Mexico City  - Mexico's inflation rate was 6.53 per cent in 2008, its highest in eight seven years, the Mexican Central Bank said Thursday.

In 2000, Mexico recorded an annual inflation rate of 8.96 per cent. In 2007, it was 3.76 per cent, closer to the country's long- term goal of 3 per cent per year.

The forecast for the new year remained grim as the country's economy would not grow in 2009, the Finance Ministry warned. With its close economic ties to the United States, the Mexican economy is also suffering the impact of the global financial crisis.

Mexico City/Washington  - The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is completing 15 years as an economic crisis, with its epicentre in the United States, has shaken its three pillars: commerce, investment and employment.

The anniversary coincides with the worst moment in several decades for the world economy, and as the White House is set to be occupied by Barack Obama, a fierce critic of NAFTA during the US presidential campaign who has pledged to renegotiate it.

The pact between the United States, Mexico and Canada - the flagship of several free-trade agreements in Latin America - took effect January 1, 1994 when Carlos Salinas de Gortari and Bill Clinton were presidents of Mexico and the US.

Mexico City - The son of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim dismissed a report that his father was interested in buying the Honda Formula One team for the symbolic price of 1 dollar, the daily newspaper Reforma reported Sunday.

Reforma said it had received a statement dismissing the story from Carlos Slim Domit, son of the billionaire and second richest man in the world.

The Italian newspaper La Stampa reported earlier Sunday that Slim would have to invest some 300 million euros (421 million dollars) to finance the team next season

Mexico City  - The death toll rose to two on Sunday in a small plane crash in northern Mexico a day earlier.

Two passengers died of their injuries and three others were also severely injured when the Cessna crashed and caught on fire less than half a kilometre from the airstrip at the Ramos Arizpe airport in Coahuila state, officials said.

The occupants, reporters and provincial government officials, suffered severe burns and were brought to a clinic in San Diego, California. One of the journalists was practically unhurt.

Mexico City  - A small plane crashed in northern Mexico on Saturday and one of its passengers later died from injuries sustained during the accident.

Four others were also severely injured when the Cessna crashed and caught on fire less than half a kilometre from the airstrip at the Ramos Arizpe airport in Coahuila state, officials said.

The occupants, reporters and provincial government officials, suffered severe burns and were brought to a clinic in San Diego, California. One of the journalists was practically unhurt.