Mercosur

• Wednesday, October 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Unexpected drop in US fiscal 2006 deficit

  The United Status federal budget dropped to 247 billion US dollars in fiscal 2006, the lowest level in the last four years, announced the Treasury Department. The figure is 22% below the 318.7 billion US dollars of the previous year.

• Wednesday, October 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil price down in spite of OPEC's cut announcement

  World crude prices fell again Wednesday with New York oil hitting its lowest level of the year in spite of OPEC's announcement that cartel members have agreed on cutting production by up to a million barrels per day.

• Wednesday, October 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Increasing concern with Chavez “messianic militarism”

  Peruvian president Alan Garcia expressed concern with the Bolivian-Venezuelan technical cooperation agreement which includes the construction of twenty military bases along Bolivia's frontiers with five neighbouring countries.

• Wednesday, October 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Rally in support of Bolivian president Morales

  In the midst of growing pressure from social movements, the Bolivian government and the ruling party are calling for a massive rally on Thursday in support of president Evo Morales, announced the presidential spokesperson Alex Contreras.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Strong recovery of Argentine fisheries exports

  Argentina's fisheries exports in the first eight months of 2006 reached 477.000 tons valued in 887 million US dollars, up 43.4% over the same period a year ago according to the Consultants IES.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil: government and opposition claim victory in debate

  Both the Brazilian government and the opposition claimed victory in the first televised debate, Sunday evening, between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and former Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin whom on October 29 will be disputing the presidential run off.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  New chapter of pulp mills dispute unveils Thursday

  A preliminary report from a Canadian consultant, contracted by the World Bank concludes that the pulp mills to be built in Uruguay and which has become a serious contentious issue with Argentina “will not contaminate”.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Ban Ki-moon next UN Secretary General

  The Security Council on Monday formally chose Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea as its nominee to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations for a five-year term when incumbent Kofi Annan steps down on 31 December.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Enap invites private companies to exploit gas in Tierra del Fuego

  Chile's oil company Enap will invite private companies to participate in the exploration for hydrocarbons in the extreme south of the country announced this week Energy Minister Karen Poniachik.

• Tuesday, October 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Trips to see penguins selling like hot cakes

  Between ''An Inconvenient Truth,'' the Al Gore movie highlighting the plight of polar bears, and Luc Jacquet's documentary ''March of the Penguins,'' polar expeditions have never been so hot.