Politics

• Thursday, April 8th 2010 - 04:21 UTC

  Brazil and US sign defence cooperation accord next week, first since 1977

  

  Brazil and the United States will sign a defence-cooperation agreement next week, Defence Minister Nelson Jobim said Wednesday. This would be the first major bilateral military cooperation agreement since 1977.

• Thursday, April 8th 2010 - 04:10 UTC

  Chavez announce rainfall in central Venezuela will help reverse energy crisis

  

  Heavy downpours that have swept away two people and flooded homes in central Venezuela were hailed by President Hugo Chavez as an early start to the rainy season that may mark the end of an extended electricity crisis.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 23:57 UTC

  US federal judge rules in favour of Argentine sovereign bonds “holdouts”

  

  A United States federal judge ruled in favour of seizing 105 million US dollars from the Argentine Central Bank deposits in New York in order to pay the debt the country holds with two investment funds.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 23:40 UTC

  Bernanke warns US economy still faces ailing housing and employment

  

  United States Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke cautioned the US economy still faces significant headwinds, including a housing sector that has yet to recover convincingly and an ailing employment market.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 22:34 UTC

  Vatican State Secretary visits Chile in support of quake victims

  

  The secretary of Vatican State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone arrived in Chile this week for an extended visit which includes a meeting with President Sebastian Piñera.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 21:02 UTC

  Bolivia and Brazil discuss energy and exploitation of strategic minerals

  

  Bolivia and Brazil are considering a vast joint investment program to industrialize natural gas and for the exploitation of strategic minerals in the salt plains of the land-locked Andean country.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 20:59 UTC

  President Uribe warns an “arms race” could be “hugely damaging” for Latam

  

  Colombian President Alvaro Uribe spoke out against the danger of entering into an “arms race” that could be “hugely damaging,” following news that Russia may sell 5 billion US dollars of weapons to Venezuela, reports the Colombian press.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 20:56 UTC

  World Economic Forum on Latin America demonstrates confidence in Colombia

  

  Colombian Trade Minister Luis Guillermo Plata said that the World Economic Forum on Latin America (WEF), which was inaugurated by President Alvaro Uribe in the coastal city of Cartagena, demonstrates “confidence” in Colombia as an investment destination.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 05:46 UTC

  Re-editing a “civilization experiment” involving Chile, England and Falklands

  

  The story of an indigenous boy from the extreme south of Chile captured and taken to England, and who years later faced trial in Falklands, plays out this week in a Santiago theatre.

• Wednesday, April 7th 2010 - 02:48 UTC

  Mrs. Kirchner promises a laptop to each high school student

  

  Following on Uruguay’s successful experience, the Argentine government announced this week the distribution of three million laptops in government high schools.