United States

• Friday, December 25th 2009 - 16:34 UTC

  Obama closer to achieving the most important piece of social legislation since 1930

  

  US senators have passed the final Senate version of a historic healthcare reform bill. The bill aims to cover 31million uninsured Americans and could lead to the biggest change in US healthcare in decades.

• Wednesday, December 23rd 2009 - 15:10 UTC

  US expands slower than expected but fourth quarter should see 4% growth

  

  The latest economic data shows the US economy grew more slowly than first thought. US Commerce Department reports that GDP expanded at a 2.2% annual rate from July to September, down from an earlier estimate of 2.8%.

• Sunday, December 20th 2009 - 09:06 UTC

  Sejong Soloists, one of the top ensembles nowadays, plans Latinamerican tour

  

  Sejong Soloists, named after the 15th-century arts advocate Korean Emperor Sejong the Great, and hailed by CNN as one of the top ensembles of today, and having previously performed in New York City's venues at The Julliard School and Carnegie Hall, premiered their Tenth Annual Gala in New York's newly renovated Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center.

• Saturday, December 19th 2009 - 07:54 UTC

  “Legal insecurity” becomes top issue of Argentina’s political agenda

  

  Top United States official remarks about the lack of “legal security” in Argentina echoed in Copenhagen’s climate conference where Foreign Secretary Jorge Taiana approached Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to about these “unfortunate statements”.

• Friday, December 18th 2009 - 12:01 UTC

  President Obama envoy met with Mujica and today visits Paraguay

  

  Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Arturo A. Valenzuela visited Uruguay on Thursday where he met with president elect Jose Mujica and Vice-president Danilo Astori.

• Friday, December 18th 2009 - 11:53 UTC

  Fed chairman Bernanke’s reconfirmation is almost a fact

  

  Ben Bernanke's nomination to a second term as head of the US Federal Reserve has been approved by a Senate panel. Members of the Senate Banking Committee voted on Thursday 16 to seven to back Mr Bernanke as head of the central bank.

• Thursday, December 17th 2009 - 05:56 UTC

  Fed confirms most special liquidity facilities to expire by February 2010

  

  The Federal Reserve has decided to keep US interest rates on hold at between 0% and 0.25%, --as had been widely expected--, and anticipated that most of the special liquidity facilities will expire on February 1, 2010.

• Monday, December 14th 2009 - 12:55 UTC

  US priority: job creation over major fiscal consolidation

  

  Reducing the United States budget deficit at the expense of creating jobs in a still-struggling economy would be “suicide,” a top White House adviser says.

• Monday, December 14th 2009 - 11:50 UTC

  Brazil “minimizes” visit of top envoy from the Obama administration

  

  Brazil and Bolivia reacted strongly to the US message to Latinamerica about “flirting” with the Iran regime. Brazil is “minimizing” the Monday visit of a top US Department official and Bolivia said that it is sovereign and practices a “dialogue culture” with all countries.

• Monday, December 14th 2009 - 08:52 UTC

  US Congress facilitates sales of farm goods to Cuba

  

  The United States Senate approved a provision on Sunday to facilitate cash sales of US farm goods to Cuba, overturning restrictions by former President George W. Bush's administration, a senator said.