Politics

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 05:22 UTC

  EU and Mexico reaffirm and consolidate “strategic association”

  

  The European Union and Mexico decided Sunday at their fifth bilateral summit, held in the Spanish town of Comillas, to take measures to give concrete content to their relationship, which they have jointly designated to be one of “strategic association”.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 05:01 UTC

  Australia celebrates 16 year old Jessica’s round the world sailing feat

  

  Australians gathered Saturday around Sydney harbour to welcome back teenager Jessica Watson from her record round-the-world sailing adventure. The 16-year-old is said to be the youngest person to sail non-stop, solo and unassisted around the world.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 04:55 UTC

  State of emergency on anniversary of Peruvian Shinning Path terrorist group

  

  The administration of Peruvian president Alan Garcia declared a state of emergency for 60 days in the regions of Huánuco, Ucayali and San Martín, reportedly the areas that have the most drugs and terrorist related activities.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 04:32 UTC

  Spain determined to the re-launching of EU/Mercosur talks at the Madrid summit

  

  The challenge of re-launching European Union/Mercosur trade talks, figures pre-eminently in the agenda of the EU/Latam-Caribbean leaders’ summit scheduled to begin Monday in Spain that also happens to hold the EU rotating presidential chair.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 01:54 UTC

  Brazil’s energy sector lobbying against review of Itaipú treaty with Paraguay

  

  Brazilian business groups are strongly lobbying members of Congress against a review of a recent agreement reached by President Lula da Silva to treble the money paid to Paraguay for power from the world’s largest operating hydroelectric complex Itaipú, shared by both countries.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 01:47 UTC

  Colombian FARC groups operating inside Brazilian territory, claim reports

  

  The Colombian guerrilla force FARC has “permanent bases in Brazil”, according to secret Federal Police reports, extracts of which were published Sunday by the prestigious O Estado de Sao Paulo.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 01:42 UTC

  Spanish unions have ten days to agree on labour market reforms

  

  Spanish unions and employees organizations have ten days to come up with an agreement of labour reform or the government will approve the initiative by decree, according to reports in the Madrid press.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 01:18 UTC

  Disappearance of prominent Mexican power broker linked to organized crime

  

  Mexican president Felipe Calderon said that organized crime will not settle in the country as it did in Colombia in the nineties. His Sunday statement comes a day after a former Mexican presidential candidate who remained a power broker in the ruling party went missing amid signs of violence.

• Monday, May 17th 2010 - 01:11 UTC

  Brazilian government presidential candidate leads in vote intention with 38%

  

  Brazilian incumbent presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff leads in vote intention with 38% compared to 35% for her main opponent Jose Serra, according to the latest Vox Populi public opinion polls releases published in the Sunday press.

• Saturday, May 15th 2010 - 04:44 UTC

  Brazil Furious with Argentine “Scare Practices” Threatens Trade Retaliation

  

  Brazil is seriously considering retaliation against Argentina for new rules restricting food imports which allegedly compete directly with Argentine production. EU ambassadors in Buenos Aires made a similar presentation before the Argentine congress earlier this week.