Politics

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 06:52 UTC

  “Highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack: demands “credible response” from Moscow

  

  Former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia, Theresa May has told MPs. The PM said it was “highly likely” Russia was responsible for the Salisbury attack.

• Tuesday, March 13th 2018 - 06:31 UTC

  Queen Elizabeth celebrates “diversity” in Commonwealth Day message

  

  Queen Elizabeth II has praised the “Commonwealth connection” that allows people from different nations to bond and celebrate “diversity”, in her Commonwealth Day message. London on Monday hosted a gathering of leaders from the 53 member nations, with the Queen's Commonwealth Day message featuring in a service at Westminster Abbey.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:47 UTC

  UK calls for a free and independent media at UN Human Rights Council

  

  This UK statement was delivered at the 37th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva during the General Debate on Item 3: Freedom of the Media, held on 8 March 2018.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:43 UTC

  Raul Castro succession process takes off; heir apparent blasts US for “resuming a Cold War rhetoric”

  

  Cuba Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, tipped to succeed President Raul Castro, accused the US yesterday of “resuming a Cold War rhetoric” and of “attacking” the Cuban revolution. Diaz-Canel spoke to state television after casting his vote in elections for a parliament that will choose Castro’s successor on April 19.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:33 UTC

  Hammond: no end to austerity: surpluses will be used to lower UK debt

  

  British Chancellor Philip Hammond has rejected calls by Labour and some Conservatives to announce the end of austerity in his spring statement on Tuesday. He is expected to unveil the smallest budget deficit since 2002, thanks to better than expected public finances.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:20 UTC

  Argentine embassy honors identification effort at Falklands' Darwin cemetery

  

  The former lead singer of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters, Malvinas veteran Julio Aro, British ex Colonel Geoffrey Cardozo and Argentine journalist Gaby Cociffi were honored last Friday with “Two Roses for Peace” at the Argentine embassy residence in London in a ceremony hosted by ambassador Carlo Sersale Di Cerisano.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:18 UTC

  China names an emperor for life: how imperialist the change will be?

  

  In the short space of two weeks, China has announced and now voted with near unanimous approval to amend the country’s constitution and give the party state’s powerful leader Xi Jinping a mandate to stay in office indefinitely. On Sunday, a controversial amendment to scrap a two-term limit on the office of the president was approved along with 20 other changes.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 09:08 UTC

  Uribe protegé Duque, and ex Bogotá mayor dominate Colombia's legislative elections

  

  Right-wing candidate Ivan Duque and leftist Gustavo Petro will lead their respective coalitions in Colombia’s May presidential election after winning primaries on Sunday. Duque, a protégé of former President Alvaro Uribe and the standard bearer for the Democratic Center party, beat fellow candidates Marta Lucia Ramirez and Alejandro Ordonez for his coalition’s nomination. He got more than 3.9 million votes and 96% of the votes counted.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 07:35 UTC

  A more humble mature Piñera promises Chile growth and jobs

  

  Conservative billionaire Sebastian Piñera was sworn in Sunday to his second term as president of Chile, replacing socialist Michelle Bachelet in the office for the second time in eight years. An emotional Bachelet helped Piñera put on the sash of office, gave him a kiss and then left the Congress with members of her government.

• Monday, March 12th 2018 - 07:12 UTC

  Sir Alan Duncan attends Chilean president Piñera's inauguration

  

  Foreign Office minister for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan represented the UK in the inauguration of the new president of Chile, Sebastian Piñera. Minister Duncan arrived in Santiago on Saturday and part of his agenda is to discuss the future of UK-Chile bilateral relations with the incoming administration.