International

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 05:35 UTC

  Falklands’ rights and sovereignty

  

  By Sir Peter Westmacott (*) - Where in the world can you celebrate Margaret Thatcher Day with five kinds of wild penguins? Nowhere but in the Falkland Islands, a windswept archipelago in the South Atlantic that’s about the same area as Connecticut but has a population of only 3.100. This weekend, these small islands with a big personality face a momentous choice: a referendum to decide their political future.

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 05:30 UTC

  Iran’s Ahmadinejad received a standing ovation at Chavez emotional funeral

  

  Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cuba's Raul Castro joined on Friday about thirty other heads of state at Hugo Chávez's funeral in an emotional farewell to the charismatic Venezuelan leader who during his fourteen years in office had a major impact on South American politics.

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 05:10 UTC

  A woman is commander of RAF Search and Rescue Force over UK and Falklands

  

  In recognition of International Women's Day on 8 March the British Armed Forces profiled Group Captain Sara Mackmin who is the new commander of the RAF Search and Rescue Force with responsibility over the UK and the Falkland Islands.

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 04:49 UTC

  “Vision of the Seas” cruising the Caribbean hit by norovirus

  

  Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. on Friday said its “Vision of the Seas” cruise ship returned to Port Everglades in Florida with 108 people who might have caught an illness thought to be norovirus.

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 04:32 UTC

  Cardinals begin conclave Tuesday for new Pope; demands for more transparency

  

  Catholic cardinals gathered in Rome voted Friday to begin the conclave, to elect a new pope next Tuesday afternoon, the Vatican said. The 115 cardinal-electors taking part in the conclave will enter the closed-door process after a morning Mass and only cardinals younger than 80 are eligible to vote.

• Saturday, March 9th 2013 - 04:16 UTC

  ECB calls on governments to promote growth and combat the tragedy of unemployment

  

  European Central Bank President Mario Draghi urged indebted governments to move beyond spending cuts and tax hikes and introduce reforms that would boost growth and reduce the “tragedy” of unemployment.

• Friday, March 8th 2013 - 22:14 UTC

  Demand for US to recognize the Falklands and support the referendum

  

  By Harold Briley, London
  A demand that President Obama should stop siding with Argentina in the Falkland Islands dispute and instead fully back Britain and the Islanders has been made by a team of eminent US academics. In a sustained attack, they condemn United States policies as hypocritical and dangerous by claiming a posture of neutrality while supporting Argentina, which is conducting a campaign of “bullying intimidation, aggression, coercion and confrontation”.

• Friday, March 8th 2013 - 08:41 UTC

  Falklands’ referendum observation mission has representatives from seven countries

  

  An impartial group of independent international observers, Referendum International Observation Mission (RIOM) will monitor the referendum on the political future of the Falkland Islands on Sunday and Monday, according to a release.

• Friday, March 8th 2013 - 07:22 UTC

  Iranian president will attend Chavez funeral ceremony on Friday

  

  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected in Caracas early Friday on time to pay tribute to his late Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, who died earlier this week after a two-year battle with cancer. Ahmadinejad left Tehran for Caracas on Thursday.

• Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 23:00 UTC

  Chevron estimates US has recoverable oil and gas equivalent to 35 years of Saudi production

  

  Conservative estimates put the size of recoverable crude oil and natural gas offshore the United States at the equivalent of nearly 35 years of Saudi Arabia's production. Chevron made the case emphasizing the need for development of US offshore resources.