Politics

• Thursday, October 29th 2009 - 02:42 UTC

  Overwhelming UN vote calling an end to US embargo on Cuba

  

  The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to call for an end to the US embargo on Cuba. The vote was cast at the 192-member General Assembly with 187 in favour, three against and two abstentions. This is the 18th year that the General Assembly voted to urge an end to the U.S. embargo.

• Wednesday, October 28th 2009 - 09:59 UTC

  Arrival of top US and OAS officials could anticipate end of Honduras crisis

  

  The scheduled arrival Wednesday in Tegucigalpa of two top US and OAS officials anticipates that the Honduran institutional crisis, following the ousting of elected president Manuel Zelaya last June and after months of negotiations, could be reaching a decisive moment.

• Wednesday, October 28th 2009 - 07:18 UTC

  Porous Brazilian borders feed Olympic Rio gangs with heavy weapons

  

  The Brazilian Federal Police identified 17 places through which illegal weapons are introduced into the country, including most of those used by organized crime such as heavy machine guns capable of downing a helicopter as recently happened in one of the favelas, the shanty towns that speck Olympic city of Rio do Janeiro.

• Wednesday, October 28th 2009 - 07:10 UTC

  New Gibraltar governor ratifies UK support for self determination and defence

  

  The new and modern Constitution “reaffirms the right of the people of Gibraltar to self-determination and the British Government’s commitment to uphold that right” said Sir Adrian Johns this week on the Swearing in Ceremony as Gibraltar’s 64th governor.

• Wednesday, October 28th 2009 - 02:19 UTC

  Brazil remains divided on Venezuela’s Mercosur incorporation

  

  The president of the Brazilian Senate Jose Sarney reiterated Tuesday he does not support the incorporation of Venezuela to the South American trade block Mercosur, since “decisions from the government of that country represent a crumbling and deviation of democracy”.

• Tuesday, October 27th 2009 - 12:25 UTC

  Uruguayan ruling coalition retains majority in next Parliament

  

  Uruguay’s ruling coalition obtained 47.49% of the vote in last Sunday’s general election according to the primary vote count from the country’s Electoral Court, thus confirming a run off for the presidential office at the end of November.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 12:40 UTC

  Uruguayan president to be decided in run-off at the end of November

  

  A run off at the end of November was the result of Sunday’s presidential election in Uruguay since no candidate managed 50% plus one of the votes, as had been anticipated by most pollsters.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:21 UTC

  Fifth Type 45 destroyer “Defender” launched in Scotland

  

  Thousands turned out on the banks of the Clyde in Scotland to cheer on the latest ship to make up the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 destroyer class. Defender sailed for the first time this week.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:14 UTC

  Ecuador overrides 2.000 pharmaceutical patents considered “indispensable”

  

  Ecuador made public on Sunday a presidential decree overriding over 2.000 pharmaceutical patents in order to provide more affordable medicines to the people of Ecuador.

• Monday, October 26th 2009 - 10:12 UTC

  Ten Colombian amateur soccer players killed in Venezuela

  

  Venezuela said on Sunday at least 10 members of an amateur Colombian soccer team had been found dead after being kidnapped on its side of the border. Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez told reporters the men were found with bullet wounds in various parts of the western state of Tachira, on the border between the two neighbouring countries.