Politics

Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 17:59 UTC
Chavez’ new enemy: plastic surgeons pressing women to have breast implants

Venezuela's populist president has identified a new plague on his nation - boob jobs. Hugo Chavez, famous for his bombastic anti-US rants, blasted plastic surgeons for pressuring women into having surgery they can't afford.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 17:46 UTC
In spite of release of dissidents, Cuba continues ‘to stifle freedom of expression’

The Cuban authorities are continuing to stifle freedom of expression on the island in spite of the much-publicized recent wave of releases of prominent dissidents, Amnesty International warned ahead of the eighth anniversary of a crackdown on activists.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 17:41 UTC
Brazil real estate boom: 9.1m middle class families plan to buy in next 12 months

A total of 9.1 million families plan to buy real estate in Brazil over the next 12 months which is a huge increase since the Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House, My Life) program was introduced in 2009
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 17:27 UTC
Argentina and Uruguay advance relations in a full ministerial meeting

Argentina and Uruguay signed this week several agreements with the aim of improving bilateral trade, improving rivers’ navigation, social policies and other issues, within the Second Bi-national Meeting of Ministers in the framework of a relation described as ‘strategic’.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 15:34 UTC
Brazil tightens land acquisition by foreigners: ‘speculators and sovereign funds’

The Brazilian government is tightening a law that restricts the amount of land foreigners can buy. The decree prohibits non-Brazilians from buying controlling shares of companies that own vast tracts of territory in the country, Brazilian Attorney General Luiz Inacio Adams said in a statement this week.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 15:27 UTC
Brazilian industry creates a Chinese Studies Centre to monitor bilateral trade

Brazil’s powerful Federation of Industries of Sao Paulo State (Fiesp) is set to create a Chinese Studies Centre in partnership with the federal government, the president of the federation said in Sao Paulo.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 15:12 UTC
Falkland Islands next stop for HMS York after relief work in Libya

HMS York is back in the Atlantic heading for the Falkland Islands after her headline-making trip to Libya.
The Type 42 destroyer was en-route to take up a five-month patrol in the south Atlantic when she was diverted to join the international relief effort and help foreign citizens and Britons leave the country.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 07:48 UTC
It’s official: Uruguay and Argentina will bid to host the 2030 World Cup

Uruguay and Argentina that played the final of the first World Cup in 1930 in Montevideo, announced Wednesday they have jointly launched a bid to host the 2030 World Cup to celebrate the centennial.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 07:36 UTC
World Bank loan to improve quality of life in Rio do Janeiro’s favelas

Some two million people who live in informal low income settlements (favelas) in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region, Brazil, will be benefiting from a 485 million US dollars development policy loan for the Metropolitan and Housing Project approved by the World Bank.
Thursday, March 17th 2011 - 07:28 UTC
Brazil’s unofficial ‘job-aid’ for President Obama coming visit

Rio do Janeiro governor Sergio Cabral said he expects US president Barack Obama to announce during his trip to Brazil that he supports Brasilia’s aspiration to hold a seat in a reformed UN Security Council.