parliament said Thursday that the European Union's political dialogue with Cuba has not led to greater freedom on the island or improved bilateral relations, and member states should act accordingly.
United States President George W Bush telephoned Bolivia's new president, Evo Morales on Wednesday and expressed hope for a dialogue with the Indian leader who during his campaign called his socialist party a nightmare for the United States.
The United States Congress approved this week scrapping subsidies to the cotton industry and ending export and import subsidies which should help to normalize world cotton prices.
Chilean Agriculture minister Jaime Campos received Monday the first shipment of Chilean meat (beef and pork) sent to United States in the framework of the Free Trade treaty between both countries.
With apprehensive expectations, Argentine shortfin squid (Illex argentinus) fishery is slated to open Wednesday 1 February in Argentine waters located to the south of parallel 44º, the fishery ground's most important area for the national squid fleet.