Politics

• Saturday, May 8th 2010 - 06:06 UTC

  Spain Emerges from Two-Year Recession with More Doubts than Certainties

  

  Spain’s economy emerged from an almost two-year recession in the first quarter, trailing the Euro area by six months. GDP expanded 0.1% in the first three months of 2010, the Madrid-based Bank of Spain estimated in its monthly report today.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 21:40 UTC

  Brazil Will Not Allow Drug Cartels or Armed Groups from Taking Over Paraguay

  

  Brazilian Senate president José Sarney said there are serious risks of a “Colombianization” of Paraguay given the recent actions of an armed group self proclaimed the Paraguayan People’s Army, EPP, and called for strong support for President Fernando Lugo.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 21:34 UTC

  Honduran President Calls Brazil “Arrogant”, Steps Down from Latam/EU Summit

  

  Honduran president Porfirio Lobo will not attend the LAC-EU summit in Spain later this month, after South American leaders who do not recognize him as his country's legitimate leader threatened to pull out. However, he will attend the EU/Central America meeting, which will be held a day later.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 05:42 UTC

  Hung Parliament in UK: Labour Looses but Cameron Short of a Majority

  

  British Conservative Leader David Cameron said the Labour government has lost its mandate to govern, as exit polls suggested the Tories have won the largest number of seats in Britain's national election, but will not gain a majority.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 03:33 UTC

  French Navy Locates Black Box from Air France that Plunged into the Atlantic

  

  The French navy has located the black box flight recorders from the Air France (EPA:AF) jet which plunged into the Atlantic killing 228 people last summer. However, officials said there was still no guarantee the recorders—that could explain the cause of the crash—would ever be brought to the surface.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 01:41 UTC

  UNASUR will Address “Coup Attempt-Honduras Model” in Paraguay

  

  An imminent coup in Paraguay, Honduras-model, with the purpose of ousting President Fernando Lugo was analyzed by UNASUR (Union of South American Nations) leaders during the recent summit held in Buenos Aires, according to press reports from Argentina and Brazil.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 01:16 UTC

  Brazilian Bishops Distance Peer who Argues Adolescents are “Spontaneously Homosexual”

  

  Brazil’s Catholic bishops rejected statements from their Porto Alegre peer, Monsignor Dadeus Grings who—in the midst of a global scandal over priests’ sexual abuse of minors—argued that modern society is naturally “paedophile”.

• Friday, May 7th 2010 - 00:38 UTC

  Greece Shocked by Riot Deaths; Parliament Approves Draconian Saving Reforms

  

  Greece's parliament approved Thursday the hefty cuts and reforms proposed by the government to address the country's financial crisis. Members voted 172-121 to pass the bill, which includes tax rises and cuts in pensions and public sector bonuses. Police used tear gas to disperse protestors who rallied outside. On Wednesday, three bank workers died in a petrol bomb attack as demonstrations over the planned austerity measures turned violent.

• Thursday, May 6th 2010 - 19:45 UTC

  Colombian Candidate Warns: No Peace Talks Unless Constitution is Respected

  

  Colombia’s leading presidential candidate Antanas Mockus promised that if elected president he will continue the military fight against the FARC rebels, unless the group abandons violence and kidnapping and accepts constitutional rule.

• Thursday, May 6th 2010 - 19:41 UTC

  Gay Marriage Bill: Argentine Church to Lobby More “Conservative” Senate

  

  The Argentine Catholic Church said that the Lower House ruling that approved the bill to legalize same-sex marriage is “very serious”. The Church, through its spokespersons, said that the bill “does not constitute any kind of progress” and that “it could revolutionize the concept of society and of family.”