
In a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, and the Presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and of Mexico, Felipe Calderón, highlighted the positive economic trend in Latin America and significant democratic progress achieved in the past year.

United States president George Bush's popularity keeps plummeting following last week's state of the Union address, according to a survey published by Newsweek magazine.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday condemned without reservation any denial of the Holocaust, with only Iran publicly disassociating itself from the consensus resolution which was immediately hailed by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

In a visit last week to Bolivia's capital, La Paz, Chilean defense minister Vivianne Blanlot announced plans for extensive joint military cooperation between the two nations, including the de-mining of their shared border. Still, Blanlot made it clear that her government would not budge on the issue of providing landlocked Bolivia with access to the Pacific Ocean.

Headlines: Governor opens new west road; Sir Rex in June VIP party; Visitors galore; Hudson eruption fears; Mini Sports this weekend; FIDC's new chief arrives.

Ecuador's first female defense minister died Wednesday in a collision of two helicopters that also killed her daughter and five members of the military, officials said

A majority of Ecuadorians support President Rafael Correa's proposal to amend the Constitution and change the country's one house legislative branch, according go a Cedatos/Gallup opinion poll released this week.

Bolivian President Evo Morales reshuffled this week almost half of his sixteen members' cabinet a day after celebrating his first year in office.

Chile's Defence Minister Vivianne Blanlot submitted this week a detailed report of the controversial Copper Reserve Law, reaffirming the desire of the government of President Michelle Bachelet to modify or repeal the Pinochet-era legislation.

In spite of the insistent protests and Thursday's colorful march in downtown Buenos Aires against the construction of a controversial Finnish pulp mill in Uruguay, the Embassy of Finland said that the Helsinki government does not interfere with private undertakings.