Politics

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine president sends farmers' tax bill to Congress

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez moved on Tuesday to defuse a prolonged political conflict asking Congress to ratify a sliding export tax hike on grains and oilseeds which has been at the heart of 100 days stand off with farmers.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  US anticipates military defeat for the Colombian FARC

  Thomas Shannon US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs said he didn't discard a military defeat of the rebel guerrilla group FARC (Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces) because of the latest blows it has suffered in recent months from Colombian forces.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian press says Mrs. Kirchner “back stepped” in conflict

  The Brazilian press unanimously considered that Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner “back stepped” in the 100 days dispute with farmers over export levies on oilseeds and grains.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Military expenditure in South America, lowest in the world

  Military expenditure in the twelve countries of South America, according to 2008 budgets, has reached a record 50 billion US dollars which is 2.5% higher than in 2007.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  UN approves extension of human rights protection

  The top United Nations human rights official has hailed the adoption of a new legal instrument which will enable people to submit complaints on violations of their economic, social and cultural rights to an international human rights body.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Relief in the EU: British Parliament passes Lisbon treaty

  British Parliament has effectively ratified the EU Lisbon reform treaty despite the recent decision by Irish voters to reject it. A last-ditch Tory bid to delay the process for four months was defeated by a margin of 93, and peers later gave the EU Amendment Bill a third reading.

• Wednesday, June 18th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  EU approves tough rules for expelling illegal immigrants

  The European Parliament adopted on Wednesday tough rules on expelling illegal immigrants, which could see them held in custody for up to 18 months and banned for five years if they resist. 367 members of the European Parliament voted in favor of the bill and 206 MEPs opposed it, while 109 members abstained.

• Tuesday, June 17th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Spontaneous rallies surprise Kirchner and acolytes

  

  Thousands of Argentines on Monday evening spontaneously and peacefully took to the streets in cities, towns and villages banging pans to protest against the government and demand the resumption of dialogue with the farmers, on their 97th day of conflict.

• Monday, June 16th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Forecasting the “perfect storm” in an unruly Argentina

  Under the title of “The perfect storm”, Argentina's most recognized political analyst Joaquin Morales Solá describes the country's current political and social situation as dramatic, following a weekend when the government/farmers conflict escalated to new irreconcilable levels.

• Monday, June 16th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Land concentration and soy “pools” boom debate in Uruguay

  

  The debate on land concentration and the so called (financial) soybean pools, which is currently one of the main issues behind the Argentine farmers' conflict, has reached Uruguay where apparently the oil seed boom is rapidly displacing dairy farms.