Argentine president Cristina Fernández tour of Southeast Asia came to an end on Monday with an embarrassing admission by the leader that she had “put her foot in it” in a press conference in Hanoi by making a statement which was factually incorrect regarding when Argentina recognized Vietnam as a state.
A Norwegian cruise liner at risk of becoming trapped in thick ice off the coast of Antarctica was guided to safety by the Royal Navy in a two-hour operation, an incident which occurred a week ago and has only emerged.
One of the leading New Zealand newspapers, The Dominion Post, has addressed the issue of the Falklands, the dispute with Argentina and the coming March referendum in an editorial “Islanders should decide their destiny”, which we kindly reproduce.
In Latin America and the Caribbean 94% of primary-school age children attended school, but the figure was down to 75% for secondary level of education. Likewise the average number of people on technical or university courses was three times higher in the richest quintile than in the poorest quintile, according to data collected by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem has been elected as the new head of the Euro-group, replacing the outgoing Jean-Claude Juncker. The 46 year-old, who has been head of the Dutch Finance Ministry for two months, was expected to take over.
Global unemployment rose in 2012 after falling for two straight years and could further increase in 2013, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned in a new report. The number of unemployed worldwide rose by 4.2 million in 2012 to over 197 million, a 5.9% unemployment rate, according to Global Employment Trends 2013.
Italy’s AgustaWestland looks set to cash in on an oil-driven Brazilian helicopter sales bonanza through a joint venture with Embraer that could lead to production of its rotorcraft in the country.
The European Union is the “most desired strategic partner” of Latinamerica, although with different intensity, according to a report from the International Prospective Institute, IPI, released on Monday in Madrid and ahead of the coming EU/CELAC summit in Santiago de Chile.
The British designed Argentine missile destroyer ARA “Santísima Trinidad,” that participated in the Falklands conflict in 1982 and has been out of service since 2004 moored at the Puerto Belgrano Navy base, is currently leaning to port and under the risk of sinking.
President Barack Obama's inauguration on Monday had a marked Hispanic accent with the prominent participation of speakers and personalities from the country's biggest minority group, and a pledge to overcome the on-going immigration controversy.