Politics

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:47 UTC

  Toronto G-20: Germany’s Merkel emphasizes “mutual understanding” with US

  

  Germany's Chancellor has insisted that Europe's leaders are making good progress in talks with the US about how to bolster fragile economic growth. Angela Merkel told journalists at the G8 summit in Canada there was “mutual understanding” with President Obama over deficit reduction plans. Leaders are attending summits of the G8 and G20 groups of leading states.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:36 UTC

  Plain and clear: the Kirchner couple planning for the next ten years

  

  Former president Nestor Kirchner said Argentina needs a “strategic project for the next ten years” and forecasted that investors will arrive knowing the country has an established proven development model.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:32 UTC

  Ecuador removed from list of countries that do not combat money-laundering

  

  Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said on Friday his country had been removed from an international blacklist of countries who fail to comply with standards against money-laundering and terrorism financing.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:27 UTC

  Timnerman underlines Beijing’s support in UN Falklands’ presentation

  

  Argentina’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman said that China expressed “strong support” for Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falklands and other South Atlantic islands, but was disappointed by the bias coverage of the Buenos Aires press.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:16 UTC

  “China playing games” with the announced Yuan flexibility, says Krugman

  

  Nobel laureate Paul Krugman said China’s pledge to make the Yuan more flexible was an “exercise in bad faith” intended to fend off international pressure for a stronger currency at this week’s Group of 20 leaders’ summit.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 05:13 UTC

  China says there is no basis for major appreciation of the Yuan or raising rates

  

  Top Chinese financial officials defended the country’s current economic policy and stated there was no need for a major appreciation of the currency or an increase in interest rates since inflation was declining.

• Saturday, June 26th 2010 - 04:42 UTC

  Lula da Silva skips G20 because of floods and presidential election

  

  Brazilian President Lula da Silva has cancelled plans to attend the G-20 economic summit in Toronto, Canada after flooding in the northeast of the country left at least 51 people dead and 120,000 others homeless.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 05:38 UTC

  Venezuela plans to nationalize a fleet of oil rigs from US corporation

  

  Venezuela will nationalize a fleet of oil rigs belonging to US Company Helmerich and Payne, the latest takeover in a push to XXI century Socialism announced President Hugo Chávez as he struggles with lower oil output and a recession.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 05:34 UTC

  Timerman begins round of regional visits next Tuesday in Montevideo

  

  Argentina’s newly appointed Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman begins next Tuesday a round of regional contacts which will take him to Uruguay, Brazil and Chile.

• Friday, June 25th 2010 - 05:17 UTC

  Brazil and Argentina advance in solving bilateral trade issues

  

  Brazil and Argentina made significant advances in outstanding bilateral trade issues following a joint meeting Thursday between top policy makers, Brazilian Finance Minister Guido Mantega told reporters.