Politics

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:14 UTC

  Mercosur is stalled: nobody comes knocking on the door, says Mujica

  

  Uruguay's President José Mujica said that Mercosur bloc is “stalled” and has no natural institutional operation to push other countries to express their willingness to enter it plus lacking the fluidity of a natural relationship.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:05 UTC

  Argentine organized labour on the war path anticipates ‘many conflicts’ in salary negotiations round

  

  Argentine organized labour, CGT, sent over the week end strong messages to the government of President Cristina Fernandez a day after their leader Hugo Moyano in a comeback speech called government official pre-programmed ‘teacher’s pets” and anticipated a complicated round of salary negotiation with many ‘possible conflicts’.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 07:03 UTC

  Merkel under pressure on the Euro from allies and her conservative coalition

  

  Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to deflect growing international pressure on Germany to agree an increase in the Euro zone's bailout funds by saying talks were still continuing.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 06:57 UTC

  Violent clashes and massive arrests in California; big battle expected Monday in Washington DC

  

  In the best Latin American or European tradition more than 400 anti-Wall Street protesters were arrested in Oakland during a night of violent skirmishes in which police fired tear gas and bean bag projectiles, the city said on Sunday, marking one of the biggest mass arrests since nationwide economic protests began last year.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 06:36 UTC

  Raul Castro’s political reforms remain an announcement

  

  President Raul Castro defended Cuba's one-party political system as a bulwark against US imperialism and said it would remain as it is in a speech on Sunday to a Communist Party conference.

• Monday, January 30th 2012 - 06:25 UTC

  Contruction of St Helena airport begins next May, should be ready in 48 months

  

  The Argentina press announced on Sunday the construction of an airport in the middle of the Atlantic Island of St Helena, a British Overseas Territory and which would become a crucial hopping point for the Falklands/UK air bridge.

• Saturday, January 28th 2012 - 09:35 UTC

  Costa Concordia company offers 11.000 Euros compensation for each passenger

  

  Several of Italy's consumer groups signed an agreement with Costa Cruises to offer about 11,000 Euros to each of the more than 3,000 passengers aboard the Costa Concordia when it hit a rock and capsized near the Italian island of Giglio on January 13, a statement from the consumer groups said.

• Saturday, January 28th 2012 - 07:26 UTC

  Maximo Kirchner, the ‘favourite son’ with ever growing influence in her mother’s administration

  

  The French newspaper Le Monde dedicated last week ample coverage to the son of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, Maximo Kirchner, 34, who has a growing influence in her mother’s administration given his double condition as ‘favourite son’ and leader of a youth group La Campora which he founded and is moving full steam ahead.

• Saturday, January 28th 2012 - 07:09 UTC

  UK praises naming of Argentine ambassador to London, calls for “strengthened cooperation”

  

  The British government acknowledged on Friday the naming of the new Argentine ambassador to the United Kingdom, and stated that they hoped the coverage of the long-vacant position will permit “the strengthening of cooperation” between the two countries.

• Friday, January 27th 2012 - 11:44 UTC

  US was aware of Argentine military “systematic plan to steal babies born in captivity”

  

  The administration of US President Ronald Reagan was aware of the “planned” stealing of babies born in captivity from jailed political prisoners, during the Argentine military dictatorship (1976/1983), since there was a “clear decision” to hand them to families considered faithful and reliable to the regime, said a former top US official.