Politics

Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 19:56 UTC
Germany and France clash over a greater role for the European Central bank

German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated Thursday her opposition to a greater role for the European Central Bank in helping to solve the Euro zone debt crisis, saying political action was required.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 19:07 UTC
Non-white, the majority population in the ‘racial democracy’ of Brazil

For the first time, non-white people make up the majority of Brazil's population, according to preliminary results of the 2010 census. Out of around 191m Brazilians, 91 million identified themselves as white, 82m as mixed race and 15m as black.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 18:54 UTC
Uruguay is Mexico’s strategic partner in Mercosur says President Calderon

The Mexican president underlined the strategic importance of Uruguay since it is the only Mercosur member that has a free trade agreement with Mexico, thus making it the ‘strategic partner’ of Mexico in Mercosur.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 17:41 UTC
G20 president says Uruguay is no ‘fiscal haven’ and praises transparency commitment

Uruguay received a huge political boost from Mexico (the same it was denied from its Mercosur partners under influence from Argentina) in its dispute with the recent G20 summit which through spokesperson French president Nicholas Sarkozy described Uruguay as a ‘fiscal haven’.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 07:20 UTC
US is all in a “Pacific power”, Obama tells Australia (and China)

President Barack Obama said that the Asia-Pacific region will play a key role in defining the world's future. “The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay,” he stated in a speech to the Australian Parliament, sending a clear message to Beijing.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 07:08 UTC
Mercosur is not moving but Uruguay “will not stay put licking its wounds”

Uruguayan president Jose Mujica said that Mercosur “is not moving forward or backwards” but is certainly working much better than the European Union where old experienced nations “made a mess of it”. Nevertheless, Uruguay will not stay put “licking its wounds”, it will look for other trade links.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 06:52 UTC
US debt soars past 15tn while another political storm is brewing in Congress

The US government's debt load topped the 15 trillion dollars mark Wednesday, as politicians in Congress continued to battle over how to cut spending. Treasury figures showed the burden of federal borrowing reached 15,033,607,255,920.32, up 55.8 billion from Tuesday.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 03:49 UTC
Uruguay denies access to Malvinas-bound Royal Navy vessels to please Argentina

Uruguay had to stand up to a world power and deny dock access to a Royal Navy vessel on its way to the Falklands/Malvinas to retain good relations with Argentina, admitted the Uruguayan President Jose Mujica in Guadalajara where he met with members of the Uruguayan colony in Mexico.
Thursday, November 17th 2011 - 00:40 UTC
New look for Lula da Silva as he undergoes chemotherapy treatment

Brazil's ex-president Lula da Silva got a new look Wednesday, as his wife Marisa Leticia shaved off his iconic beard and his thick head of hair ahead of chemotherapy therapy for throat cancer.
Wednesday, November 16th 2011 - 21:01 UTC
Unhate campaign launches a round of kissing among world leaders

Benetton, the Italian family-controlled clothing empire, looks set to raise a few eyebrows, as it unveiled a new worldwide communication “Unhate” campaign that features political and faith leaders like Pope Benedict XVI, German chancellor Angela Merkel, French president Nicolas Sarkozy, Barack Obama and Hugo Chavez kissing.