Politics

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 23:32 UTC

  Brazil’s plans first nuclear powered submarine for 2021

  

  Brazil expects to have its first nuclear powered submarine in 2021, to be built in the country with French cooperation and equipped with conventional weapons, confirmed Defence minister Nelson Jobim who underlined the dissuasion potential of such a weapon recalling the Falkland Islands conflict of 1982.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 12:16 UTC

  Falkland/Malvinas experience repeatedly recalled in Unasur summit

  

  South American leaders “frank and crude” debate last week on the controversial agreement to deploy US forces in seven Colombian bases brought back memories and experiences of the Falkland Islands war between Argentina and Britain in 1982.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 07:33 UTC

  Brazil announces sweeping reforms for oil and gas industry

  

  The Brazilian government is set to unveil on Monday a sweeping reform of regulations covering the oil and natural gas industries Monday. The regulatory framework will delineate how recently discovered offshore sub-salt oil deposits should be developed, who will develop them and who will reap the rewards.

• Monday, August 31st 2009 - 07:31 UTC

  Uribe avoided condemnation in Bariloche but could not escape H1N1 flu

  

  Colombian President Álvaro Uribe has the H1N1 virus, according to official sources. The Presidency's Information and Press Secretary of Colombia, César Mauricio Velásquez, read an official release Sunday saying that Uribe has the virus, while National Health Institute sources from Bogotá confirmed the diagnosis. Social Welfare Minister Diego Palacio said Uribe is responding well to treatment.

• Sunday, August 30th 2009 - 22:28 UTC

  China's Policy Paper on Latin America and the Caribbean

  

  On November 5, 2008, the Chinese government released a policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, as it had previously done so for Europe in 2003 and for Africa in 2006.

• Sunday, August 30th 2009 - 22:09 UTC

  'Major win' for Japan opposition

  

  A historic election win by Japan's opposition Democratic Party on Sunday is likely to buoy Tokyo shares on hopes for less policy deadlock, putting pressure on Japanese government bonds and the yen.

• Sunday, August 30th 2009 - 22:02 UTC

  US Senator Kennedy laid to rest

  

  Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of US senator Edward Kennedy, who was a political force in America for over 47 years.

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 09:43 UTC

  Extra choppers in Afghanistan -would be “more tactically effective” for UK forces

  

  The commander of British forces in Afghanistan has said an increase in the number of helicopters would make the military effort “more tactically effective”. Brigadier Tim Radford said while there had been enough aircraft for the Operation Panther's Claw offensive, any commanding officer “would like more”.

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 09:38 UTC

  HMS Gloucester begins Monday a two-week visit to Chile

  

  HMS Gloucester is expected next Monday in the port of Valparaiso where she will remain until September 14 as part of a program to reaffirm the close professional links with the Chilean Navy. It will also be an opportunity for the crew to rest and recover after spending months in South Atlantic patrolling.

• Saturday, August 29th 2009 - 08:35 UTC

  Unasur summit finally agrees on a diluted catch-all statement

  

  The much announced Union of South American Nations Friday presidential summit in Argentina finally issued a statement warning “foreign military forces” against threatening the sovereignty and integrity of any South American country and “in consequence regional peace and stability”.