Mercosur

• Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  China's growing presence in Latin America

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in Beijing on his fourth visit to the oil-hungry Asian giant, has signed a number of energy deals covering production, refining and transportation.

• Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Dynamite found in luggage aboard flight

  A United States citizen suspected of checking dynamite in his luggage on the flight from Buenos Aires was questioned by FBI officials in Houston after bomb-sniffer dogs picked up a scent from his baggage, officials said.

• Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Lost fishermen: No drugs, no cannibalism

  Three fishermen who say they survived nine months adrift in the Pacific Ocean returned to Mexico on Friday and denied they were involved in drug trafficking or resorted to cannibalism to survive.

• Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  From the River Thames to Lake Titicaca

  In the heat of the engine room, huge copper-coloured cylinders hiss as Capt. Carlos Saavedra pulls hard on the accelerator lever of the oldest working ship in the Americas.

• Saturday, August 26th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile ranked second safest emerging market

  Chile placed second on a new ranking by German investment bank DekaBank of the safest emerging countries for investment.

• Thursday, August 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile to speed change

  The government yesterday said it will quickly fulfill key promises to high-school students, a day after hundreds of youths clashed with police in a protest over perceived delays in educational reforms and improvements.

• Thursday, August 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivian Senate censures energy minister

  Bolivia's opposition-controlled Senate passed a censure motion yesterday against the country's energy minister ? one of the architects of President Evo Morales' energy sector nationalization.

• Thursday, August 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Australia woos Chilean students

  Chilean graduates and undergraduates will be wooed over the weekend to continue their degrees and/or trainings in Australia.

• Thursday, August 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Tourist arrivals to Argentina increase by 16.6%

  The number of tourists visiting Argentina ? those arriving at Ezeiza international airport ? rose 16.6% in the second quarter, while the average stay rose 14.1% and spending 23.1%, the Indec census bureau reported this week.

• Thursday, August 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuela/China consolidate trade and political ties

  In his fourth visit to China Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez sealed closer trade links with Beijing plus the promise of support for Venezuela's aspiration of becoming a non permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.