Politics

• Thursday, May 6th 2010 - 03:03 UTC

  Several UNASUR Members Could Skip Madrid Summit because of Honduras

  

  Several UNASUR member countries plan to skip the upcoming Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union Summit (EU-LAC) in Madrid if Honduran President Porfirio Lobo is invited, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said in Buenos Aires.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 23:53 UTC

  UK Hung Parliament, 43% or Tories, 36% Anticipates The Guardian/ICM Poll

  

  All three British main parties will have reason to be disappointed if the Guardian/ICM eve-of-poll survey is reflected in election results Thursday night. The Conservatives are set to fall well short of the convincing majority that, not long ago, seemed within their grasp. Labour faces one of its lowest votes of modern times and the Liberal Democrats may fail to make their hoped-for breakthrough to second place.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 23:03 UTC

  European Farmers up in Arms Against Resumption of EU/Mercosur Talks

  

  France’s main farmers’ organization, FNSEA, called Wednesday on President Nicolas Sarkozy to pressure upon the European Community to impede the re-launching of negotiations for a free trade agreement with Mercosur

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:41 UTC

  Brazil “Blackmails” Paraguay to Approve Venezuela’s Mercosur Annexation

  

  Paraguayan opposition and media strongly criticized Brazilian president Lula da Silva’s for not keeping his Itaipú dam-controversy promises and allegedly for conditioning further assistance to the approval by the Paraguayan congress of Venezuela’s incorporation to Mercosur.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:26 UTC

  Homosexuals Campaign Against Lula da Silva’s Visit to Iran

  

  A Brazilian non government organization which defends the rights of homosexuals launched a campaign to protest President Lula da Silva’s visit to Iran scheduled for next May 15.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:19 UTC

  France Demands “Fair and Prompt” Compensation for Bolivian Nationalizations

  

  France's government demanded “fair and prompt” compensation from Bolivia for the nationalization of a power plant half-owned by French utility GDF Suez (EPA:GSZ).

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:15 UTC

  “Transgenic Fight Back”: Evo Morales Car Stolen by “Bald Suspect”

  

  A car used by Bolivian President Evo Morales was stolen when the driver went to buy bread rolls for the president's breakfast, officials said.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 21:07 UTC

  A Rousseff Administration Would Continue with Lula da Silva’s Economic Policies

  

  Brazil’s ruling coalition president candidate Dilma Rousseff will continue with the current economic policies of the government boosting the role of state corporations if successful in the coming October election, said José Eduardo Dutra, president of the Workers' Party.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 06:43 UTC

  Néstor Kirchner as UNASUR Secretary General is an “Embarrassment”

  

  Néstor Kirchner's appointment as UNASUR Secretary-General is “an embarrassment” because “he doesn't believe in dialogue or diplomacy, or the organization as a whole”, claimed dissident Argentine lawmaker Eduardo Amadeo, interviewed by the Buenos Aires Herald.

• Wednesday, May 5th 2010 - 06:24 UTC

  Sale of French Frigates to Taiwan Exposes 591 Million USD in “Commissions”

  

  Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih praised the decision this week by an international court of arbitration to force French defence group Thales to pay Taiwan more than 591 million US dollars as a sanction for the payment of commissions in the purchase of Lafayette frigates from France.