Politics

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 11:14 UTC

  Cobos will not summon Congress while Mrs Kirchner is out of the country

  

  Argentine Vice-President Julio Cobos confirmed Thursday that he will not summon the Congress for an extraordinary session to discuss the Argentine Central Bank emergency decrees while Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is not at the country and added that those versions are “distrustful”.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 11:13 UTC

  Mujica and Mrs. Kirchner willing to improve bilateral relations

  

  Uruguayan president elect Jose Mujica said “there is no solution out there” for the situation of the Finnish paper mill Botnia, but “we are willing to improve the relationship between both countries”.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 09:38 UTC

  Brazilian project to cut poverty to “developed countries’ level” in six years

  

  Brazil could achieve social indicators similar to those of developed countries by 2016 if the country is able to maintain the same rate of extreme poverty reduction and income redistribution as recorded during the 2003/2008 period, according to an official report from the Presidential Strategic Affairs Secretariat.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 09:24 UTC

  UN report exposes vulnerability of indigenous peoples

  

  The world’s 370 million indigenous peoples suffer from disproportionately, often exponentially, higher rates of poverty, health problems, crime and human rights abuses, the first ever United Nations study on the issue reported today, stressing that self-determination and land rights are vital for their survival.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 06:37 UTC

  Judge Griesa lifts freeze on Argentine funds to help with planned “debt swap”

  

  A New York State Judge lifted a freeze on Argentine Central Bank accounts held in the US Federal Reserve, Argentina's Finance secretary told reporters on Thursday. The freeze has been imposed on request from investors holding defaulted Argentine sovereign bonds.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 06:21 UTC

  World’s largest tanker, built in China, ready to start maiden voyage

  

  Claimed to be the most sophisticated large tanker ever designed and built by a Chinese shipyard, the ‘Xin Pu Yang' is to start its maiden voyage from Guangzhou to the Middle East later this month, Chinese media reports said.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 06:11 UTC

  Chavez cancels energy rationing in Caracas; sacks electricity minister

  

  Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez cancelled energy rationing in Caracas after a chaotic first day of staggered blackouts angered his supporters, but the measures will continue across the country.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 06:09 UTC

  Obama to slap 117 billion USD levy on banks to repay for bail outs

  

  President Barack Obama has said Wall Street must repay 117 billion US dollars to taxpayers and criticised banks for “massive profits and obscene bonuses”. The tax is to recoup money US taxpayers are expected to lose from bailing out the banks during the financial crisis.

• Friday, January 15th 2010 - 05:28 UTC

  Euro-zone countries “need bold measures to improve confidence”

  

  The European Central Bank left interest rates on hold at their historic low of 1% at its first meeting for the year Thursday amid concerns about Greece's debt crisis.

• Thursday, January 14th 2010 - 12:16 UTC

  Haiti with no relief for thousands of injured and buried in the rubble

  

  Haitian President Rene Preval has said thousands of people are feared dead following a huge quake which has devastated the country's capital. Mr Preval said the UN mission chief in Haiti was among the dead. It said at least 14 other UN staff had died and 56 were injured.