Politics

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 07:25 UTC

  Assange remanded in custody; Wikileaks promises to continue publishing material

  

  The founder of whistle-blowing website Wikileaks, Julian Assange, has been refused bail by a court in London but vowed to fight extradition to Sweden. Mr Assange denies sexually assaulting two women in Sweden. He was remanded in custody pending a hearing next week.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 07:19 UTC

  Obama defends tax deal with Republicans: “real money for real people”

  

  President Barack Obama said on Tuesday the tentative tax deal he struck with Republicans is a good deal for the American people and a long political fight over tax cuts would have been bad for the US economy.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 05:10 UTC

  US and Israel criticize Mercosur members’ recognition of the state of Palestine

  

  United States disapproved of the recognition of a Palestine state from the part of several Latin American countries, saying that direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians are still “the only way” to reach peace in the Middle East.

• Wednesday, December 8th 2010 - 04:56 UTC

  IMF criticizes Europe’s disjointed response to the Euro debt crisis

  

  The head of the International Monetary Fund criticized Europe's disjointed response to the Euro zone debt crisis after Germany and other states resisted his calls for bolder action.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 20:26 UTC

  Paraguay will not attend Mercosur summit if Argentina doesn’t lift fluvial blockade

  

  Landlocked Paraguay has called on Argentina to put an end to the blockade of Paraguayan maritime agencies which has virtually cut the country’s foreign trade. Paraguayan Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata also revealed that if the month-long issue is not solved in the next few days, “Paraguay will be absent from the coming Mercosur summit December 15”.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 19:33 UTC

  Brazil’s multi-billion jet fighter purchase will be decided by Dilma Rousseff

  

  Brazilian President Lula da Silva has said he will not make a decision on a multi-billion-dollar jet fighter purchase before stepping down on January 1, state media reported.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 18:50 UTC

  HSBC sued 9 billion USD by Maddoff’s investment liquidation trustee

  

  The trustee for the liquidation of Bernard Madoff's investment firm is suing HSBC for 9 billion USD. Irving Picard, who is seeking to recover funds on behalf of Madoff's victims, is alleging 24 counts of fraud and misconduct against the bank.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 18:38 UTC

  EU ministers agree food labelling with nutritional content shown on packaging

  

  European Union Health and Consumption ministers have agreed rules that will require the nutritional content of food to be shown on packaging.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 17:08 UTC

  European countries can’t influence UK Falklands’ decisions, admits Spain

  

  In spite of the fact that the Ibero-American leaders’ summit last weekend in Mar del Plata approved a document in support of Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas and other South Atlantic islands, Spain admitted European countries can not influence London’s decisions.

• Tuesday, December 7th 2010 - 08:36 UTC

  Chavez wins regional elections but loses second most populated city, Maracaibo

  

  Candidates from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s party PSUV won seven municipalities and one state in regional polls, the populist socialist leader’s first test since suffering a setback in September legislative elections, state television reported.