Human Rights Record of US in '08

Xinhua - China daily
02/26/2009

BEIJING -- The Information Office of the State Council published a report titled "The Human Rights Record of United States in 2008" here on Thursday.

The State Department of the United States released its Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008 on February 25, 2009. As in previous years, the reports are full of accusations of the human rights situation in more than 190 countries and regions including China, but mentioned nothing of the widespread human rights abuses on its own territory. The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2008 is prepared to help people around the world understand the real situation of human rights in the United States, and as a reminder for the United States to reflect upon it s own issues.

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Venezuelan Government rejects accusations made by the U.S. Department of State

Caracas - ABN
02/26/2009

Due to the report emitted on Wednesday by the United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, denouncing alleged corruption cases, pester the freedom of the press and human rights violations in Venezuela, without presenting a single proof, the Ministry of People's power for Foreign Affairs made public a statement rejecting and condemning United States meddling in Venezuela.

Full statement here

Wall Street Continues to free fall, The Dow brakes the 6k barrier

New York - Agencies

03/02/2009

Wall Street open today with a strong negative tendency and the Dow Jones Industries had loss almost 2% shortly after the opening bell, after learning The US Government has to rescue the insurance giant AIG once again, which registered record losses last year.

The Dow Jones index shrank 132 points, closing with 6.930 units, level not registered since October 1997, dropping from a high of 14.000 units last year. The Nasdaq reversed 1,3% and the S&P also loss 1,9%. Ouch!

ALBA Member Countries Create Permanent Commission

HAVANA - ACN
03/02/2009

The member countries of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), the bloc that is working for regional integration and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, have approved the creation of the Permanent Commission of this organization.

The agreement was reached during a recent session in Caracas, Venezuela, of the 8th Meeting of the ALBA Political Commission that was attended by delegations from Cuba, Bolivia, Dominica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

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International Event on Globalization Begins in Havana

HAVANA - ACN
03/02/2009

The 11th International Encounter of Economists on Globalization and Development Problems that begins on Monday in Havana will be the most important of its kind held so far.

"The current global economic crisis makes it the most important so far,"said the president of the organizing committee, Roberto Verrier.

According to Verrier, some 1,500 delegates from 60 countries as well as representatives from 27 international institutions, including the United Nations and a special envoy from the President of the UN General Assembly, will participate in the meeting.

Other important personalities that will take part in the event include Dominican President Leonel Fernandez and his Honduran counterpart Jose Manuel Zelaya as well as US Nobel laureates for Economy Robert Mundell, Robert Engle and Edmund Phelps.

Verrier added that 10 presidents of Central Banks, almost 20 Ministers of Economy, the UNESCO Deputy Director and the President of the ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas) Bank are also in Havana for the meeting.

"We will analyze the topic of the global economic crisis in two working sessions, on Monday and Tuesday. Then, on Wednesday, we will discuss ways in which social movements and economists from developing countries can contribute to facing this crisis," Verrier explained.

According to the president of the organizing committee, other topics to be discussed include trade, the Doha Round, ALBA and regional integration.

The 11th International Encounter of Economists on Globalization and Development Problems will conclude next Friday.