Stories for February 2013

Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:31 UTC
OAS mission promotes political dialogue in Paraguay ahead of the April 21 general election

The head of the Electoral Observation and Political Accompaniment Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Paraguay, the former President of Costa Rica and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Óscar Arias begins this weekend a visit to Asuncion to promote dialogue between the different Paraguayan political and social actors, and to prepare the deployment of the Mission that will monitor the general elections of April 21.
Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:26 UTC
Hague to discuss US position on Falklands’ referendum with Kerry

Foreign Secretary William Hague will discuss the United States' position on the Falkland Islands with Secretary of State John Kerry following reports that Washington will not recognise the result of next month's referendum.
Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:22 UTC
Russian cruise, once frequent Falklands visitor, adrift in the North Atlantic

A Russian cruise ship Lyubov Orlova, at one time a frequent summer visitor to the Falklands, abandoned and adrift in the North Atlantic has been located about 2.400 kilometres off the west coast of Ireland.
Saturday, February 23rd 2013 - 06:19 UTC
Moody’s cuts UK credit rating to Aa1 from AAA, first time since 1978

Moody's Investors Service on Friday cut the United Kingdom's credit rating to Aa1 from AAA for the first time since 1978, citing weakness in the nation's medium-term growth outlook that it now expects to extend for a number of years.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 18:25 UTC
Falklands confirms £ 26m fishing and oil ‘windfalls’ only for the Consolidated Fund

The Falkland Islands government at a public meeting defended their position of not including in the annual budget what they described as ‘windfalls’ from fishing and oil and instead adding the ‘exceptional” excess revenue to the Consolidated Fund.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 18:18 UTC
MLA Hansen takes over Falklands’ Minerals portfolio following controversy

Member of Legislative Assembly Ian Hansen will assume responsibility for the Falklands’ government Minerals portfolio after MLA Barry Elsby relinquished the post due to a conflict of interest. The brief release from Gilbert House adds that MLA Hansen has prior experience in the Minerals portfolio adding that MLA Jan Cheek will continue as the second portfolio holder.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 17:38 UTC
Foreign Office pledges more marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean

The Foreign Office said that the UK is striving to ensure that all fishing undertaken in the Southern Ocean is carefully managed and sustainable and that the current FCO focus is supporting international work to establish a network of Southern Ocean Marine Protected Areas.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 16:03 UTC
Controversy over Spain’s recovery ‘round the corner’ and ‘the next Germany’ forecast

US multinational financial service corporation Morgan Stanley has declared that Spain has already got over the worst of the economic crisis and augurs that it “will become the next Germany” in the European Union. This however is challenged by the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs, Citibank and the IMF.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 15:43 UTC
Self determination and world examples dominated political debate hosted by Falklands

The 43rd British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), held in the Falkland Islands on the 12th and 13th February 2013, was described as both fascinating and provoking by delegates.
Friday, February 22nd 2013 - 05:11 UTC
Colombia with enough oil for eight years at current rate of consumption

Colombia only has enough oil to last another eight years and must urgently step up exploration efforts to locate more reserves, Finance Minister Mauricio Cardenas said.