Mercosur

• Monday, August 21st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazil's congressional corruption: 5 billion US dollars

  Corruption has cost Brazilian taxpayers five billion US dollars in the last four years according to a report published Sunday in the newspaper O'Globo which also highlights that a third of all Brazilian federal Deputies face judicial investigation.

• Monday, August 21st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  China raises interest rates to cool economy

  China which has become a leading world economy and exporter has raised interest rates for the second time this year in an effort to cool its booming manufacturing and construction sectors.

• Monday, August 21st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Mayor earthquake in South Sandwich Islands area

  A major magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck early on Sunday in the Atlantic Ocean off South America, but there was no danger of a tsunami in the region, reported the U.S. Geological Survey.

• Monday, August 21st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Six regional Air Forces in routine exercise

  Air Forces from six South American countries and France are participating in Brazil in the Cruzex 06 air exercise which will extend until next September 2.

• Monday, August 21st 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Newspapers 'more trusted than web'

  Newspapers are considered far more trustworthy than websites and blogs, according to new research.

• Sunday, August 20th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Venezuelan presidential hopeful registered as candidate

  Opposition presidential hopeful Manuel Rosales was registered Saturday by more than two-dozen political parties as candidate in Venezuela's Dec. 3 presidential election.

• Sunday, August 20th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Ecuador Volcano Poised to Erupt Again

  The eruption of Tungurahua in Ecuador has left 50. 000 people living in the shadow of the volcano in urgent need of assistance and more than 1 million people have been affected by ash, Red Cross officials said on Saturday.

• Saturday, August 19th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  FAM alert reignites in southern Brazil

  Brazil has isolated several counties in the south of the country where last year an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was reported.

• Saturday, August 19th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chile's “Marlboro man” leads anti tobacco campaign

  Chile's new “Marlboro Man” is Don Miguel, 70, a former cigarette addict and cancer survivor whose larynx was removed ten years ago.

• Saturday, August 19th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  WMO: Antarctic ozone forecasted to recover in 2065

  A new scientific assessment, released Friday by the World Meteorological Organization, WMO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that the stratospheric ozone layer that protects life on Earth from excessive solar radiation will recover five to 15 years later than previously expected.