Politics

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 20:05 UTC

  Italy’s Draghi receives support from Angela Merkel as next ECB president

  

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed support for Italy’s Mario Draghi as the next president of the European Central Bank, removing the final obstacle to his appointment to Europe’s top monetary post.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 18:32 UTC

  Brazilian president promises land reform and distribution for family settlers

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff claimed that land reform was needed to eradicate poverty, avoid overcrowding in urban areas and as a matter of justice for the long delayed distribution of land.“

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 16:41 UTC

  Mercosur largest economies ‘inconveniences’ delaying trade accord with EU

  

  The existence of ‘inconveniences’ with Mercosur largest economies is delaying reaching a trade agreement with the European Union, according to Germany’s Ambassador before the government of Paraguay, Claude Robert Ellner.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 15:56 UTC

  Falklands’ pilgrimage of HMS Fearless veterans to honor fallen comrades

  

  Ten veterans of HMS Fearless, deployed as part of Operation Corporate during the 1982 Falklands conflict, were reunited on a pilgrimage to the Falklands this week.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:52 UTC

  Controversial questions on Ecuadorian referendum falling short of approval

  

  The latest official data from Ecuador's referendum vote shows a slim margin in favor of the 'No' vote on two of the most controversial questions which relate to the judicial system and the media. Critics say the questions seek to curb press freedom and judicial independence.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:46 UTC

  Pilots linked to Argentina’s “death flights” and killing of French nuns arrested

  

  Three former Argentine Coast Guard officers, a former sailor and a solicitor were arrested this week on charges of involvement in the so called ‘death flights’ and the killing of a French-born nun and four other women during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship, according to a federal court report.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:28 UTC

  Cuban blacks and mulattos the main victims of Raul Castro’s reforms

  

  Cuban blacks and mulattos will suffer the most with the elimination of a million government jobs, which could easily become a racial problem, consequence of the radical reforms imposed, and ‘must be addressed as a priority’, points out a report from Cuban academic Esteban Morales.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:09 UTC

  World Cups 2018/2022 corruption claims widens; FIFA asks for evidence

  

  FIFA has requested evidence from England's Football Association following claims from its former chairman of corruption by four top-level members of world soccer's governing body.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 05:34 UTC

  UK/France ratify Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty

  

  UK Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox played host on Tuesday to his French counterpart in London to exchange the ratified Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty between the two countries.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 01:05 UTC

  Argentine organized labour ignores CFK, blames corporate world for ‘conflicts’

  

  Argentine organized labour blamed “businessmen in the corporate world” for the level of labour conflict in the country and demanded “more responsibility”. The statement follows on President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner Tuesday’s suggestion that the umbrella union organization, CGT, should lower their levels of confrontation.