Politics

• Thursday, December 3rd 2009 - 08:29 UTC

  All ready for the Argentina-Chile bicentennial (Dakar) rally

  

  Dakar rally director Etienne Lavigne celebrated Wednesday in Buenos Aires that the coming 2010 edition of the world event will coincide with Argentina and Chile commemoration of their second bicentennial as nations.

• Thursday, December 3rd 2009 - 08:27 UTC

  Venezuela shuts down banks belonging to former Chavez crony

  

  The Venezuelan government has shut down four private banks, accusing them of financial irregularities. The closures come 10 days after the authorities took over the banks on suspicion of violating regulations.

• Thursday, December 3rd 2009 - 08:00 UTC

  Europe concerned unemployment undermining recovery

  

  Unemployment in the 16-nation Euro zone remained at 9.8% in October after being revised higher to that level in September (from 9.7 to 9.8%), according to the European Union statistics office in Luxembourg said today. This is the highest rate since December 1998.

• Thursday, December 3rd 2009 - 00:55 UTC

  Brazil to reconsider the latest events in Honduras

  

  Brasilia runs the risk of “isolation” if it does not recognize Honduras presidential elections according to Brazilian member of Congress Raul Jungmann, the only representative from his country to be part of an observers’ international committee on Sunday’s ballot.

• Thursday, December 3rd 2009 - 00:51 UTC

  Zelaya calls on Latinamerican leaders to reject Honduras Sunday elections

  

  Ousted Honduras President Manuel Zelaya sent a letter to Latinamerican leaders asking them to reject elections held under the de facto regime that decided his arrest and forced exile to Costa Rica June 28.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 15:21 UTC

  European Union Treaty to Make EU More Powerful

  

  The European Union's Lisbon Treaty has come into force with the aim of streamlining EU decision-making. The first EU president also took office along with the bloc's new foreign policy chief.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:58 UTC

  Spanish Judge Demands US$77 Million From Pinochet’s Wife And Advisers

  

  Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon on Monday demanded that the widow and advisors of former Chilean Dictator Augusto Pinochet pay US$77 million to a Spanish charity for his regime’s victims within the next 10 days.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:43 UTC

  Google to limit free news access

  

  Newspaper publishers will now be able to set a limit on the number of free news articles people can read through Google, the company has announced.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:36 UTC

  Obama outlines new Afghan strategy

  

  US President Barack Obama has set out an ambitious timetable for the deployment of an additional 30,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and the start date for military withdrawal.

• Wednesday, December 2nd 2009 - 12:31 UTC

  Magallanes region unemployment remains steady above 8%

  

  Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile has dropped from fourth to sixth place in the ranking of regions with the least unemployment, according to the latest release which shows the rate jumped to 8.2% in the August-October quarter. This represents a 6.5 percentage point increase over the same period a year ago and half a point compared to the previous July-September quarter.