United States

• Monday, December 26th 2011 - 11:23 UTC

  Brazil slaps another fine on Chevron for November oil spill off Rio do Janeiro

  

  Brazil's Environment Institute ordered US oil giant Chevron to pay another fine related to the early November oil spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

• Saturday, December 24th 2011 - 03:47 UTC

  Merry Christmas from MercoPress

  

  MercoPress wishes a happy holiday season to all its readers.

• Friday, December 23rd 2011 - 05:32 UTC

  The Independent: “Time to talk about the Falklands”

  

  In an Opinion piece, “Time to talk about the Falklands”, The Independent suggests the time might have come to defuse the situation in the South Atlantic and take up last year’s offer from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to broker between Britain and Argentina.

• Wednesday, December 21st 2011 - 00:32 UTC

  Chavez tells Obama “leave us alone” and called him “clown” and an “embarrassment”

  

  President Hugo Chavez called on Barack Obama to stop meddling in Venezuelan affairs, “leave us alone” and described the US leader as a “clown” and an “embarrassment”. Chavez is currently in Montevideo for the Mercosur summit.

• Tuesday, December 20th 2011 - 00:01 UTC

  Obama joins the Mercosur controversy over the incorporation of Venezuela

  

  President Barack Obama has accused the government of Venezuela of threatening “basic democratic values” ahead of elections next year. He added that close relations with Iran and Cuba did not serve the interests of the Venezuelan people.

• Monday, December 19th 2011 - 07:26 UTC

  President Obama wants to re-float a free trade agreement with South America

  

  United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced that the administration of President Barack Obama is intent in reaching a free trade agreement with South America and called for a greater opening of the Brazilian economy.

• Saturday, December 17th 2011 - 03:10 UTC

  US consumer prices flat in November helped by falling prices of gasoline

  

  US consumer prices were flat in November as Americans paid less for cars and gasoline, while the 12-month inflation reading fell for the second straight month, which could give the Federal Reserve more room to help a still-weak economy.

• Thursday, December 15th 2011 - 17:52 UTC

  After nine bloody years US military officially end Iraq war

  

  The US military officially ended its war in Iraq, rolling up its flag at a low-key ceremony with Defence Secretary Leon Panetta nearly nine bloody years after the invasion that ousted Dictator Saddam Hussein.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2011 - 17:48 UTC

  Mexican president criticizes the US on its financial misbalances

  

  President Felipe Calderon criticized its powerful neighbour, United States during a speech in which he outlined the G20 agenda for the next twelve months, including the summit, which is under the presidency of Mexico.

• Wednesday, December 14th 2011 - 04:02 UTC

  US tries to re-establish full relations with Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela

  

  United States continues to dialogue with Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, countries where it has no ambassadors in an attempt to normalize relations, said State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland.