Politics

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 05:55 UTC

  Global pact banning cluster munitions comes into force

  

  United Nations officials have expressed their delight at Sunday’s entry into force of the international convention banning the manufacture, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions, calling it a “major advance for the global disarmament and humanitarian agendas.”

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 05:52 UTC

  More Cubans to become self-employed or allowed to set up small business

  

  Cuban President Raul Castro is not planning to make large-scale market reforms to revive the communist island's struggling economy. But Mr Castro said the role of the state would be reduced in some areas, with more workers allowed to be self-employed or to set up small businesses.

• Monday, August 2nd 2010 - 05:50 UTC

  Mexico recognizes Honduras; OAS could re-consider the issue mid August

  

  Mexico announced this weekend that it was normalizing diplomatic relations with Honduras given the “significant advances” achieved in addressing the consequences of last year’s coup.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:49 UTC

  Venezuela/Colombia conflict features high in Mercosur summit agenda

  

  The controversy between Venezuela and Colombia is to mark the rhythm of political conversations during the Mercosur Summit, to be held on August 2 and 3 in the Argentine city of San Juan city in San Juan province.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:46 UTC

  Lula da Silva/Mrs. Kirchner bilateral meeting following the summit

  

  Once the Mercosur summit is over, on Tuesday afternoon, the presidents of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and of Brazil, Lula da Silva, are to hold a meeting in San Juan to analyse bilateral relations, said Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:42 UTC

  Chavez tones down: ‘supreme objective’ is to stop Uribe’s ‘war-craze’

  

  Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez reaffirmed that his government's “supreme objective” is to “stop the war-craze” of out-going Colombian President Álvaro Uribe, and he assured the “dilemma” of the bilateral crisis is “between words and missiles.”

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:32 UTC

  Trade accord with Egypt and Customs code main issues of Mercosur summit

  

  A trade agreement with Egypt and the approval of a much-delayed customs code are two of the highlights of the Mercosur leaders Tuesday meeting in Argentina for one of the two annual summits.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:28 UTC

  Paraguay expects 650 million USD in loans from Mercosur summit

  

  Paraguay expects the Mercosur summit that begins Monday in San Juan, Argentina, to approve 650 million US dollars in loans. The Paraguayan Foreign Affairs ministry also confirmed that President Fernando Lugo and chancellor Hector Lacognata will be attending the meeting.

• Sunday, August 1st 2010 - 23:23 UTC

  Aymara priest who blessed Bolivian president arrested with 240 kilos of cocaine

  

  The Aymara priest who blessed Bolivian President Evo Morales at an inauguration ceremony four years ago has been arrested in possession of 240 kilos of cocaine, police said.

• Saturday, July 31st 2010 - 19:59 UTC

  Mercosur inter-trade forecasted to reach 41 billion USD this year

  

  Trade among Mercosur full members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela in the process of incorporation is forecasted to reach 41 billion US dollars said Brazil's ambassador to Argentina Enio Cordero. This is a significant leap from the 9 billion of 2002 and 4.5 billion in 1991 when the block was established.