Politics

Monday, February 18th 2013 - 15:44 UTC
Chavez in Caracas military hospital; presidential oath ceremony expected

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is resting in Caracas military hospital after his Monday early dawn return from Cuba where he spent ten weeks recuperating from cancer surgery. However contrary to other occasions no video or pictures were shown and officials confirmed he has a tracheal tube which limits speech.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:55 UTC
Correa wins re-election by a landslide turning him into indisputable regional leader

President Rafael Correa swept to a re-election victory on Sunday promising to strengthen state control over Ecuador’s economy and continue using booming oil revenues to build roads, hospitals and schools in rural areas and shanty towns.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:44 UTC
PM Cameron in India to increase trade and after major defence contract

Seeking to build “one of the great partnerships” of the 21st century, British Prime Minister David Cameron begins a three-day official visit to India on Monday during which he will meet his counterpart Manmohan Singh and discuss issues of common interest.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:39 UTC
Scandal-hit Vatican bank tries to make clean start but again stumbles

The Vatican appointed a German lawyer to head its bank, but the bid to turn the fortunes of the scandal-hit institution was clouded by his business links to a military shipbuilder.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:33 UTC
Head of Italy’s main defence firm arrested on allegations of corruption in helicopter sales

The chairman and chief executive of the Italian defence firm Finmeccanica, has formally resigned. Giuseppe Orsi was arrested in Italy this week as part of a corruption investigation involving the sale of helicopters to the Indian government. India has started the process of cancelling the 750m dollars contract.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:23 UTC
Cuba’s best-known dissident with ‘knees trembling’ makes it through Havana airport without incident

Cuba's best-known dissident, blogger Yoani Sánchez checked in without incident at Havana's international airport on Sunday on her way to Brazil, the first stop on an 80-day-tour of a dozen countries. She was sent off with hugs by a small group of family members and friends.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:18 UTC
Mantega anticipates higher interest rate to help keep inflation under control

Brazil’s Finance minister Guido Mantega in Moscow for the G-20 meeting, said that inflation above the government's target raises a yellow flag and that monetary policy, not the exchange rate, is the right tool to control prices.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 06:14 UTC
Brazil deploys elite forces in southern state to contain wave of violent attacks from drug lords

Elite police commando units fanned out across the streets of the Brazilian southern state of Santa Catarina over the weekend in an attempt to contain a wave of violent attacks over the past two weeks.
Monday, February 18th 2013 - 03:50 UTC
The postage stamp war for the Falkland Islands

Albert-Friedrich Gruene of the Falkland Island Philatelic Study Group offers a fascinating insight into Britain and Argentina’s use of the postage stamp over the past 77 years in an illustrated ‘battle’ for the Falklands. The article was published in Penguin News.
Saturday, February 16th 2013 - 21:24 UTC
Human right activists in Uruguay storm the Supreme Court to protest judge’s transfer

The Uruguayan police evicted dozens of protestors that during three hours occupied the seat of the Supreme Court to impede the transfer of a magistrate, closely linked to human rights cases, from the criminal to the civil forum. Magistrate Mariana Mota has dealt with some of Uruguay’s most notorious human rights cases dating back to the twelve years of military dictatorship, (1973/1985).