Politics

• Saturday, February 6th 2016 - 05:33 UTC

  Africa's decisive 54 votes pledged to Sheikh Salam's bid for FIFA presidency

  

  The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is backing Sheikh Salman in the Bahraini royal’s bid to replace Sepp Blatter as FIFA president. Africa’s 54 members represent a large portion of the total of 209 FIFA voters who are eligible to cast a ballot. Not surprisingly, it’s believed that the candidate who gets the support of Africa will be a big favorite.

• Saturday, February 6th 2016 - 05:31 UTC

  Brazil's inflation at 12-year high in January driven by food and transportation prices

  

  Brazil's inflation rate rose to a 12-year high, officials said on Friday, as Latin America's largest economy continues to struggle through a protracted recession. Driven by rising food prices, the annual inflation rate hit 10.71%, the highest since November 2003 and well beyond the central bank's target ceiling of 6.5%, said national statistics institute IBGE.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 08:22 UTC

  Strong support message from S&Ps for Argentina's economic reforms

  

  Standard & Poor's ratings agency says that Argentina’s new administration has presented a credible plan to deal with long-standing macroeconomic imbalances, eliminated foreign-exchange restrictions, and begun negotiations with its holdout creditors. The outlook on the local currency rating is stable, reflecting the new economic policies of the Administration, but also the potential difficulties in passing and implementing those plans.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 08:04 UTC

  Falklands: Contractual dispute with rig company raises speculation over drilling program

  

  The Falkland Islands government would not permit anything less than full and proper abandonment of exploration wells drilled by any operator in the Falkland Islands, stated Director of Mineral Resources Stephen Luxton this week, following news of a contractual dispute between Premier Oil and Ocean Rig over the drilling rig Eirik Raude.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 07:46 UTC

  Brazil's 'corrupt' government hurting business and agriculture, says Agco CEO

  

  Brazil's “corrupt” government is hurting the country's business sector, including in agriculture, the head of one of the world's biggest tractor-makers said. Martin Richenhagen, chairman and CEO of Agco, manufacturer of Fendt, Massey Ferguson and Valtra machinery, claimed he tried, and failed, to persuade Brazil's government to speed up the payment of agriculture support programs used by farmers for funding equipment purchases.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 07:35 UTC

  Argentina's main opposition force will attempt unity with party elections on May 8

  

  Argentina's main political force, Peronism, under the Justicialista party banner, announced that the party's elections will be held on 8 May, while the members of the electoral board set to oversee the election would be chosen during a meeting in Buenos Aires on February 24.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 07:31 UTC

  TPP Agreement bad for democracy, rights, public services and health, says ITUC

  

  The ITUC has called the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) a major setback for employment and workers’ rights prospects, and signaled the determination of unions in TPP countries to oppose it. After five years of secret negotiations, twelve Asia/Pacific-Rim Ministers signed the agreement today in Auckland, New Zealand, amid strong criticism from trade unions and other civil society organisations.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 07:17 UTC

  Lula da Silva included in criminal investigation involving bribes

  

  Brazil's federal police have included former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in an investigation into the possible use of bribes to influence the passage of legislation benefiting the auto sector, a court document showed on Thursday.

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 06:40 UTC

  Argentine government creates registry to weed out hooligans from football

  

  The Argentine government officially unveiled the National Registry for Admission to Football Matches. The measure was announced by the Security Ministry, which released a statement saying they “needed the cooperation from the clubs affiliated with the Argentine Football Association (AFA), who will bring us the names of the people who are not allowed to attend soccer matches.”

• Friday, February 5th 2016 - 06:27 UTC

  Chilean government condemns vandalism by fans at Malvinas Memorial in Rosario

  

  The Chilean ambassador in Buenos Aires met with Malvinas war veterans and the head of the National Monument to the Flag in the city of Rosario, and delivered an official letter condemning the violent actions and destruction by fans from the University of Chile football team against a Memorial to the Malvinas fallen.