Politics

• Wednesday, September 26th 2012 - 00:07 UTC

  China’s first aircraft carrier enters into service, “a cause for patriotic passion”

  

  China's first aircraft carrier has entered into service, the defence ministry announced. The 300 meters Liaoning - named after the province where it was refitted - is a refurbished Soviet ship purchased from Ukraine (ex Varyag).

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 23:17 UTC

  Ambassador Argüello praises “best US/Argentina trade relationship in 200 years”

  

  Argentine ambassador in the United States Jorge Argüello assured that Argentina and the US “are having the best trade relationship in almost 200 years of bilateral relations” and said that “they’ve never had a trade volume similar to the one reached this year, which left a 13 billion dollar surplus.”

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 23:12 UTC

  Lavagna tells Kirchnerites to stop clapping and give true picture of the Argentine economy

  

  Argentine former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna considered the “economic model” led by President Cristina Fernandez administration is entering “a clear downfall” and slammed Kirchnerite politicians, unionists and businessmen “for, out of fear, clapping at political rallies instead of saying what they really believe about the economy”.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 15:01 UTC

  Human Rights Court tells Peru to annul ruling favouring ex-president Fujimori

  

  Inter-American Court of Human Rights told Peru on Monday to annul a ruling by its Supreme Court that could have paved the way for an early release of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 14:49 UTC

  Welsh church hand 150-year historic bell to Chilean fire-fighters

  

  Chilean fire-fighters formed a guard of honour at a south Wales church as a historic bell was handed over at a ceremony. The bell was one of several removed and taken to Wales after being salvaged from a 19th Century fire which killed 2,500 people at a church in Chile.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 08:11 UTC

  At least 21.9% of Argentines poor, according to the Catholic University

  

  Poverty in Argentina is at least three times the official figure presented by the controversial government stats office, Indec, if the criteria and methodology applied by the Argentine Catholic University Social Debt Barometer are taken into account.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 08:05 UTC

  Four Uruguayan marines charged for abusing an 18-year old boy in Haiti

  

  Four Uruguayan marines have been charged on suspicion that they abused a young man while serving as United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti. The four men were charged with “private violence” against 18-year-old Johnny Jean, who says he was raped last year.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 04:17 UTC

  Billionaire Soros meets Cristina Fernandez and exchange ideas of world affairs

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández met on Monday with billionaire investor George Soros at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York, before her speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The meeting was held on an “open agenda” and lasted for an hour.

• Tuesday, September 25th 2012 - 01:03 UTC

  Franco and Rajoy meet to discuss Ibero-American summit non-invitation to Paraguay

  

  Paraguayan president Federico Franco and Spain’s Mariano Rajoy are scheduled to meet on Tuesday at the United Nations building to talk about bilateral issues and the coming Ibero-American summit in Cadiz, next November 16/17 which has become a highly controversial issue.

• Monday, September 24th 2012 - 23:41 UTC

  Ecuador’s Correa and El Salvador’ Funes, leaders with the highest approval-rate

  

  Ecuador’s Rafael Correa and El Salvador Mauricio Funes have the highest approval ratings with 80% and 72% among presidents of the Americas, according to a report from Consulta Mitofsky. At the other extreme stand Sebastian Piñera from Chile, Laura Chinchilla from Costa Rica and Paraguayan Federico Franco with the lowest support.