Politics

Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 11:54 UTC
Chavez names “chief of government” and takes control of Caracas

Venezuelan legislators loyal to President Hugo Chavez approved this week a new law that further erodes the authority of Caracas' opposition mayor by subordinating him to a government-appointed official.
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 09:59 UTC
Former guerrilla leads Uruguay’s ruling coalition presidential primary

Uruguay’s presidential hopeful and former guerrilla leader Jose Mujica leads comfortably in the ruling coalition’s coming primary scheduled for next June 28th, according to the latest public opinion poll released this week.
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 09:53 UTC
Lula da Silva has the highest approval rating; Cristina K the lowest

Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and Colombia’s Alvaro Uribe with over 70% approval have the best leaders’ performances in Latinamerica while in the other extreme figure Argentina’s Cristina Kirchner and Honduras Manuel Zelaya, below 30%, according to the prestigious Mexican pollster Consulta Mitofsky.
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 06:54 UTC
Chavez hosts alternative pre-summit in Venezuela

The Venezuelan city of Cumana is hosting the summit of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Peoples of our Americas (ALBA), one of the newest regional cooperation initiatives created by Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. The meeting takes place hours before the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago.
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 03:49 UTC
Obama and Unasur presidents to meet Saturday in Trinidad Tobago

United States president Barack Obama wishes to meet with his peers from the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR next Saturday on the sidelines of the fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad Tobago.
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 02:51 UTC
The Taiwan Relations Act at 30: Enduring Framework or Accidental Success?

Despite its pragmatic origin, ambiguous nature and transitory design, a unique piece of legislation has guided US-Taiwan relations for longer than many ever anticipated. By Vincent Wei-cheng Wang*
Thursday, April 16th 2009 - 01:16 UTC
Mafia chief who inspired “The French Connection” dies in Argentina

François Chiappe, the fearsome Corsican capo-mafia who inspired the famous film “The French Connection” in 1971 died in a geriatric home in the Argentine province of Cordoba last February, according to reports in the Sunday press.
Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:47 UTC
Summit of the Americas, “test of intelligence and shame” says Fidel Castro

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said on Tuesday Cuba had no desire to rejoin the “infamous” and “vile” decadent Organization of American States, and said the coming Summit of the Americas next week end in Trinidad Tobago will be “a test of intelligence and shame”.
Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:46 UTC
Paraguay bishops ask “forgiveness for the sins of church members”

Paraguay’s influential Catholic Church Episcopal Conference, CEP asked Tuesday in an official release “forgiveness for all the sins of the members of the Church” in direct reference, --but without mentioning a word--, to President Fernando Lugo’s confession of fathering a child while he was Catholic bishop.
Wednesday, April 15th 2009 - 10:45 UTC
Lower House approves Brazil’s Sovereign Wealth Fund

Brazil’s Congress Lower House approved on Tuesday night approved legislation making an existing Sovereign Wealth Fund into a permanent fixture. The Chamber of Deputies voted 274-102 to approve a government bill making the fund permanent and approving an initial total for it of 14.2 billion Brazilian Reales, approximately 6.5 billion US dollars.