Mercosur

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush ratifies full support for Plan Colombia

  United States president George Bush ratified full support for Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and his fight against the narcotic trade and leftist guerrillas highlighting “this is the way to promote security and democracy in the Americas”.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean inflation anticipates higher interest rates

  Chile registered an unexpected 0,6% surge in July's consumer price index accumulating 2,4% in the first seven months of 2005 and 3,1% in the last twelve months, according to the latest report from Chile's Statistics Institute.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England cuts rate and ECB remains unchanged

  The Bank of England cut interest rates on Thursday for the first time in two years, to 4.5% from 4.75%, while the European Central Bank kept its key rate at 2%.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Peru-Brazil to build transcontinental highway

  Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo signed contracts Thursday in Lima for the construction of a highway that will extend more than 2,600 kilometers from Peru's Pacific coast across Bolivia into southwestern Brazil and the Atlantic.

• Friday, August 5th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile forecasts record tourism year

  This is going to be a record year for tourism in Chile anticipated Oscar Santelices, Chile's Tourism Secretary who forecasts over two million visitors and 1,5 billion US dollars in income.

• Thursday, August 4th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  EU intent on a broad dialogue with Cuba

  The European Union remains intent on seeking a “broad” dialogue with Havana and with specific sectors from Cuban society, said British ambassador in Cuba according to an interview published Wednesday.

• Thursday, August 4th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  US support for Colombian president Uribe

  United States certified the Colombian military's compliance with human rights standards, freeing up 62 million US dollars in aid to fight drug traffic and leftist guerrillas, said Colombian vice president Francisco Santos.

• Thursday, August 4th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Castro heads Venezuelan military graduation event

  Cuba's Fidel Castro was the graduation patron of 74 officers from Venezuela's elite military academy. Castro acted on request from the Venezuelan officers' promotion that flew to Havana for the celebration.

• Thursday, August 4th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  President Bush loves vacations

  President George W Bush is far ahead in becoming the first US president who has spent most time on holidays in the last 36 years, reports The Washington Post.

• Thursday, August 4th 2005 - 21:00 UTC

  Mexico City, a kidnappers' paradise

  In spite of not experiencing an armed domestic conflict as is the case with Colombia, Mexico is the country with the largest number of kidnaps, according to the Mexican Citizens Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice.