Mercosur

• Saturday, June 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Chilean students end strike

  Chilean high school students agreed Friday to end their nationwide strike and the protests they have kept up for a month demanding a better quality of education, and announced they would return to class next week.

• Saturday, June 10th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bolivia's gas plan may hit Chile's supply

  Chile could face power shortages as a result of Bolivia's plan to nationalise its gas sector, energy experts have warned.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Iguazu falls short of water; tours cancelled

  Shortage of rainfall and the closing of several dams upstream to retain water have forced the cancelling of nautical tours next to the world famous Iguazu falls, one of the world's most impressive sights.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Oil addiction threatening US economy warns Greenspan

  Rising energy prices are pushing up inflation and increasingly threatening the U.S. economy, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testified this week before Congress.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bank of England leaves interest rate unchanged, 4.5%

  For the tenth month running the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee decided to leave interest rates unchanged at 4.5%, a decision expected by financial markets.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Bush optimistic with US economy sustained growth

  The United States economy is set to grow 3.6% this year compared with earlier estimates of 3.4% according to President George Bush's Council of Economic Advisors, revealed Thursday outgoing Treasury Secretary John Snow.
  However consumer prices are forecasted to reach 3% instead of the original 2.4%.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Lipsky confirmed as IMF Deputy Manager

  The International Monetary Fund Executive Board approved the appointment of JP Morgan Vice Chairman John Lipsky as First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF. Lipsky, a U.S. national, will start his five-year term on September 1, succeeding Anne Krueger who steps down at the end of August.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Uruguay wins the first World Cup in 1930

  Whenever the Soccer World Cup is mentioned, the mind is boggled by moments of magic and illusion; smiles and tears; Pele and Maradona; Brazil's five cups, the famous Maracaná final and a long history of events that begun in 1930.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Battle of the brands grips World Cup

  Before a ball has been kicked in Germany, the World Cup is gripped by a fierce contest between teams of global heavyweights and their smaller rivals.

• Friday, June 9th 2006 - 21:00 UTC

  Macri ?ready' to go for the presidency

  Argentine Boca Juniors soccer team president Mauricio Macri said yesterday that he was ready to run for president next year, in a move that further fragments the opposition in the run toward next year's general elections.