Politics

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 20:10 UTC

  Essential EU poly-lingual staff for UK inbound tourism at risk with Brexit

  

  The CEO of the European Tourism Association, ETOA, Tom Jenkins told Parliament that Brexit is already harming the inbound travel industry, damaging productivity and asked for assurances that hiring non-UK EU workers remains free from bureaucratic burdens, since language skills are particularly important in the industry.

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 10:12 UTC

  Colombia and Brazil tighten controls along Venezuelan border: thousands pouring in

  

  Colombia and Brazil tightened border controls with Venezuela on Thursday as both nations grapple with a mounting influx of hundreds of thousands of desperate migrants fleeing a worsening economic crisis In a visit to the border region, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said he would impose stricter migratory controls, suspend new daily entry cards for Venezuelans and deploy 3,000 new security personnel along the frontier, including 2,120 more soldiers.

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 10:08 UTC

  Japanese companies Brexit warning: no profits, no private company can continue

  

  Japan's ambassador to the UK has said Brexit is a high stakes issue and that no company would be able to stay in the UK if it was not profitable. Koji Tsuruoka was speaking outside Number 10 after a meeting between Prime Minister Theresa May and 19 top Japanese bosses.

• Friday, February 9th 2018 - 09:54 UTC

  Brazilian congress member arrested on arrival from the US; he must spend five years in jail

  

  Brazil's federal police have arrested a congressman on corruption charges at Sao Paulo's international airport, saying they feared he could try to escape to Paraguay. A panel of the country's top court this week ordered the arrest of Congressman Joao Rodrigues after his corruption conviction was upheld by a federal court.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 17:19 UTC

  Goose Green Liberated of Landmines after more than 35 Years

  

  As Mercopress have reported in a series of articles over the past eight years, the Falkland Islands are slowly being cleared of the landmines laid by Argentine forces during the 1982 war. Last week this process reached a key milestone when Goose Green settlement, the site of a key battle in late May 1982, was announced as being mine-free.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 11:24 UTC

  Venezuelan presidential elections for April 22

  

  Venezuela's questioned electoral council has set April 22 as the date for a controversial presidential election, which was supposed to occur late 2018. The opposition accuses President Nicolas Maduro of using to plan a second term for himself.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 09:53 UTC

  Falklands: improvements to Mare Harbour jetty completed

  

  A state of the art jetty which will improve military capability in the Falkland Islands and improve life for personnel on the Islands has been completed by Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). Work to upgrade the jetty in Mare Harbour was officially opened recently by Geoff Robson, DIO’s Chief Operating Officer.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 09:37 UTC

  Brazilian ex president Collor de Mello throws hit hat into the ring

  

  Among the many possible contenders for Brazil’s next president are an ex-army captain, a TV presenter and a former head of state who may be in jail by the time of the election. Now, another eye-catching candidate has thrown his hat into the ring: Fernando Collor de Mello, Brazil’s president from 1990-1992, when he resigned shortly before being impeached on corruption charges.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 09:26 UTC

  China confirms support for Venezuela and lashes out at “irresponsible” US

  

  China’s support for Venezuela has benefited ordinary people and been broadly welcomed, the foreign ministry said after the U.S. Treasury accused China of aiding Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government with murky oil-for-loan investments.

• Thursday, February 8th 2018 - 07:54 UTC

  Arrested Spanish trawler could have sailed into Argentine EEZ because of a mal functioning GPS

  

  The Galician company which owns the “Playa Pesmar Uno” arrested last Sunday by the Argentine Coast Guard allegedly for illegal fishing in the South Atlantic, admits the trawler could have involuntarily sailed into the EEZ, because one of the three GPS on board was malfunctioning.