Politics

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 06:17 UTC

  Fears of Europe’s debt crisis on global recovery hits Brazil’s Real

  

  Brazil’s currency fell Monday over concern Europe’s debt crisis may slow the global economic recovery. The Real slid 0.9% to 1.8704 per U.S. dollar from 1.8534 on May 21. The currency has declined 6.7% this year after rising 33% in 2009.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 06:09 UTC

  Korea, China and Japan agree on closer investment and trade partnership

  

  Top trade officials from Korea, China and Japan agreed Sunday to forge a three-way investment treaty this year as part of efforts to spur economic partnership among the three nations, announced the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 06:01 UTC

  On inaugurating second term Insulza calls for a “genuinely multilateral OAS”

  

  The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, said upon taking office for his second term at a special session of the Permanent Council that “those who seek to show an inactive OAS must face the reality of an always present OAS, and those who accuse the OAS of complicity or partiality end up giving examples of the OAS at a different time, for lack of evidence of any instance of partiality during this period”.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 05:59 UTC

  Argentina rejects UK complaints, demands Falklands’ sovereignty talks

  

  Argentina rejected Monday Britain’s complaints about maritime controls in the South Atlantic and again condemned the “unilateral and illegitimate acts” of the UK regarding hydrocarbons exploitation in the continental shelf of the Malvinas/Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 00:57 UTC

  IMF bluntly tells Spain austerity and reform measures are not enough

  

  The International Monetary Fund has raised fresh concerns about Spain's economy, saying “far-reaching” reforms are needed to ensure its recovery. It said the country faced “severe” challenges, including the need to urgently reform a “dysfunctional” labour market, and its banking sector.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 00:52 UTC

  Beckham on goodwill visit to UK and US troops in Afghanistan

  

  English football star David Beckham this week visited Camp Bastion, the main British base in Afghanistan for a goodwill visit to meet British and US Armed Forces.

• Tuesday, May 25th 2010 - 00:43 UTC

  UK outlines start of massive cuts to “wasteful spending across the public sector”

  

  Less than a fortnight after the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition took power in Britain, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne outlined plans to cut £ 6.2 billion pounds (8.92 billion USD) from government spending to help reduce the budget deficit.

• Monday, May 24th 2010 - 15:03 UTC

  Brazil launches its public broadcasting service targeted to Africa

  

  Brazil launches Monday its international Public Broadcasting Service with the initial purpose of penetrating the African continent, more precisely the former Lusitanian Empire where Portuguese is spoken.

• Monday, May 24th 2010 - 05:51 UTC

  Insulza takes oath as OAS Secretary General for second five-year period

  

  The Organization of American States (OAS), Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza will be sworn Monday for a second five year term. Chilean born Insulza will take the oath at a special meeting of the OAS Permanent Council in Washington DC.

• Monday, May 24th 2010 - 05:43 UTC

  Argentina’s May celebrations with multiple parades included Malvinas veterans

  

  “Let the Bicentennial festivities begin” Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced on Friday and Argentina put its best military and musical display on Saturday in the build-up toward Tuesday’s 200th anniversary of the country’s nationhood Tuesday May 25.