Politics

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 10:01 UTC

  Colombian guerrilla kill 13-year old girl for twice abandoning the group

  

  A commander from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, FARC, in the southern province of Tolima ordered the execution of a 13-year-old girl who had been turned over to the guerrillas by her mother on two occasions, an army spokesman said.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 09:43 UTC

  Rousseff takes distance from ruling party’s intent to control the Brazilian media

  

  The Brazilian government took distance from the ruling Workers Party demand for an urgent implementation of a controversial media bill, arguing the issue was not urgent.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 09:37 UTC

  Republicans say Obama 450bn jobs plan proposals “merit consideration”

  

  President Barack Obama urged Thursday evening a joint session of the US Congress to end what he calls the “political circus” in Washington, and move rapidly to approve job creation legislation he is sending to Capitol Hill. There was no official rebuttal from the opposition Republicans.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 09:30 UTC

  Peruvian families to take compensation claim for Machu Picchu to Unesco

  

  Two Peruvian families who say the government never paid them compensation for the expropriation of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and surrounding lands plan to take their complaint to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 09:28 UTC

  Venezuela television interviews Fidel Castro, tells Miami “he’s alive and ticking”

  

  Fidel Castro has broken a long silence by granting an interview to a Venezuelan television station, his first since rumors began to spread that the former Cuban leader might be sick or near death. A top Cuban official said Thursday that Fidel is in good health.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 03:35 UTC

  Uruguayan marines in Haiti involved in ‘misconduct’; no evidence of sexual abuse

  

  Three independent investigations in Haiti following the claim of an alleged sexual abuse against a local by five Uruguayan marines from the UN peacekeeping force coincide in that there was “misconduct” of the involved, but no crime was committed.

• Friday, September 9th 2011 - 02:24 UTC

  Haiti UN peacekeeping force led by Brazil will begin gradual pullout

  

  Brazil's Defense minister said on Thursday that Haiti's peacekeeping force of 12,000 soldiers and police, known as MINUSTAH, will begin a gradual withdrawal aimed at turning security over to the Haitians, but not imperiling the stability achieved.

• Thursday, September 8th 2011 - 21:21 UTC

  Commonwealth Youth Games open with Falklands proudly flying the flag

  

  In a stunning display, the Commonwealth Youth Games opened in Douglas on the Isle of Man Thursday.

• Thursday, September 8th 2011 - 16:07 UTC

  Argentina military approve first gay officers marriage; second couple waiting

  

  An Argentine Lieutenant colonel and an Army captain will become the first gay military couple to marry since Argentina legalized such unions last year.

• Thursday, September 8th 2011 - 05:58 UTC

  Italy and Spain pass austerity measures to control budgets and debts

  

  Italy and Spain have passed new austerity measures as they battle to control their debts. Italy's upper house of parliament approved an austerity package which should cut its deficit by some 54 billion Euros over three years.