Politics

Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 07:23 UTC
Brazil calls for conclusion of EU/Mercosur trade talks and warns about cheap imports

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff said it was urgent for Mercosur/European Union trade negotiations to conclude although also emphasizing the need to promote and intensive South/South relations, but warning that some outer region countries are intent in “sending us what they can’t sell in developed countries”.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 06:58 UTC
IMF urges a political agreement on the US federal debt ceiling

Failure by US lawmakers to agree soon on a deal to raise the government's borrowing limit could deliver a “severe shock” to a still fragile recovery and global markets, the International Monetary Fund warned.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 06:53 UTC
Trade problems between Brazil and Argentina ‘persist’, but can be managed

Trade problems between Mercosur two main partners ‘subsist’, but both sides are optimistic that they can be solved. The revelation in the framework of the Mercosur summit follows weeks of discussions and paralyzing trade, sometimes for weeks at the borders.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 06:50 UTC
Alleged hackers’ attack cancels Argentine senate debate on digital duties

The Argentine Senate had to cancel a debate scheduled for Wednesday to discuss digital duties following an alleged hackers attack. The bill looks to apply a new tax to the manufacturing of digital media players, whose earnings would go to writers and music composers.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 06:40 UTC
Falklands/Malvinas: Mercosur supports Argentina; rejects UK Defence minister words

The Mercosur presidential summit unanimously supported Argentina’s legitimate sovereignty rights over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands and strongly rejected “regrettable statements” from British Defence Secretary Liam Fox regarding the use of force.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 01:10 UTC
Chavez health mystery increases as major summit and celebrations are suspended

Venezuela has suspended a regional summit scheduled for 5 July, --which also coincides with the 200th anniversary of the country’s independence--, amid continuing speculation over the state of health of President Hugo Chavez.
Thursday, June 30th 2011 - 00:28 UTC
Mercosur wants Bolivia and Ecuador to become full members

Mercosur plans to begin negotiations with associate members Bolivia and Ecuador to make them full members, said Brazilian Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota during Wednesday’s presidential summit in Paraguay.
Wednesday, June 29th 2011 - 22:48 UTC
Falkland Islands well defended and world opinion tide is on ‘our favour’, says MLA Sawle

The Falklands are well defended, much better than in 1982, and the international opinion tide is turning “on our favour” said Dick Sawle, elected member of the Falklands’ Legislative Assembly recently back from a round of political contacts in New York and Washington.
Wednesday, June 29th 2011 - 16:42 UTC
Greek parliament approves austerity measures, preventing first Euro zone default

Greece's parliament approved early Wednesday deeply unpopular austerity measures despite worsening violence, in a vote vital toward securing international funds and preventing the Euro zone's first sovereign default.
Wednesday, June 29th 2011 - 16:26 UTC
US latest wars have cost the Treasury 4.4 trillion USD, says academic report

United States President Barack Obama cited cost as a reason to bring troops home from Afghanistan and referred to a one trillion US dollars price tag for US wars. The figure grossly underestimates the total cost of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the US Treasury and ignores more imposing costs yet to come, according to a study released Wednesday.