International

• Wednesday, March 21st 2012 - 06:16 UTC

  HMS Montrose: Argentina thanks Humala; Peruvian opposition calls minister “incompetent and foolish”

  

  During a live press conference on Tuesday, Argentine President Cristina Fernández thanked “the Peruvian government and population” for their decision to leave without effect the scheduled, but controversial, visit of a British frigate “in support of the Argentine sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands.”

• Wednesday, March 21st 2012 - 04:27 UTC

  Gibraltar exposed to a repeat of Spanish provocations from a decade ago

  

  Gibraltar appeared to be heading back to scenes of over a decade ago: clashes with Spanish fishermen and politicians. On Monday evening the Spanish ruling Popular Party from neighbouring Algeciras Mayor, Jose Ignacio Landaluce, boarded the vessel ‘Joaquina’ backing a protest sail into Gibraltar waters.

• Wednesday, March 21st 2012 - 04:23 UTC

  FIFA cleansing advances: Brazil’s Texeira steps down from executive committee

  

  Ricardo Teixeira severed his ties with soccer's international governing body on Monday, a week after he resigned as head of the Brazilian Football Confederation and organiser of the 2014 World Cup.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 23:51 UTC

  Spain vows to defend Repsol-YPF interests in Argentina; board meeting to decide on YPF profits

  

  Adding fuel to the quarrel between Argentina and Spain for disagreements over Spanish investors administrated YPF, Spanish Industry minister of José Manuel Soria vowed on Tuesday to defend his country’s interests.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 22:23 UTC

  Former councillor Cockwell receives OBE from the Queen for promoting Falklands internationally

  

  Former Falkland Islands elected Councillor Richard Cockwell last week received his OBE from Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Richard was awarded the honour for his work promoting the Falklands internationally.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 22:01 UTC

  Poll shows 61% UK support for defending the Falklands; young voters not so sure

  

  As the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the South Atlantic conflict approaches, a new poll conducted in the UK by the newspaper The Guardian has shown that British people are largely determined to defend the islands.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 21:51 UTC

  Peru denies President Humala coming UK visit; confirms May trip to Argentina

  

  Peruvian Foreign Affairs minister Rafael Roncagliolo denied President Ollanta Humala had accepted an invitation to visit London next month, Lima’s El Comercio reported Tuesday in the front page.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 21:49 UTC

  Moody’s: Spain needs to implement more austerity; 4.000 town councils financially ‘non viable’

  

  Rating agency Moody's said on Tuesday that Spain's fiscal outlook remained challenging despite recently softened deficit targets. The announcement comes when the Secretary for Public administration admitted that 4.000 ‘ayuntamientos’ town councils in Spain are not financially viable.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 05:02 UTC

  WB backs selective use of capital controls when faced with massive inflows

  

  The World Bank’s new Latin America chief backed selective use of capital controls when inflows were creating asset bubbles or distorting foreign exchange markets. Hasan Tuluy, the Bank’s new vice-president for Latin America and the Caribbean, said while trade protectionism should be avoided, there was space for macro prudential measures.

• Tuesday, March 20th 2012 - 04:46 UTC

  Australian Senate approves law to tax 30% iron ore and coal mining companies

  

  The Australian Senate has pushed through into law a 30% tax on iron ore and coal mining companies. The tax will raise A$10.6bn (11.2bn dollars) over three years from major companies including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xtrata.