
Chile has evacuated more than 150 people who had returned to the southern town of Chaiten after it was destroyed by a volcanic eruption last year.
US President Barack Obama welcomed on Saturday Congress's approval of his 787 billion US dollars economic stimulus package. He described it as a historic step and major milestone on our road to recovery, and is expected to sign the bill into law early next week.
The Bolivian government appealed for international economic aid and fumigation equipments to fight the mosquito transmitted dengue epidemics which broke out at the beginning of the year and already has 17.371 reported cases.
Chile's central bank cut its benchmark lending rate by a steep 2.5 points to 4.25%, citing declining inflation and slow economic growth. The rate cut is larger than the 1 to 1.5 points expected by the market.

In the first session of the year the Mercosur Parliament seated in Montevideo, Uruguay, nominated as its pro tempore president the Paraguayan lawmaker Ignacio Mendoza Unzain.

Brazilian president Lula da Silva admitted this week that trade with Argentina is facing problems, but discarded specific measures against Argentine exports adding that any differences between the two countries will be solved in Mercosur deliberations.

A new record was set for Falkland Islands tourism last week, with 4,053 visitors arriving on board cruise ships on Friday February 6, confirmed Jake Downing, General Manager of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB).

The United States Congressional Oversight Panel says the government overpaid for distressed financial assets and shares last year. It says the US Treasury paid 78 billion US dollars more than it should when buying stakes in banks through the 700 billion US dollars Troubled Assets Relief Program (Tarp).

An article from The Economist (Feb. 5th), Profiting from Virtue praises Uruguay's prudent and orthodox economic policies, under the leftish government of President Tabare Vazquez and states the country is better placed to mitigate world recession than its neighbor Argentina.

Members of the Brazilian Congress opposition again delayed on Wednesday the consideration of Venezuela's Mercosur incorporation protocol, in spite of strong appeals from the ruling coalition of President Lula da Silva.