Mercosur

• Wednesday, October 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  UK to pioneer controversial full face transplant

  British surgeons could perform the world's first full face transplant within months after being given the go-ahead. Consultant surgeon Peter Butler was granted permission for the pioneering surgery by the ethics committee at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, north London.

• Wednesday, October 25th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Fed rates unchanged but inflation risks “remain”

  The Federal Open Market Committee decided Wednesday to keep interest rates unchanged at 5.25% for the third consecutive month but also expressed concerns about inflation risks.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  China's economic growth “softens” to 10.4%

  China's GDP expanded slightly slower in the third quarter, 10.4% as a direct consequence of measures to contain the overheating of the economy, reported the Chinese Statistics Office in Beijing.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Ozone hole over South Pole breaks record

  US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report this year's ozone hole in the polar region of the Southern Hemisphere has broken records for area and depth.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina forecasted to expand for fifth year running

  The Argentine economy is forecasted to expand over 8% in 2006 for the fourth year running and with a comfortable carry on effect of 3% into 2007, reported Argentina's Central Bank, which originally was estimating a 7% growth.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Who has a free press and who hasn't

  North Korea is the worst violator of press freedom in the world while journalists in Finland, Ireland, Iceland and the Netherlands enjoy the most liberty, according to a new index released this week by “Reporters Without Borders”.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil and Bolivia make progress

  Brazilian Energy Minister Silas Rondeau said yesterday there has been progress in talks with Bolivia on new contracts for state energy company Petrobras to comply with Bolivia's gas sector nationalization.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Morales firm on deadline

  President Evo Morales yesterday declared that Bolivia must not back down from an October-28 deadline to complete the nationalization of its oil and gas industry.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian president hammered in debate

  Centrist Geraldo Alckmin hammered President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva over corruption allegations in the third televised debate ahead of an Oct. 29 runoff election.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean fisheries exports soar in value

  Chilean fisheries exports advanced 10.6% in the first eight months of 2006 compared to the same period last year totaling 1.039 billion US dollars reports Sonapesca, the country's Fisheries Society.