Politics

• Thursday, February 3rd 2011 - 01:50 UTC

  Spain celebrates 20th anniversary of Cervantes Institute in 44 countries

  

  Spain’s Cervantes Institute to promote Spanish language and culture is marking its 20th anniversary with more than 6,500 activities at the 77 centres is has opened in 44 countries and among this year’s plans is the inauguration of a centre in Gibraltar.

• Thursday, February 3rd 2011 - 01:45 UTC

  Catholic Church admits values of Liberation theology, “free of ideological influences”

  

  The values of the Liberation Theology remain valid but the task of decoupling the option for the poor from ideological influences remains incomplete, said Brazilian Archbishop Joao Braz de Aviz of Brasilia, head of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 21:23 UTC

  Uruguay will officially recognize a Palestinian state next March

  

  Uruguay will officially recognize a Palestinian sovereign state next March but will not announce position regarding borders said Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro addressing the Legislative standing committee.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 16:43 UTC

  Suriname recognizes a Palestinian state on 1967 borders

  

  The Republic of Suriname on Tuesday became the latest South American country to officially recognize a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, Palestinian Authority Foreign Affairs Minister Riad Al-Malki said.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 16:39 UTC

  ‘Lex Duvalier’ enables Switzerland to confiscate and repatriate illicit dictator assets

  

  Switzerland has moved to confiscate frozen assets linked to former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier. The Swiss cabinet asked Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to begin proceedings to seize around 6.2 million US dollars that has been frozen in Swiss bank accounts since 1986, with a view to returning the funds to the Haitian people.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 14:30 UTC

  Castro tells bureaucrats to end waste, improvisation and listen to people’s concerns

  

  President Raul Castro called on the Cuban government to eliminate waste and provide more efficient and improved quality services while keeping “feet and ears on the ground” to closely listen to Cubans concerns regarding the economic reforms recently put into practice.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 14:24 UTC

  Egypt triggers debate in the US on an internet “switch off” bill

  

  While Egypt's government attempted to crackdown on street protests by shutting down internet and mobile phone services, United States is preparing to reintroduce a bill that could be used to shut down the internet.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 07:06 UTC

  Argentina declares compulsory conciliation to end crippling strike at export ports

  

  Argentina's government has ordered unions to suspend a week-old strike at leading grains ports for a 15-day period to hold talks with company bosses, a Labour Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 07:00 UTC

  Obama message to Mubarak: orderly political transition “must begin now”

  

  US President Barack Obama has said an orderly political transition “must begin now” in Egypt and lead to free and fair elections. His statement followed the announcement by Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak that he would not stand for re-election.

• Wednesday, February 2nd 2011 - 06:56 UTC

  Six candidates to fill the post of FAO Director General

  

  Six candidates have been put forward by member nations of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to succeed Senegalese Jaques Diouf as Director General in elections to be held in June.