Chancellor Angela Merkel, stung by criticism she is cracking the whip of fiscal discipline in Europe, has shown a more caring approach by pledging to fight record youth unemployment on the crisis-hit continent.
Unemployment among the under 25s rose in April to 23.5% within the EU and 24.4% across the Euro area. The rates released by EU statistics office Eurostat show an increase on the same month last year, when youth unemployment reached 22.6% across both zones.
The Organization of American States (OAS), Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, highlighted the important progress made in the region’s democratization in recent decades, but also warned about worrying risks of deconstruction which are creating ‘distinct categories of citizens’ particularly in terms of access and quality to basic services such as education, health and security.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos on Friday dismissed as preposterous Venezuelan charges that his government is backing a conspiracy to destabilize the leftist-ruled neighbor.
Gibraltar veteran Minister Joe Bossano launched a scathing attack on to the record of the UN Committee of Decolonization or C24 claiming it is consistently falling to do the work it is tasked with: decolonising the territories on its list.
On Friday afternoon there was a holiday atmosphere in Gibraltar as most people took to the streets celebrate the Gibraltar Football Association's success in gaining admission to UEFA.
Calling tobacco use the deadliest global pandemic ever, Uruguay’s former President Tabaré Vázquez urged decision makers to step up efforts to curb smoking in Latin America and the Caribbean.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden encouraged Brazil to open its economy further to keep up with free trade trends worldwide during a visit aimed at boosting business between the two largest economies in the Americas.
Caracas is furious over a Wednesday meeting between Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elías Jaua told state television the meeting “will bring a derailment of the good relations that we have” while Parliament Speaker Diosdado Cabello compared the meeting to placing a bomb on the train.
Brazil's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday to 8% from 7.5%, as part of an effort to battle high inflation in an economy that keeps struggling with slow growth.