Stories for February 9th 2013

Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 09:32 UTC
Venezuela devalues currency 32% to help cut 11% of GDP fiscal gap

Venezuela devalued its currency for the fifth time in nine years as ailing President Hugo Chavez seeks to narrow a widening fiscal gap and reduce a shortage of dollars in the economy. The new exchange rate falls by 32% to 6.3 Bolivar per dollar starting Feb. 13, Finance Minister Jorge Giordani told reporters in Caracas.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 09:23 UTC
Ecuador presidential election turning into a one man race

Populist Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has maintained a huge lead over his nearest opposition rival in the run-up to the Feb. 17 elections, recent polls show. Correa's popularity has remained above 50% throughout his six years in office, buoyed by his personal charisma as well as his government's heavy spending on hospitals, roads and schools.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 09:16 UTC
India signs ambitious mining agreement with Uruguay

India has shown great interest in mining iron ore, granite, gold and diamond in Uruguay and has entered into a deal for exploring and encouraging investment opportunities in the mining sector, according to Indian sources visiting Uruguay.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 09:01 UTC
EU agreement on multi-annual budget with a 3.3% reduction for the time

After lengthy talks in Brussels European leaders have reached an agreement on the budget for 2014-20 with a ceiling of 960 billion Euros, the first time the EU multi-annual budget has been reduced.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 08:53 UTC
Breathing space for Ireland as EU softens bail-out conditions

Ireland clinched a long-awaited deal to ease the burden of its bank debts, sending its borrowing costs falling to pre-crisis levels and bolstering its chances of ending its reliance on EU-IMF loans this year.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 08:49 UTC
Scandal extends to Europe: horsemeat in frozen lasagne and spaghetti Bolognese

British Environment secretary is to meet representatives from the Food Standards Agency and meat retailers and suppliers to discuss the horsemeat scandal. Owen Paterson said investigations into how beef products had been contaminated with horsemeat were ongoing but “the evidence so far suggests... it is either criminal activity or gross negligence”.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 08:41 UTC
HMS Edinburgh leaves the Falklands for the last time

Known as the ‘Fortress of the Sea’, HMS Edinburgh is the largest and the last Type 42 destroyer to serve in the Royal Navy. She finished her six month tour of the South Atlantic Islands this week and is due to be decommissioned in June, but before heading north again Falkland Islands residents were given the opportunity to have a peek on board.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 08:38 UTC
Financial Times gets it wrong on Falklands and Gibraltar ‘trilateral’ dialogue

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo this week wrote to the Financial Times after the respected financial daily made a glaring error about Gibraltar in an editorial column centred on Argentina.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 08:33 UTC
Spain disappointed with Gibraltar’s Picardo picture next to President Obama

The Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs has contacted the US government to express its unease over the recent visit by the Gibraltar Government to Washington, according to reports published in Spain.
Saturday, February 9th 2013 - 00:34 UTC
Major Commonwealth parliamentary conference opens Tuesday in the Falklands

The 43rd British Islands and Mediterranean Region Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association which is being hosted by the Falkland Islands for the second time will begin next Tuesday and will convene 37 delegates with Canada and Anguilla as observers.