Politics

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 10:52 UTC

  UK and France work together for a world-wide arms trade treaty

  

  The United Kingdom and France launched on Wednesday, Armistice Day, the idea of the need to negotiate a world-wide Arms Trade Treaty. Foreign Secretary David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner wrote a joint article on the subject published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 10:47 UTC

  UK offers military land in Cyprus to help seal reunification deal

  

  Britain has offered to give up half of the land occupied by its sovereign military bases in Cyprus if the divided island's leaders can seal a reunification deal. In an attempt to show they are serious about supporting a solution to the protracted Cyprus problem, Britain has renewed an offer to cede about half the territory of its bases in Cyprus.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 10:30 UTC

  Argentine church calls government to improve “social cohesion and bring peace”

  

  The Argentine Catholic Church called Wednesday on the government to improve “social cohesion and bring peace” to Argentines. At a conference headed by Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to mark the 25th anniversary of a peace treaty between Argentina and Chile mediated by Pope John Paul II, the cardinal claimed the government “has the obligation to resolve all its controversies by the use of peaceful methods.”

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 09:29 UTC

  Argentine government monthly report: “signs of slow recovery”

  

  Argentina’s cabinet chief Aníbal Fernández reported there were signs of “a slow recovery” in the economy, during his monthly address to the Congress. “The usual soothsayers were wrong in their predictions,” he said, claiming that GDP fell less abruptly in Argentina than in Peru, Chile or even Brazil.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 06:56 UTC

  Brazilian mini-skirt student rejects offer to pose for Playboy

  

  The Brazilian edition of Playboy is interested in having the 20 year college student Geisy Arruda who sparked national commotion with her miniskirts, as girl of the month. Geidy was first expelled from the university and attacked by fellow students because of her “provocative attitudes” but had to be later readmitted.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 06:37 UTC

  Brazil can’t explain the four hours massive blackout

  

  The world’s largest operational hydroelectric dam, Itaipú which on Tuesday caused a four hours blackout in 16 of Brazil’s 27 states and most of Paraguay was back in full production early morning Wednesday but authorities have so far remained silent about the causes of the major turnoff.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 06:29 UTC

  Buenos Aires clogged and in chaos under picket rule

  

  Thousands of Argentine unemployed turned to the streets of Buenos Aires blocking streets in demand for government subsidies generating a massive traffic chaos for the second day running. On Tuesday it was the underground workers that walked out leaving literally millions stranded in Argentina’s capital as the political and social climate dangerously escalates.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 06:26 UTC

  Paraguay “assessing” its support for Venezuela’s Mercosur admission

  

  Paraguayan Foreign Affairs minister Hector Lacognata described as extremely worrying the escalating “bellicose speech” of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez and admitted Paraguay could review its stand in support of that country’s Mercosur admission “if he persists in calling to prepare for war”.

• Thursday, November 12th 2009 - 05:54 UTC

  Brazilian Senate suspends vote on Venezuela’s Mercosur admission

  

  The Brazilian Senate agreed to postpone a full house vote on the admission of Venezuela to Mercosur given the “strained climate” generated by President Hugo Chavez who alerted his people of a “possible” war with Colombia.

• Wednesday, November 11th 2009 - 11:54 UTC

  Book crudely exposes Kirchner’s tactics to remain in power

  

  The Landlord (El Dueño) is the title of the latest book released in Argentina which tells the story of how a shy and humiliated adolescent manages to become the richest, most powerful and vindictive president of Argentina, according to the internet site Hipercritico.com which belongs to the author of the book Luis Majul.