Mercosur

• Friday, November 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  US housing market plunges to new lows

  Construction of new homes in United States slowed in October to the lowest level in six years reported Friday the US Commerce Department. At seasonally adjusted annual rates the number of new homes started by builders was down 14.6% from September.

• Friday, November 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lamy in fresh bid to save global trade talks

  Pascal Lamy head of the World Trade Organization urged governments Friday to put forward concrete proposals on how far they would go to open up their markets at the start of a fresh bid to save global trade talks.

• Friday, November 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Ecuadorian candidate promises to honor oil contracts

  The Conservative candidate in Ecuador's presidential runoff announced he would respect contracts with oil companies operating in the country.

• Friday, November 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Unprecedented warming cycle and declining sea ice in Artic

  The Arctic is undergoing a substantial and unprecedented warming despite sporadic signals of a cooling trend reports an international panel of scientists.

• Friday, November 17th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Former Uruguayan dictator and minister jailed

  Former Uruguayan president turned dictator Juan Maria Bordaberry and his Foreign Affairs minister Juan Carlos Blanco have been prosecuted in connection with four political killings in 1976 during the military rule.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Energy and IMF reform in G-20 financial agenda

  IMF Managing Director Rodrigo Rato, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and Federal Reserve Chairrman, among other outstanding figures from financial circles are scheduled to take part in the G-20 discussions this weekend in Australia.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Lula da Silva calls for “boldness” to boost economy

  Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for “more boldness” to help the country's economy expand at an annual 5% beginning 2007, in spite of recent forecasts from government offices indicating this can only be possible in ten years time.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Cent Am summit targets corruption

  The presidents of Central American countries have signed a pact at the opening of an anti-corruption summit.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  Annan urges action on global warming

  The UN chief lamented “a frightening lack of leadership” in fashioning next steps in reducing global emissions.

• Thursday, November 16th 2006 - 20:00 UTC

  China's industrial production hectic pace softens

  China's industrial output grew at its slowest annual rate in almost two years last October according to the latest official release. Although production increased by 14.7% over October 2005, it was down from the 16.1% growth in September.