Politics

• Saturday, July 10th 2010 - 06:58 UTC

  First woman Communist takes office as Mayor of Montevideo

  

  Montevideo’s first woman and Communist elected mayor, Ana Olivera took office on Friday promising to streamline the overweight administration of Uruguay’s capital and in six months, a spic-and-span city.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 05:34 UTC

  Euro zone rates unchanged; all eyes set on 23 July EU banks’ stress-tests

  

  The European Central Bank left its key interest rate on hold for the fourteenth consecutive month in July as the region's banks face stress tests to ensure the stability of the financial system that is threatened by investor fears about debt.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 05:29 UTC

  UK leaves rates at a record low for the 16th month running

  

  The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates on hold at a record low of 0.5% for the 16th consecutive month. The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) also decided on Thursday not to inject any more money into the economy under its policy of quantitative easing (QE).

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 05:10 UTC

  Kirchner couple fortune climbs 20.6% in one year totalling 14.5 million USD

  

  The fortune of Argentine presidential couple, President Cristina Kirchner and her immediate predecessor and husband, Nestor Kirchner jumped 20.6% in 2009 totalling the equivalent of 14.5 million US dollars, and soared 700% since they first took office in 2003, according to their latest income statements delivered to the country’s Anti Corruption Office.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 04:38 UTC

  Radical wing of Brazil’s ruling party exposes weakness of presidential candidate

  

  Brazilian opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra strongly questioned the ‘radical’ positions of hopeful Dilma Rousseff, from the ruling Workers Party, who after publishing and signing her government program in internet was forced, just a few hours later, to make important rectifications.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 04:36 UTC

  Kirchner ‘social grassroots leader” proposes celebrating “Son of the b… Day”

  

  A thug described as a “social grassroots leader” belonging to the Kirchner couple’s ‘black shirts’ cadres has proposed Argentina celebrate August 2 as the Day of the “Son of a b….” which is when former military dictator Jorge Rafael Videla was born.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 01:58 UTC

  UK and Irish farmers’ claim Brazil’s beef exports fail to meet EU standards

  

  The UK National Farmers Union, NFU and Irish Farmers' Association have expressed concern about the reopening trade talks with the Mercosur group of South American countries because of the impact it could have on farmers.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 00:17 UTC

  European Parliament poises two clear positions in battle for agriculture subsidies

  

  Members of the European Parliament have set out their list of demands regarding the future shape of the EU common agricultural policy (CAP), insisting that EU farm payments should not be reduced.

• Friday, July 9th 2010 - 00:12 UTC

  EU promises support for farmers in event of trade agreement with Mercosur

  

  The European Commission underlined the significance of negotiations for an association and trade agreement with Mercosur and promised EU farmers “accompanying measures” for those sectors most affected, if a deal with the South American block is finally closes.

• Thursday, July 8th 2010 - 08:13 UTC

  Argentina analyzing Uruguayan counterproposal for joint river monitoring plan

  

  “The ball is now on the Argentine court” said Uruguayan Vice-president Danilo Astori commenting on the country’s counterproposal for the monitoring plan to be jointly applied with Argentina to pulp mills, other industries and urban locations straddling the shared River Uruguay.