politics

QUITO, ECUADOR (27/JUN/2013.) - Ecuador's government announced on Thursday that it waives tariff preferences it receives from the United States due to the pressures of the case of former U.S. spy Edward Snowden, who sought asylum at the South American country.

The communications secretary of the Presidency of Ecuador, Fernando Alvarado said Ecuador "does not accept pressure or threats from anyone, and does not trade the principles for the mercantile interests, however important they may be".

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES (26/JUN/2013.) - The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have begun to move weapons to Jordan as part of the U.S. plan to strengthen the forces fighting against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, said today The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

The journal, quoting diplomatic sources and the U.S. intelligence, said the CIA conducted training work in the secret facilities located in Jordan to prepare moderate Syrian rebels, who are fighting with General Salim Idris, the main rebel commander backed by Washington.

Enniskillen, UK (17/JUN/2013.) - United States and Russia acknowledged today that their positions on the conflict in Syria are divergent, but stressed that share mutual interest to end violence and warring parties to negotiate.

The U.S. president, Barack Obama, and Vladimir Putin, discussed today at the G8 summit, the dramatic situation in Syria during a meeting that lasted more than two hours.

LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN (17/JUN/2013.) - Edward Snowden, responsible for the leaks of the secret surveillance programs in the U.S. currently in hiding in Hong Kong, told the British newspaper "The Guardian" that the government of his country can’t "stop the truth."

"All I can say now is that the U.S. government will not be able to cover imprisoning or murdering me. The truth is coming out and you can’t stop" said the former employee of the CIA and the U.S. National Security Agency ( NSA) in an interview session to the British newspaper.

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES (12/JUN/2013.) - The United States Senate debate on comprehensive immigration law on Wednesday focused on border security.

Republicans argued that the bill requires much stricter clauses in the area and some Republicans suggested that Democrats simply want to destroy the project.

HONG KONG, CHINA (12/JUN/2013.) - The Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei criticized today the US wiretapping program, revealed in internet by a former CIA agent, and warned that this could lead Beijing to increase its control.

"The United States dominates the highest technologies, is the leader. Many standards on information, on ethics, on legislation are established by these leaders," said the artist, to the South China Morning Post on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES (12/JUN/2013.) - Facebook today joined Google in asking U.S. federal authorities permission to release data related to cyber spying programs secretly revealed to the press last week.

Facebook's general counsel, Ted Ullyot, said today: "we would welcome an opportunity to provide a transparent report that would allow us to share worldwide with those who use Facebook the picture of the requirements which we have received from the government and how we responded" .

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (11/JUN/2013.) - The Brazilian government proposed to Russia, one of the initiators of the international peace conference on Syria to allow their participation and that of the other countries "to contribute to consensus " announced on Tuesday Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota.

The U.S. tax law that would force financial institutions worldwide to report to U.S. tax authorities will increase expenses and modify global banking culture, financial experts said today.

"From 2014 we will have another way of banking," said at a press conference the specialist in risk consulting firm Deloitte, Ramon Arosemena.

11 JUN. 2013. The presidents of the United States, B. Obama, and Peru, O. Humala, agreed today to promote educational exchanges between the two countries and strengthen cooperation against the "scourge" of the drugs.

"The state of our relationship is very strong," summarized Obama after receiving Humala in the Oval Office at the White House.

Both pledged to promote educational exchanges within a program created by the Obama administration to have 100,000 American students in the United States and the same number of Americans in Latin America.