Mercosur

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Investment banks with upbeat forecast for Chile's economy.

  Nineteen Chilean and international banking organizations recently consulted about the world economic growth rates anticipate positive growth in the Chilean economy over the next two years. The organizations predict a solid growth average of 5.2 percent per year.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Dead penguins found on Argentina beaches

  About 100 oil-coated Magellanic penguins have turned up dead in the past two weeks in a nature reserve near the frigid southernmost tip of Argentina, local reports said Thursday.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil prices would be stable if not for Bush

  The president of Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, called for stability in international crude prices, implying they should be lower than they are but blaming a near-constant rise on what he called war-mongering by the United States.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Morales lines up land owners as next target

  Evo Morales, the Bolivian president, on Thursday ruled out compensating foreign energy companies that face changes to their contracts as a result of a controversial nationalisation policy announced earlier this month.

• Thursday, May 11th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Fox warns leftist policies will harm Latin America

  Vicente Fox, the president of Mexico, on Thursday delivered a salvo against the leftwing policies of Venezuela and Bolivia, warning that protectionism and nationalisation could damage the prospects of Latin America as a whole.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil tells Chavez: hands off the Southern Cone

  Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warned Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez that “interference” by Caracas in the Southern Cone could jeopardize plans for a major gas pipeline, Brazil's foreign minister said Tuesday.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FT criticizes Kirchner's confrontational (but popular) style

  The Financial Times this week harshly criticised Argentine President Nestor Kirchner warning that the effects of his style of government could have an enduring impact in future investments.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  US basic rate at highest level in 16 years, 5%

  United States Federal Reserve Open Market Committee decided Wednesday to raise its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 5%, its highest level in more than five years and in line with market expectations.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Human Rights Council must work in “global interest”

  United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour called Wednesday on the members of the new Human Rights Council, who were elected in a landmark vote Tuesday to work in the “global interest” and to act quickly ahead of the first meeting, set to start in Geneva next month.

• Wednesday, May 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Peruvian presidential candidate claims US involvement in campaign

  Peruvian ultra nationalist presidential candidate Ollanta Humala claims United States is involved in the upcoming runoff election June 4 openly helping his opponent former president Alan Garcia.