Politics

• Friday, May 13th 2011 - 00:54 UTC

  US farmers lobby strongly for FTA, which could generate 22.500 jobs

  

  The inability of the United States Congress and the administration to move three stalled free trade agreements is hurting US economic growth, testified American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman before the House Agriculture Committee.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 22:18 UTC

  Mercosur institutionalization and image lifting, High Commissioner targets

  

  Institutionalization of Mercosur and changing its public opinion image are the main issues Brazil’s Samuel Pinheiro Guimaraes plans to address, at his new post of Mercosur High Representative-General since February.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 20:22 UTC

  Killing of bank guard unveils Uruguay’s dilemma with expanding insecurity

  

  Activities in Uruguay’s private bank branches were partially altered Thursday following the killing earlier in the week of a security guard during a robbery attempt. This was the seventh bank robbery since the beginning of the year and triggered a controversy between the banks and the Ministry of Interior.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 20:05 UTC

  Italy’s Draghi receives support from Angela Merkel as next ECB president

  

  German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed support for Italy’s Mario Draghi as the next president of the European Central Bank, removing the final obstacle to his appointment to Europe’s top monetary post.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 18:32 UTC

  Brazilian president promises land reform and distribution for family settlers

  

  Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff claimed that land reform was needed to eradicate poverty, avoid overcrowding in urban areas and as a matter of justice for the long delayed distribution of land.“

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 16:41 UTC

  Mercosur largest economies ‘inconveniences’ delaying trade accord with EU

  

  The existence of ‘inconveniences’ with Mercosur largest economies is delaying reaching a trade agreement with the European Union, according to Germany’s Ambassador before the government of Paraguay, Claude Robert Ellner.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 15:56 UTC

  Falklands’ pilgrimage of HMS Fearless veterans to honor fallen comrades

  

  Ten veterans of HMS Fearless, deployed as part of Operation Corporate during the 1982 Falklands conflict, were reunited on a pilgrimage to the Falklands this week.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:52 UTC

  Controversial questions on Ecuadorian referendum falling short of approval

  

  The latest official data from Ecuador's referendum vote shows a slim margin in favor of the 'No' vote on two of the most controversial questions which relate to the judicial system and the media. Critics say the questions seek to curb press freedom and judicial independence.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:46 UTC

  Pilots linked to Argentina’s “death flights” and killing of French nuns arrested

  

  Three former Argentine Coast Guard officers, a former sailor and a solicitor were arrested this week on charges of involvement in the so called ‘death flights’ and the killing of a French-born nun and four other women during the 1976-1983 military dictatorship, according to a federal court report.

• Thursday, May 12th 2011 - 06:28 UTC

  Cuban blacks and mulattos the main victims of Raul Castro’s reforms

  

  Cuban blacks and mulattos will suffer the most with the elimination of a million government jobs, which could easily become a racial problem, consequence of the radical reforms imposed, and ‘must be addressed as a priority’, points out a report from Cuban academic Esteban Morales.