Politics

Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 10:51 UTC
Theresa May loses one of her closest allies in the cabinet to pornography allegations

Damian Green, one of British Prime Minister Theresa May's closest allies, has been sacked from the cabinet after an inquiry found he had breached the ministerial code. He was “asked to quit” after he was found to have made “inaccurate and misleading” statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008.
Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 10:46 UTC
Mercosur divided on Jerusalem vote: Argentina and Paraguay abstained; Brazil and Uruguay supported

A resolution backed overwhelmingly by the United Nations has effectively called on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote in support of the resolution was 128, nine against and 35 abstentions. The South American Mercosur block, currently holding a summit in Brasilia, voted divided, while Brazil and Uruguay supported the resolution, Argentina and Paraguay abstained.
Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 10:16 UTC
Catalonia is back at starting point: separatists win a slim majority

Catalonia's separatists look set to regain power in the wealthy Spanish region after local elections on Thursday, deepening the nation's political crisis in a sharp rebuke to Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and European Union leaders who backed him. With nearly all votes counted, separatist parties won a slim majority in Catalan parliament, a result that promises to prolong political tensions which have damaged Spain's economy and prompted a business exodus from the region.
Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 09:56 UTC
Argentina: Approval of reform bills triggers markets

Merval, the main index of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, rose 1.51% Thursday, closing at 28,494.01 points - close to exceeding the maximum of the year, by 28,500 points. The Argentine stocks were driven by the approval of the pension and tax reforms passed this week in the House of Representatives.
Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 09:49 UTC
Peruvian president manages to survive impeachment but emerges weaker

Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski survived an impeachment vote in congress late Thursday, thwarting an attempt by opposition lawmakers to oust him over ties to the Brazilian construction giant implicated in the region's biggest corruption scandal.
Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 06:45 UTC
Theresa May pledges no compromise on Falklands' right to self determination

In a personal Christmas message to Falkland Islanders, Prime Minister Theresa May emphasized that she would not allow anyone to compromise Islanders’ right to self determination. Her full message follows:
Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 11:07 UTC
Transition period after Brexit ends the last day of 2020, states EC

The European Union wants a transition period after Brexit to end no later than the last day of 2020, according to the European Commission's negotiating directives agreed on Wednesday. That date, coinciding with the end of the EU's seven-year budget period and 21 months after Britain departs the EU, had long been expected as the target end point of the transition.
Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 10:59 UTC
Mrs. May reaffirms Gibraltar will be part of UK Brexit negotiations

Gibraltar will not be excluded from any aspect of the UK’s Brexit negotiations, Prime Minister Theresa May insisted again, after the European Commission appeared to indicate that Spain would have a veto on any transitional arrangements covering the Rock.
Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 10:32 UTC
UN Jerusalem vote: Trump threatens to cut off financial aid to countries that support the resolution

United States president Donald Trump has threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that back a United Nations resolution opposing the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Earlier this month, Mr Trump took that step amid international criticism.
Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 10:23 UTC
Catalonia hangover vote: challenge for a stable Spain, and for Europe

As voters in Catalonia ready themselves for Thursday’s election results, they will not be alone in anxious anticipation. Nobody has bet more on the outcome than Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who has urged Catalans to step back from what he sees as an illegal, reckless insistence on independence.