Portal:Current events/2009 September 26

September 26, 2009 (Saturday)

Second South America-Africa Summit (ASA) on Isla Margarita:
- The second South America-Africa Summit (ASA) begins on Isla Margarita. (Xinhua) (Bloomberg) (Wall Street Journal)
- 30 African and South American leaders arrive to attend, with 60 countries being represented. (CCTV) (IOL)
- South African President Jacob Zuma says during the opening of the summit that the South-South union between South American and African regions will contribute to the development of both. (Xinhua)
- Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez says regional governments are to sign an agreement to create a Bank of the South with startup capital of 20 billion US dollars. (Wales Online)
- A regional bank for South America, the Bank of the South, with a $20-billion initial capital is then set up under an agreement signed by seven nations—Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela—on the sidelines of the summit. (African Press Agency) (MercoPress)
- Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi calls for the creation of a military alliance among nations in the South Atlantic region by 2011, calling it "NATO of the South". (RTTNews)
More than 100 ministers and heads of state attend a United Nations meeting on the global hunger crisis. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tables a five-pronged set of recommendations to raise a hunger-free world. (Xinhua) (RTÉ) (Bangldesh News)
At least 10 people are dead in Metro Manila after Tropical Storm Ketsana hits the northern Philippines. (AFP) (Philippines Inquirer) (BBC) (Philippine Star)
Three detainees held by the United States at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, are sent abroad to two countries. Ireland accepts two detainees of Uzbeki origin in a humanitarian gesture, with Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Dermot Ahern saying Ireland was one of the first countries in Europe to call for the closure of Guantánamo Bay and that the two men would now be given time to rebuild their lives. (Reuters) (RTÉ) (BBC)
Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki writes to President of the United States Barack Obama to express his concern and disappointment over threats it has received from that country concerning a travel ban on Kenyan officials it blames for hindering reforms. (IOL)
Two car bomb blasts kill at least 12 people in northwestern Pakistan. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera) (Times of India)
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad rejects U.S. President Barack Obama's accusation about Iran's nuclear program. (CNN) (AFP) (Al Jazeera)
Families separated for over 50 years since the Korean War meet at the Kŭmgangsan resort, North Korea. (BBC) (Yonhap) (Associated Press) (Xinhua)
Two mass graves linked to Colombia's internal conflict are discovered. (BBC)
A second dust storm hits Sydney, Australia. (ABC News) (Xinhua) (Bloomberg)
Pope Benedict XVI arrives for a three day visit to the Czech Republic. (CTK) (Press TV) (Associated Press)
Twenty-two large banks in Europe may have accumulated credit losses of close to €400 billion for this year and next, according to officials who have seen a draft of conclusions of “stress tests” conducted by European regulators. (New York Times)
Geelong defeats St Kilda in the 2009 AFL Grand Final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.(The Age)
The Spanish government formally unveils plans to liberalise the country's abortion law. (BBC)
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua returns to Abuja after a visit to Saudi Arabia. (IOL)
Pope Benedict XVI's robes are graced by a spider as he addresses politicians and diplomats in Prague. (BBC)