Politics

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 01:53 UTC

  Asia needs to double food production in the next decades warns FAO

  

  Philippines-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is encouraging developing economies in Asia and Pacific to boost their investment in the agriculture sector to address the widespread hunger and cushion billions of people from future spikes in food prices.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 01:44 UTC

  Cuba promises to the Catholic Church the liberation of 52 political prisoners

  

  Cuba is to liberate 52 political prisoners, of the group of 75 that were condemned in 2003, who would be able to leave the country, the Cuban Catholic Church informed Wednesday in an official communiqué.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 01:37 UTC

  “Democratic clause” to be included in Unasur constitution, said Kirchner

  

  The Union of South American Nations, (UNASUR), Secretary General Nestor Kirchner ended Wednesday a two-day visit to Chile where he met with President Sebastian Piñera and congressional leaders to lobby for the approval of the regional group’s charter.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 01:34 UTC

  Correa and Chavez friendlier towards Colombian president-elect Santos

  

  Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos has invited Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez to attend his inauguration in August, local media reported in a possible sign of warming ties between the neighbours.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 07:16 UTC

  The toughest Brazilian presidential campaign in decades takes off

  

  Brazil officially launched Tuesday the campaign for October presidential election which begins with a polarized scenario and the two main candidates, incumbent Dilma Rousseff and opposition hopeful Jose Sierra virtually even in vote intention according to the latest public opinion polls.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 07:07 UTC

  Argentina downplays protest involving Chilean students Falklands’ visit

  

  The Argentine consul in Punta Arenas downplayed the alleged repercussions of the recent trip of eight Chilean students to the Falkland Islands allegedly in the framework of a “written understanding” between the extreme south Chilean city council and Falklands authorities.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 06:58 UTC

  Uruguay concerned with Argentine ‘naval harassment’ in South Atlantic international waters

  

  Uruguayan merchant and naval shipping is under continuous harassment from the Argentine Navy in South Atlantic international waters, a new chapter of the difficult relations between the neighbouring countries, reports Montevideo’s main daily El Pais, quoting undisclosed Parliament sources.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 06:50 UTC

  Mrs. Kirchner to Beijing to mend trade relations with China

  

  Argentine president Cristina Kirchner will be signing 10 billion US dollars in trade agreements with China during her official visit to the Asian giant scheduled to begin next July 13, according to Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 06:42 UTC

  Moreno re-elected president of the Inter American Development Bank

  

  Luis Alberto Moreno was re-elected president of the Inter-American Development Bank today during a special meeting of the IDB Board of Governors at the Bank’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

• Wednesday, July 7th 2010 - 06:38 UTC

  Unasur will be the “political complement which is missing with Mercosur”

  

  Unasur (Union of South American Nations) Secretary General Nestor Kirchner said on Tuesday that the regional block will become “the political complement which is missing with Mercosur”.