Stories for December 9th 2010

Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 21:00 UTC
One in four admit having paid bribes last year, says Transparency International

Corruption has increased over the last three years, say six out of 10 people around the world, and one in four people report paying bribes in the last year. These are the findings of the 2010 Global Corruption Barometer, a worldwide public opinion survey on corruption, released on International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December, by Transparency International (TI).
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 20:51 UTC
Unasur members will share and disclose data on military expenditure

For the first time ever South American countries will jointly share and disclose data on their military expenditures, according to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Defence. It is anticipated that next March all member countries from Unasur (Union of South American Nations) will make public the information following on this year’s approval of a common methodology to measure Defence expenditure.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 16:31 UTC
Moody’s rates Uruguay just below ‘investment grade’ but next step 'distant'

Moody's Investors risk Service raised the sovereign foreign currency credit rating for Mercosur member Uruguay by two notches to Ba1 from Ba3 on Wednesday, leaving it just below investment grade, citing improved debt and fiscal indicators.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 15:46 UTC
UK Treasury increases bank levies, ‘fair contribution to the public coffers’

The United Kingdom Treasury has raised the rate it will impose on banks under its new levy in 2011 and 2012. The Treasury said in draft legislation for the Finance Bill 2011 that the levy for 2011 will be 0.05% of total liabilities rather than the 0.04% announced in June. The levy for 2012 will rise to 0.075% instead of the previously proposed plan levy of 0.07%.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 15:34 UTC
Bank of England decision on further liquidity injection expected for February

The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee (MPC) voted Thursday to hold the base interest rate at its record low of 0.5%. As expected, the Bank did not extend its £200 billion program of quantitative easing and is not expected to make a decision on whether to follow the US Federal reserve with a second bout of economy boosting bond-buying – or QE2 – until February.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 15:21 UTC
Foreign Secretary lays out policy to help Commonwealth achieve its potential

British Foreign Secretary William Hague laid a statement in Parliament on how the UK plans to reinvigorate the Commonwealth with a vision to strengthen the Commonwealth as “a focus for promoting democratic values and development”.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 08:45 UTC
“Mario (Vargas Llosa) the only thing you’re good for is writing”

In his acceptance speech as winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, entitled “In Praise of Reading and Fiction”, (*) Peruvian writer Vargas Llosa paid tribute to his mother, his grandfather Pedro and his uncle Lucho.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 08:28 UTC
Keiko Fujimori daughter of jailed leader joins Peruvian presidential race

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori, joined Peru's presidential race, vowing to make sure the country's economic boom lifts more people out of poverty.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 07:57 UTC
Paraguay/Argentina Mercosur conflict: unions declare “five-day truce”

The blockade of landlocked Paraguay’s maritime and fluvial trade which threatens Mercosur unity has been “granted” a five-day truce by the Argentine maritime workers union responsible for the industrial action.
Thursday, December 9th 2010 - 07:52 UTC
Rio displays the world’s largest floating Xmas tress with 3.3 million lights

Thousands of Brazilians and visitors gathered at Rio de Janeiro's Rodrigo de Freitas Lake to witness the lighting of the world largest floating Christmas tree with 3.3 million lights.