Politics

• Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 06:04 UTC

  Bloomberg describes Brexit as the “single stupidest thing any country has ever done”

  

  Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire media mogul and former mayor of New York, has said Brexit is the “single stupidest thing any country has ever done” apart from the election of Donald Trump as US president. Bloomberg argued that “it is really hard to understand why a country that was doing so well wanted to ruin it” with the Brexit vote, in a series of outspoken remarks made at a technology conference in Boston a fortnight ago.

• Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 05:56 UTC

  Hammond “confident” despite admitting an “urgent and pressing” Brexit transition period

  

  Philip Hammond has said he is “confident” businesses will be given the Brexit certainty they need although he sidestepped calls to ensure transition principles are guaranteed by Christmas. The UK Chancellor acknowledged the principles of a transition period are “urgent and pressing”, also telling MPs the Government wants them agreed with the European Union “as soon as possible”.

• Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 05:47 UTC

  Catalonia to appeal Rajoy's measures; if not successful it will pursue the case in international courts

  

  Catalonia’s political leaders intend to bring a legal challenge to prevent the Spanish government from removing them from office and taking over running the region to stop its push for independence, a spokesman has said.

• Thursday, October 26th 2017 - 02:47 UTC

  Xi reaffirms his grip on China and his approval is an encouragement “that will spur me on.”

  

  Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday unveiled the new lineup of the ruling Communist Party highest body, whose members will rule alongside him as he embarks on a second five-year term as party leader with an agenda to spread prosperity and expand the global influence of the world's second largest economy.

• Wednesday, October 25th 2017 - 10:15 UTC

  Europe tells Malta it must bring to light the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana

  

  ”Malta must show to Europe and the world that its rules and regulations are healthy and robust,” European Commission first vice-president Frans Timmermans said. “If problems of a more general or systemic nature are brought to light, they must also be addressed, regardless of the consequences.”

• Wednesday, October 25th 2017 - 10:02 UTC

  Macri reminds cabinet “more votes, means more responsibilities”

  

  “I'm not that happy, more votes means more responsibilities”, Argentine president Mauricio Macri told his ministers when they applauded him on entering the first cabinet meeting following on Sunday's victory of the ruling coalition, Let's Change in the midterm elections.

• Wednesday, October 25th 2017 - 09:54 UTC

  Catalan parliament convened for Thursday to respond to Madrid

  

  The ruling Catalan separatist coalition has said the regional parliament will hold a meeting on Thursday which many fear will become a cover for a vote on declaring independence from Spain.

• Wednesday, October 25th 2017 - 09:15 UTC

  Falkland Islands sets its Economic Priorities for the coming Decade

  

  Over recent months the Falkland Islands Government have undertaken a review and refresh of the Economic Development Strategy for the Islands.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2017 - 22:50 UTC

  Mexican government struck by Odebrecht's bribe money

  

  Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto faces a tough choice on whether to pursue a graft probe involving a prominent ally and Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

• Tuesday, October 24th 2017 - 22:41 UTC

  Four Venezuelan opposition elected governors agree to be sworn by the Constituent Assembly

  

  Four newly-elected opposition governors in Venezuela have agreed to be sworn in by the constituent assembly, defying their coalition's official position. The Roundtable for Democracy (MUD) had said none of its candidates would kneel before the pro-government assembly, which it regards as illegitimate.