Politics

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 02:51 UTC

  The Taiwan Relations Act at 30: Enduring Framework or Accidental Success?

  

  Despite its pragmatic origin, ambiguous nature and transitory design, a unique piece of legislation has guided US-Taiwan relations for longer than many ever anticipated. By Vincent Wei-cheng Wang*

• Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 01:16 UTC

  Mafia chief who inspired “The French Connection” dies in Argentina

  

  François Chiappe, the fearsome Corsican capo-mafia who inspired the famous film “The French Connection” in 1971 died in a geriatric home in the Argentine province of Cordoba last February, according to reports in the Sunday press.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:47 UTC

  Summit of the Americas, “test of intelligence and shame” says Fidel Castro

  

  Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday Cuba had no desire to rejoin the “infamous” and “vile” decadent Organization of American States, and said the coming Summit of the Americas next week end in Trinidad Tobago will be “a test of intelligence and shame”.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:46 UTC

  Paraguay bishops ask “forgiveness for the sins of church members”

  

  Paraguay’s influential Catholic Church Episcopal Conference, CEP asked Tuesday in an official release “forgiveness for all the sins of the members of the Church” in direct reference, --but without mentioning a word--, to President Fernando Lugo’s confession of fathering a child while he was Catholic bishop.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:45 UTC

  Lower House approves Brazil’s Sovereign Wealth Fund

  

  Brazil’s Congress Lower House approved on Tuesday night approved legislation making an existing Sovereign Wealth Fund into a permanent fixture. The Chamber of Deputies voted 274-102 to approve a government bill making the fund permanent and approving an initial total for it of 14.2 billion Brazilian Reales, approximately 6.5 billion US dollars.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 08:54 UTC

  Paraguayan president gives his name to love-child

  

  The mother of the two year old child fathered by Paraguayan president Fernando Lugo confirmed she had desisted of the demand following the former Catholic bishop paternity admission and promise to give him his name.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 08:53 UTC

  Peruvian government firm on its anti insurgency policy

  

  The Peruvian government defended its offensive against the remnants of the once-powerful insurgency “Shinning Path” as armed forces searched for a soldier reported missing following rebel ambushes that killed more than a dozen people last week.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 08:48 UTC

  Obama leaves for Mexico and prepares for regional summit test

  

  United States President Barack Obama heads to Mexico Thursday and then continues on to Trinidad and Tobago for the fifth Summit of the Americas. Security concerns along the US-Mexico border are expected to top Mr. Obama's discussions with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, while the summit provides an opportunity to reinvigorate the US hemispheric ties and forge a regional response to the global economic downturn, according to a Voice of America report.

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 08:40 UTC

  Bolivia opens three indigenous universities

  

  The Bolivian government has opened three indigenous universities for Aymaras, Quechuas and Guaranis, and they will be linked to social movements, Education Minister Roberto Aguilar said

• Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 05:57 UTC

  Political agreement in Bolivia ends Morales hunger-strike

  

  President Evo Morales has ended a five days long hunger strike after Bolivia's congress approved a new electoral law that grants more voting power to his electoral turf and allows him to run for a second term five-year term next December.