Politics

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 18:01 UTC

  EU agrees on tougher regulation for hedge funds, in spite of UK objections

  

  European Union finance ministers have agreed to introduce tougher regulation of the hedge fund industry. Ministers overrode objections by the new UK government and the City of London, where 80% of European funds are based.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 18:00 UTC

  Chile and Peru leaders move to improve “rocky” bilateral relations

  

  Chilean President Sebastian Piñera and Peruvian President Alan Garcia Perez met Sunday in the lead up to the European Union, Latin American, and Caribbean Summit in Madrid. The meeting represented a big step forward in improving the current rocky relations between Chile and Peru.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 15:39 UTC

  HMS Scott back in Davenport after six months tour in Antarctica

  

  The Royal Navy survey ship HMS Scott returned to Devonport this week after six months on deployment in the southern hemisphere. The deep-water survey ship deployed on 26 October 2009 replaced stricken HMS Endurance in Ice patrol duties.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 04:57 UTC

  “We must help the US manage its retreat as the only global boss”, says Mujica

  

  “We must help the United States because they are on retreat, and they must manage that retreat”, said Uruguayan president Jose Mujica in an interview with a new Argentine newspaper “Tiempo Argentino” launched last Sunday. This is the first interview of the Uruguayan president to an Argentine daily.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 04:43 UTC

  Brazil is “well prepared” for possible Euro debt crisis spill over

  

  Brazil is well prepared for any negative spillover effects from the EU debt and Euro crisis, although things “could be worse”, according to Brazilian Central Bank president Henrique Meirelles currently in New York.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 04:40 UTC

  Chilean officials reluctant to review poverty definition fearing higher percentages

  

  An international conference held last week in Santiago de Chile by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL) took a hard look at how poverty is defined in Latin America and gave Chileans attending the event an opportunity to sound off about how poverty is measured here.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 04:14 UTC

  Chile/EU agree to improve energy cooperation and increase trade

  

  Within the framework of the European Union/Latam leaders’ summit held in Madrid, the EU and Chile agreed to “improve and strengthen relations,” with a special focus on energy and trade, five years after the launch of the Association Agreement.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 01:20 UTC

  Surprises in the genetic makeup of US Hispanic/Latino populations

  

  A new study from researchers at New York University Langone Medical Center found that the imprint of European colonialism and imperialism is evident in the genetic makeup of today's Hispanic/Latino American populations.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 01:00 UTC

  EU countries divided over extent of agriculture talks with Mercosur

  

  While in Madrid the re-launching of trade European Union/Mercosur trade talks was announced, in Brussels, a meeting of the Agriculture Council showed how sensitive the issue is and how divided EU members are on market access for highly competitive produce from the South American block.

• Tuesday, May 18th 2010 - 00:40 UTC

  HMS Portland on South Atlantic patrol after successful visit in Brazil

  

  HMS Portland has taken up station in the British Forces South Atlantic Islands Joint Operations Area in the Falkland Islands. The Type 23 frigate took over from HMS York South Atlantic patrol duties.