Politics

• Friday, January 12th 2018 - 09:34 UTC

  Typical Trump: announcement he will attend Davos forum triggers controversy

  

  The announcement that US President Trump is to visit Switzerland later this month to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, WEF, has prompted mixed reactions. While a spokesman for the Swiss government said it was “delighted” that President Trump was coming to the mountain resort of Davos, centre-left politicians have made their displeasure clear.

• Friday, January 12th 2018 - 07:18 UTC

  Falklands concern with vast fishing fleet gathering on high seas

  

  A vast fleet of fishing vessels assembling to catch Illex squid on the high seas, some 400 miles north of the Falkland Islands, is an issue of concern to the Falkland Islands Fisheries Department.

• Thursday, January 11th 2018 - 12:10 UTC

  Constitutionalist murdered in Venezuela, Government denounces “Political murder”

  

  The deputy of the pro-government National Constituent Assembly, Tomás Lucena, was killed on Wednesday afternoon in Trujillo state, in western Venezuela when he was intercepted by two suspects on motorcycles and wounded with several bullets, according to witnesses. The government rates the crime of revenge.

• Thursday, January 11th 2018 - 10:19 UTC

  Brazil looks into the past to implement legislation punishing political “fake news”

  

  Brazil is the latest country to unveil plans to censor the Internet, following in the footsteps of Germany, France, and other European countries. Earlier this week the country’s official Twitter account for the Federal Police, (equivalent to FBI), announced efforts to “punish” anyone who disseminates political content it deems “false.” The federal government of Brazil is extending its ability to enforce regulation and control of its sector of the Internet.

• Thursday, January 11th 2018 - 09:48 UTC

  Canada accuses US of breaking international trade rules; files complaint with WTO

  

  Canada has filed an expansive complaint with the World Trade Organization accusing the US of breaking international trade rules. The complaint challenges the ways that the US investigates products for subsidies and below-cost sales. As expected the US called the claims “unfounded”.

• Thursday, January 11th 2018 - 09:34 UTC

  UK charm offensive in Germany to lobby for London's post Brexit financial services

  

  The German government on Wednesday sought to pour cold water over Britain's hopes of a bespoke post-Brexit arrangement for financial services. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman told reporters that Berlin's focus would remain on preserving a unified stance among the 27 EU nations as Brexit negotiations prepare to enter a critical phase. Britain's financial services industry is expected to be one the main battlegrounds in the next stage of talks.

• Thursday, January 11th 2018 - 07:02 UTC

  Timerman barred from flying to US; Argentine government will appeal decision on humanitarian reasons

  

  The United States barred former Argentine Minister of Foreign Relations Hector Timerman from entering the country because of several pending court cases. The Argentine government said it would appeal the decision, and request a new visa, since Mr. Timerman, who was under house arrest, was allowed by Federal Judge Sergio Torres to travel overseas for medical reasons.

• Wednesday, January 10th 2018 - 10:38 UTC

  Farage: Barnier doesn't understand why 17 million voted to leave the EU

  

  Nigel Farage, who as leader of the UK Independence Party was one of the leading campaigners for Britain to leave the European Union, crossed swords with one of his main EU adversaries. After meeting Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, for about 30 minutes in Brussels, Farage said he was convinced that the Frenchman doesn’t understand why more than 17 million people voted for the UK to leave in the 2016 referendum.

• Wednesday, January 10th 2018 - 10:28 UTC

  UK Cabinet reshuffle makes government look “more like the country it serves”

  

  Theresa May has said her reshuffle makes the government look “more like the country it serves” with a “new generation” of ministers brought in. The PM has appointed several new faces to her ministerial team.

• Wednesday, January 10th 2018 - 10:03 UTC

  Brazilian politics at its best: nepotism and a sentenced rapist to Congress

  

  Brazilian president Michel Temer's latest cabinet reshuffle has not been very encouraging or in accordance with his survival abilities so far. In effect the candidate named as future minister of Labor had to reach a debt payment deal with a driver that provided services to the family, and the politician who will be replacing her in Congress was sentenced for raping minors.