Politics

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Stone blames Bush for failed release of Colombian hostages

  

  Hollywood director Oliver Stone who was to film the liberation of hostages held by the Colombian cocaine funded guerrilla FARC at the end of December, accused the United States for the failure of the mission and defends the role played by Venezuela's president Hugo Chavez in the frustrated operation.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  UK Minister meets opposition from Falklands Councillors on next-of-kin issue

  

  BRITISH Overseas Territories Minister Meg Munn met with opposition from Falkland Islands councillors during her recent visit to the islands when she suggested Argentine next-of-kin might be allowed to visit the Falklands via a charter flight.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Mercosur entry stalled in Brazilian Congress

  

  The recent end of the year episode of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez with the Colombian cocaine-funded guerrilla FARC and the failed handover of hostages could further imperil the Brazilian Congress approval of Venezuela's incorporation to Mercosur.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentina under Plan Condor had tracking stations in Brazil

  

  The 1976-1983 Argentine dictatorship held information bases in San Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which were meant to “detect people connected to the subversion”, according to a legal prosecution started in Argentina, reported the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper on Sunday.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Ban Ki-moon: 2008 should be the year of the “bottom billion”

  

  United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed Monday that 2008 should be the year of the “bottom billion,” citing the need for renewed determination to address the needs of the poorest of the world's poor who have been left behind by global economic growth.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  With 2009 in mind Uruguayan cabinet reshuffle expected

  

  Uruguayan Socialist president Tabare Vazquez is preparing a reshuffle of the ministerial cabinet which will include half of the posts, including those with the greatest political and financial weight, according to the government newspaper La Republica.

• Monday, January 7th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Argentine former minister charged with cover up

  

  Argentina's former economy minister was charged Monday with trying to cover up the discovery of a bagful of cash she stashed in her office bathroom. Felisa Miceli now faces prosecution on charges of alleged cover-up and destruction of evidence. She also faces a 200.000 pesos embargo.

• Sunday, January 6th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Colombia demands “unconditional” release of hostages

  

  Colombia on Saturday called on cocaine funded leftist guerrillas to unconditionally free hostages after saying the rebels lied in an “incoherent” way about the whereabouts of a young child they promised to free last month.

• Saturday, January 5th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands' Office celebrates 25 years in London

  

  January 12 marks 25 years since the opening of the Falkland Islands Government Office (FIGO) in London, making it one of the longest established UK Overseas Territories Offices. Sukey Cameron MBE has been the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) UK Representative since 1990.

• Friday, January 4th 2008 - 20:00 UTC

  Venezuela's Chavez reshuffles cabinet after defeat

  

  President Hugo Chavez shuffled his Cabinet on Thursday, naming a retired military officer as vice president and other changes aimed at tackling corruption and inefficiencies in his socialist government