Politics

• Thursday, June 18th 2009 - 14:10 UTC

  HMS Manchester sailors “dump” McDonald statue in Valparaiso harbour

  

  Two Royal Navy sailors from HMS Manchester have appeared in court in Chile for stealing a life-size statue from a McDonald's restaurant.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 12:20 UTC

  Scornful clashes inside Uruguay’s ruling coalition surprise public opinion

  

  The dispute for Uruguay’s ruling coalition presidential nomination has spiralled to unexpected levels while a group of senior members try and work out a viable understanding between the leading hopefuls for the day after, when a unified Broad Front is essential to repeat victory in next October’s general election.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 12:08 UTC

  BRIC leaders call for a “more diversified” currency system

  

  The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and China -- the BRIC nations -- called for a “more diversified” currency system and a new global order after holding their first summit amid growing talk over the US dollar future as the global reserve unit.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 11:46 UTC

  Arrests linked to Mvdeo/Vigo fish containers cocaine stuffed ring

  

  Six Uruguayans and two Colombians were arrested this week in Spain in connection with an international organization that shipped cocaine from South America to Europe as well as managing a plant to print fake Euros.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 05:30 UTC

  UK inflation in May fell to 2.2% from 2.3% in April

  

  United Kingdom annual inflation slowed again in May as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell to 2.2% from 2.3% in April, reported the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The less-than-expected decline means the figure remains above the Bank of England's target of 2%. However, the annual inflation reading was the lowest since January 2008.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 05:28 UTC

  Uruguayan opposition with good chances of winning October election

  

  Even when the Uruguayan ruling coalition is ahead in vote intention for next October’s general election, according to the latest tendency from public opinion polls the deterioration of the Uruguayan economy in coming months plays in favour of the opposition, said the latest report from The Economist Intelligence Unit.

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 05:15 UTC

  Westminster expenses: ban on MPs employment of close relatives

  

  Hundreds of British MPs could be forced to stop employing close relatives after Harriet Harman admitted the practice threatened public confidence in politics. The Commons Leader warned the public would no longer tolerate the suspicion that members were using allowances to line their families' pockets

• Wednesday, June 17th 2009 - 05:12 UTC

  BRIC members meet to demand greater voice is world financial affairs

  

  The world's newest economic grouping, BRIC is to hold its first summit in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg beginning Tuesday. BRIC is named after its four member states - emerging giants Brazil, Russia, India and China; they account for 13% of global GDP and 40% of world population.

• Tuesday, June 16th 2009 - 11:12 UTC

  Peru/Bolivia diplomatic rift over deadly clashes in Amazonia

  

  Peru withdrew on Monday its ambassador to Bolivia, Fernando Rojas, in protest against Bolivian President Evo Morales calling the June 5 deaths of indigenous people in north Peru “genocide”.

• Tuesday, June 16th 2009 - 11:09 UTC

  Lula da Silva promises to teach lessons how to address an economic crisis

  

  President Lula da Silva said that Brazil is overcoming the current global crisis and is in a position to teach other countries how to address the adverse economic situation.