Tag: United States

• Thursday, March 19th 2015 - 07:55 UTC

  Fed no longer 'patient' about rates, but drops April and targets June

  

  The U.S. Federal Reserve says it can no longer remain “patient” about changing rates, an indication that interest rate hikes could begin this spring. But in a news conference, Fed chair Janet Yellen said the central bank has not settled on the timing of the rate hike.

• Monday, March 16th 2015 - 10:48 UTC

  President Maduro will rule the rest of the year with decree powers

  

  Venezuela's parliament has granted President Nicolas Maduro decree powers for the rest of 2015 in a move he says is to defend the country from US meddling but opponents decry as evidence of autocracy. In a noisy National Assembly session, ruling Socialist Party legislators, who have a majority, applauded the “Enabling Law” as a legitimate response to a US declaration that Venezuela is a security threat and sanctions on seven officials.

• Monday, March 16th 2015 - 10:25 UTC

  UK caught on the wrong side in a US/Beijing dispute over Chinese development bank

  

  The US has expressed concern over the UK's bid to become a founding member of a Chinese-backed development bank. The UK is the first big Western economy to apply for membership of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) despite the fact that US has raised questions over the bank's commitment to international standards on governance.

• Monday, March 16th 2015 - 10:08 UTC

  Unasur calls on the US to revoke measures against Venezuela and implement dialogue

  

  The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) slammed the United States for its decision to label Venezuela as a security threat and impose sanctions against a number of its officials, calling on Washington to revoke the measure.

• Sunday, March 15th 2015 - 01:10 UTC

  US ambassador in Argentina received by cabinet chief Anibal Fernandez

  

  Argentina’s Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernández received United States ambassador to Argentina Noah Mamet in his Casa Rosada office. Apparently the meeting was strictly protocol, and no details of the agenda were supplies to the media.

• Friday, March 13th 2015 - 10:51 UTC

  New York Times warns Obama's strategy towards Venezuela could be failing

  

  In an editorial piece, “A failing relationship with Venezuela”, The New York Times expressed doubts about the latest measures imposed by the Obama administration on seven top officials from the Venezuelan government and goes even further questioning whether they will not end actually reinforcing President Nicolas Maduro position.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2015 - 06:54 UTC

  Unasur to hold a presidential summit on the Venezuela/US confrontation

  

  Unasur (Union of South American Nations) presidents will meet next week to respond to the “grotesque and illegal” meddling of the United States in Venezuelan affairs announced Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa.

• Wednesday, March 11th 2015 - 06:39 UTC

  Maduro asks the Assembly for expanded powers to fight 'imperialism'

  

  President Nicolas Maduro responded to new U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan officials by asking legislators Tuesday to give him expanded powers in the name of fighting imperialism. Government critics called it a power grab.

• Tuesday, March 10th 2015 - 08:07 UTC

  US confirms sanctions against seven top officials from Maduro's regime

  

  United States President Obama on Monday issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela.

• Saturday, March 7th 2015 - 08:29 UTC

  US economy keeps creating jobs, while unemployment drops to 5.5%

  

  US economy added 295,000 jobs in February, while the unemployment rate fell to 5.5% from 5.7%, according to Labor Department figures. It was the 12th month running that the economy added more than 200,000 jobs, the longest such run since 1994.