Mercosur

• Thursday, January 19th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Chile received two million tourists in 2005

  The number of foreign tourists in Chile increased 13.6% last year surpassing the two million target with income reaching 1.5 billion US dollars said Oscar Santelices head of Chile's Tourist Board.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US promises to cut waiting time for visas

  The US on Tuesday launched a drive to encourage foreign visitors, announcing measures aimed at further reducing the delays that plagued many travellers after the September 11 2001 attacks.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Oil prices nearing 67 US dollars a barrel

  Crude oil rose for a second day in New York, nearing $67 a barrel, on concern shipments may be disrupted from Iran, which accounts for almost 5 percent of world output.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Bolivia's Army Chief Fired Over Missiles

  Outgoing President Eduardo Rodriguez fired Bolivia's army chief on Tuesday over his decision to have 28 Chinese shoulder-launched missiles destroyed in the United States.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Morales will work tactfully to restore Bolivia's sea access

  President-elect Evo Morales said Tuesday that he will tread lightly in his efforts to secure the return of the stretch of Pacific coastline Bolivia lost to Chile in a 19th-century war.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  “Uruguay will not bow to Greenpeace activists”

  Uruguay's President Tabare Vazquez said on Tuesday his government will not bow to pressures from “outsiders” like Greenpeace environmental activists who tried to block construction of two pulp mills in the country.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  “Populism incorporation to democratic politics is positive”

  Latinamerican governance and the democratic exercise of government by those leaders freely elected are the main concerns of Washington and not necessarily the bouts of populism of recent years, said US Under-Secretary for Latinamerican Affairs Thomas Shannon.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  How Socialist is Bachelet and Morales?

  Associating the victory of Chilean elected president Michelle Bachelet with other political “events” in Latinamerican such as the election of Evo Morales in Bolivia and the popularity of nationalist Ollanta Humala in Peru is “absurd”, said Organization of American States, OAS, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US oil company buys into Neuquen basin

  Apache Corporation announced this week an agreement that will expand its Argentina presence through the negotiated acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources' oil and gas operations in that country.

• Wednesday, January 18th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  World oil demand forecasted to grow 2.2% in 2006

  A rebound in Chinese demand growth and a stronger consumption in United States will push world demand for oil in 2006, estimated to increase 2.2% according to the monthly report from the International Energy Agency, IEA. In 2005 oil demand expanded 1.3% over 2004.