Mercosur

• Wednesday, March 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  New Foreign Office Permanent Under Secretary

  Following a civil service-wide competition for the post of Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Peter Ricketts has been appointed in succession to Sir Michael Jay, who will be retiring from the Diplomatic Service in July.

• Wednesday, March 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  High rates and weak US dollar plunged Brazil's growth

  The poor showing of Brazilian agriculture, higher interest rates and a cheaper US dollar had a direct impact in the performance of the Brazilian economy in 2005, which expanded (2.3%) at less than half the 2004 rate, 4.9%.

• Wednesday, March 1st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Fuel prices make LAN profits drop 10.3% in 2005

  High fuel prices had a direct impact in Chile's flag carrier Lan profits in 2005 which reached 146 million US dollars, a 10.3% drop compared to 2004.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean President Says Leftists No Threat

  Chilean President Ricardo Lagos said Monday that the wave of leftists rising to power across Latin America poses no threat to democracy and should not create tensions with the United States.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Growing number of US citizens want out of Iraq

  A growing number of United States citizens disapprove of President George W Bush and are more pessimistic than ever about the situation in Iraq, according to a public opinion poll released by CBS Tuesday.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  “John Cheek” case findings in Buenos Aires

  The inquiry into the incident involving the Falklands' flagged trawler “John Cheek” allegedly illegally fishing in Argentina's EEZ and currently retained in Comodoro Rivadavia, was addressed Tuesday to Buenos Aires.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chirac urges airline tickets tax to fight poverty

  French President Jacques Chirac urged the international community to adopt an airline tax to bankroll programs to fight poverty and disease. Speaking at the start of the two-day Paris meeting, President Chirac said France planned to begin imposing the airline tax as of July.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Colombian electoral calendar remains unchanged

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe vowed Tuesday that “terrorist” leftist rebels who are gunning down civilians will not hinder March 12 legislative elections.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Magallanes Region has its own Antarctic station

  In a solemn ceremony this week in Punta Arenas, the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica Regional Council, CORE, was granted under concession for half a century the Chilean Antarctic base of “Arturo Prat”.

• Tuesday, February 28th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Unemployment in Chile drops to 7%

  Unemployment in Chile dropped half a point to 7% in the November-January quarter compared to the same period a year ago according to the country's National Statistics Institute in Santiago.