Stories for February 2016

Friday, February 26th 2016 - 07:05 UTC
Britain protests 'provocative' incursion in Gibraltar waters by Spanish corvette

Britain has protested to Spain after a Spanish warship “manoeuvred dangerously” during an incursion into British Gibraltar territorial waters, risking collision with a Royal Navy patrol boat.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:55 UTC
Petrobras scandal becomes a mincing machine for the political system

Petrobras corruption investigation keeps gobbling Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff former cabinet members, but also political figures from other leading political parties. On Wednesday the Supreme Court authorized formal investigations into Rousseff’s former chief-of-staff, as well as the mayor of the country’s largest city and an opposition senator, for potential corruption.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:38 UTC
Falklands' Gentoo penguins practice “kleptoparasitism”, shows study by South African scientist

Penguins in addition to being stealthy swimmers and keen hunters, unique video footage has revealed a dark side: a video camera attached to the back of a gentoo penguin swimming off the Falkland Islands captures a violent underwater scuffle where penguins steal food right out of each other’s beaks.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:19 UTC
Greenpeace celebrates and supports cancellation of Icelandic fin whale hunt

Greenpeace celebrates the 'incredible' news that Iceland has cancelled the fin whale hunt for the current season and underlines that nowadays “there is simply no place for commercial whaling” plus the fact that Iceland and Japan have stockpiles of unwanted whale meat.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 06:08 UTC
Macri and opposition governors will meet Pope Francis on Saturday

Argentine President Mauricio Macri flew after midday to Rome ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Macri flew in an Alitalia commercial flight accompanied by his wife Juliana Awada, their small daughter Antonia and a small delegation of close aides and three provincial governors specially invited for the occasion.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 04:26 UTC
World's eyes turn on Zurich as FIFA chooses president and hopefully a new era for the beautiful game

The five contenders for the FIFA throne pitched the regional confederations in Zurich on Thursday in a last-ditch plea for votes in Friday’s election. Sheikh Salman, Gianni Infantino, Prince Ali, Jerome Champagne and Tokyo Sexwale made their appeals to CONCACAF, UEFA and Oceania congresses staged at various hotels in the Swiss city where Sepp Blatter’s successor will be 26 February.
Friday, February 26th 2016 - 01:36 UTC
“Falklands people voice must be heard”, says Uruguayan former president visiting the Islands

Luis Alberto Lacalle, the Ex-President of Uruguay, is currently in the Falkland Islands on a week-long tour, along with Uruguayan Elected Representative Mario Jaime Trobo. Lacalle served as President from 1990 to 1995 and Trobo is presently a Member of the International Affairs Committee.
Thursday, February 25th 2016 - 06:57 UTC
Hollande/Macri 'personal link' “will make things get moving and get done”

The visit of French president Francois Hollande was described as “most positive” and this was reflected in the over twenty bilateral agreements signed in all fields, plus a very significant 'personal link' with his Argentine peer Mauricio Macri, said Susana Malcorra, foreign minister on Wednesday at the Casa Rosada.
Thursday, February 25th 2016 - 06:50 UTC
Moody's downgrades Brazil's sovereign debt to 'junk territory'

Moody's Investors Service on Wednesday joined the two other major credit rating agencies in downgrading Brazil's sovereign debt to junk territory. Moody's lowered Brazil's credit rating by two notches from Baa3 (its lowest investment-grade rating) to Ba2 and changed the country's outlook to “negative,” a move that follows similar actions by Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's.
Thursday, February 25th 2016 - 06:36 UTC
Hollande suggests Argentina could help Europe's refugee crisis by taking Syrian families

French President Francois Hollande suggested Wednesday that Argentina could take in some of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing civil war. The idea appeared to be an off-the-cuff comment during a news conference by Hollande and Argentine President Mauricio Macri after they met privately and signed agreements on issues ranging from fighting terrorism to increasing cultural exchanges.