Politics

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 10:03 UTC

  “Call the kids to work for a unified government”, Brazilian vice-president tells president Jair Bolsonaro

  

  Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao said on Thursday that the president will have to rein in his sons after one of them called a minister a liar on social media, exacerbating tensions in a new government dealing with its first big cabinet scandal.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 08:57 UTC

  Netherlands mock Brexit with a giant Muppet-style monster

  

  The Dutch government sees Brexit not as the elephant in the room but as a giant Muppet-style monster lying on a desk. That is the picture tweeted by Foreign minister Stef Blok, with the warning: “make sure Brexit doesn't sit - or lie - in your way”. There is a link to an official website where Dutch firms can see the potential impact of Brexit on their business.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 08:55 UTC

  Germany on the edge of recession following weak trade performance

  

  Germany's economy just about avoided falling into recession during the final three months of last year. Europe's largest economy registered zero growth during the fourth quarter of 2018, the country's Federal Statistics Office said. That means it avoided two consecutive quarters of contraction, which is the usual definition of a recession.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 08:49 UTC

  PM's May approach to Brexit talks again rejected in Parliament: 303 to 258

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May has suffered another Commons defeat after MPs voted down her approach to Brexit talks. MPs voted by 303 to 258 - a majority of 45 - against a motion endorsing the government's negotiating strategy.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 08:27 UTC

  Trump ready to declare a national emergency to fund border wall: “lawless act”, warn Democrats

  

  US President Donald Trump is to declare a national emergency to fund his planned border wall with Mexico, the White House has said. He will sign a border security bill to avert a government shutdown - but also act to bypass Congress and use military funds for the wall, a statement said.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 07:46 UTC

  Falklands using drones to create fine scale models of minefields

  

  The minefields around the Falkland Islands capital, Stanley, dating back to the South Atlantic conflict, have remained largely untouched for most of nearly 35 years, due to the restrictions in place around access to the minefields. Over this time, they have become a haven for Falkland’s wildlife.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 07:21 UTC

  “Venezuela should honor its debts obligations”, Russia reminds Maduro

  

  Venezuela should honour its debt obligations to Russia despite the political situation in Caracas, Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday. ”Russia hopes that Venezuela, even in case of a change of power in the country, will fulfil its obligations under the debt to Russia, Siluanov told reporters on the sidelines of the Russian Investment Forum in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

• Friday, February 15th 2019 - 07:10 UTC

  Falkland Islands' Brexit costs considered in the House of Lords

  

  The impact of Brexit on the Falkland Islands has been raised in the UK’s House of Lords, with Lib Dem Lord Nigel Jones tabling questions to the Foreign Office. Lord Jones asked the government what assessment they had made of the Falklands’ EU exports, and the impact of World Trade Organization tariffs on Islands fisheries.

• Thursday, February 14th 2019 - 11:00 UTC

  Uruguayan president Vazquez now supports free credible elections in Venezuela

  

  As advanced by Mercopress, Uruguay and Argentine presidents', Tabare Vazquez and Mauricio Macri open agenda surprise meeting was in effect to address the Venezuelan situation, particularly what has been described in Buenos Aires as the erratic accommodative stance to circumstances and environment, of the Vazquez administration.

• Thursday, February 14th 2019 - 10:25 UTC

  Parliament to vote on Valentine's Day a raft of Brexit amendments

  

  British Prime Minister Theresa May is hoping parliament will show her some love on Valentine's Day by backing a motion reiterating its support for her Brexit strategy and rejecting amendments that would force her hand. Lawmakers in the UK will vote on May's latest motion on Thursday and could be asked to vote on five other amendments brought forward by MPs.