Politics

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:32 UTC

  Irish farmers fear 'decimation' from a Mercosur/EU trade agreement

  

  The determination of European Commission President Manuel Barroso to conclude a deal with Mercosur before he leaves office posed a severe threat to Ireland's interest, Independent MEP Marian Harkin has warned in a piece reported by Irish Independent.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:26 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez and Mujica, so close but ever so distant

  

  The lasted chapter of the resurgent diplomatic conflict between Argentina and Uruguay was not addressed during a brief encounter of presidents Cristina Fernandez and Jose Mujica in Bolivia where they attended the G77 plus China summit over the weekend.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 06:09 UTC

  Beckenbauer ready to answer questions from FIFA, in writing in German

  

  The former German soccer star Franz Beckenbauer said on Sunday he was ready to answer questions from FIFA about an investigation into World Cup bidding by June 27 and believed that should remove any justification for its 90-day ban on him.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:52 UTC

  G77 plus China summit confirms the close ties of Beijing with Latin America

  

  The summit of G77 leaders plus China wrapped up Sunday with a call for an end to poverty by 2030, after a demand by Bolivia's President Evo Morales to eliminate the UN Security Council. It also marked the presence of Beijing which has become the leading trade partner of many Latam countries.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:38 UTC

  Support for Argentina's 'Malvinas question' in the G77 plus China summit

  

  The G77 plus China extraordinary summit which took place in Bolivia over the weekend approved two statements in support of Argentina's position in the 'Malvinas Islands question' and a second referred to the current conflict with holdout hedge funds, a long running litigation that has reached the US Supreme Court. Argentine president Cristina Fernández attended the Santa Cruz de la Sierra event.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:34 UTC

  Argentina hopeful US Supreme Court will take the hedge funds holdouts case

  

  US Supreme Court is likely to issue a ruling in the upcoming months favoring Argentina’s position in the country’s dispute against hedge funds ('vulture funds'), anticipated former Argentine Finances Secretary Guillermo Nielsen.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:26 UTC

  Bolivia honors visiting Ban Ki-moon with a coca leaves birthday cake

  

  United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon got an unusual treat for his 70th birthday when the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, presented him with a cake made with coca leaves. The UN chief was in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for a meeting this weekend of the G77 group of countries to discuss measures for reducing poverty.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 05:24 UTC

  Jamaica plans decriminalization of possession of small amounts of cannabis

  

  Plans are in the making in Jamaica for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana. Among the proposals is that users of small quantities of the drug will no longer have a criminal record, and smoking of the weed would be lawful under certain conditions. However possession of cannabis would still be unlawful, though it would not lead to a criminal record.

• Monday, June 16th 2014 - 00:35 UTC

  Argentina's inflation index in May, 1.4% and 13.5% in five months

  

  Argentina's consumer price index revealed an inflation rate of 1.4% for May, down from 1.8% in the previous month announced on Friday Economy Minister Axel Kicillof at a press conference held at the Ministry in Buenos Aires. In the first five months of the year inflation stands at 13.5%.

• Sunday, June 15th 2014 - 12:20 UTC

  How Much Energy Will the 2014 World Cup Consume?

  

  Along with 3 billion other viewers around the world, I plan to tune in for the month-long World Cup to see whether the 22-year old Neymar can withstand the colossal pressure that has been put upon his shoulders to deliver a win for team Brazil.