
A recent Gallup poll surveying Latinamerican perceptions of Barack Obama found that the US President’s strongest support comes from Chile, where 72% of those polled have a favourable image of him.

Recently nominated United States Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela will be making his first trip to the region next week with visits to Mercosur full members, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, reported the US State Department.

The United States government said it has settled a long-running lawsuit against the Department of the Interior for mismanagement of trust fund accounts held by hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.

The US unemployment rate fell in November to 10% from 10.2% in October, Labour Department figures show. Employers in November cut the lowest number of jobs since the recession began in December 2007.

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.

Scientists and environmental groups criticised the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) last week for proposing the certification of Ross Sea Antarctic toothfish. The certification is being recommended by UK-based Moody Marine, the organisation chosen by Ross Sea fishers and accepted by the MSC.

A number of influential economists and analysts warn of a double dip recession, even as the US economy slogs toward recovery. Well-known analyst Meredith Whitney, Chief Executive Officer of the Meredith Whitney advisory group, recently expressed pessimism about the economy in an interview on CNBC, a cable TV station.

Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Celso Amorim reaffirmed on Thursday divergences with the United States regarding the political crisis in Honduras before the opening of the Amazon basin countries and France Summit on climate change in Manaus, Brazil.

US president Barack Obama sent a letter to his Brazilian peer Lula da Silva explaining details of his administration’s foreign policy, related to such issues as Honduras and Iran, revealed on Wednesday the Brazilian Executive.

United States President Barack Obama's job approval rating has dropped below 50% in a second major poll in an indication he is suffering from the long healthcare debate and weakness in the economy, Gallup said.