Politics

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:52 UTC

  Russia displaces Saudi Arabia as world's largest supplier of crude oil

  

  Russia has taken over from Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest supplier of crude oil, according to the Riyadh based Joint Organizations' Data Initiative. Russia pumped 10.49 million barrels a day in December, with Saudi Arabia just behind at 10.46 and the US third at 8.9 million barrels. Iraq came up in fourth place with 5 million barrels.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:43 UTC

  Theresa May sends strong warnings to Scottish government: “UK will not drift apart in post-Brexit”

  

  United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May has warned the Scottish Government that control over policy areas such as fishing and agriculture might not come to Holyrood in the wake of Brexit. PM May said while no powers will be taken away from Scottish ministers as a result of the decision to leave the European Union, responsibilities that transfer back to Britain from Brussels “must sit at the right level to ensure our United Kingdom can operate effectively”.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:33 UTC

  If no post-Brexit deal is reached, 'UK can leave without paying a penny', says Lords' report

  

  Britain can legally walk away from the European Union without paying a penny if there is no post-Brexit agreement, a House of Lords inquiry has concluded. The Lords EU Financial Affairs Sub Committee said the UK would be in a “strong” legal position if the two-year Article 50 withdrawal negotiations ended without a deal.

• Monday, March 6th 2017 - 08:19 UTC

  Chancellor warns EU that UK will “fight back” if it does not reach a Brexit deal it wants

  

  Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned the EU that Britain will “fight back” and not “slink off like a wounded animal” if it does not get the Brexit deal it wants. In some of the toughest talking yet ahead of the UK triggering the Article 50 negotiations on terms of withdrawal, the Chancellor said Britain would “do whatever we need to do” to be competitive in the event of leaving the EU without a trade agreement.

• Saturday, March 4th 2017 - 11:47 UTC

  “There are no secret flights” between Falklands and Brazil, says Ambassador Kent

  

  There are no secret flights between Falklands and Brazil, and any landings which have occurred are because of medical or mechanical emergencies, said UK ambassador in Argentina Mark Kent, in fluent Spanish, currently visiting the province of Mendoza on official business and for the grape harvest and wine festival.

• Saturday, March 4th 2017 - 11:16 UTC

  Identification of soldiers remains buried in Falklands has started, says Argentina

  

  The Argentine Justice ministry's Human Rights and Cultural Pluralism Desk, announced on Friday that the identification process of the remains of the “Argentine heroes” buried in the Falkland Islands Darwin cemetery has started, and is based on the “accord signed between Argentina and the UK”.

• Friday, March 3rd 2017 - 13:19 UTC

  Brazil investigating if RAF flights to the Falklands landed in the country

  

  The Brazilian government announced it had opened an investigation among miltiary institutions regarding Royal Air Force landings in Brazilian airports, while making flights between Britain and the Falkland/Malvinas Islands.

• Friday, March 3rd 2017 - 13:15 UTC

  Firms less optimistic waiting for Trump´s fiscal policies, says Fed´s Beige Book

  

  The U.S. economy expanded at a modest-to-moderate pace from early January through mid-February, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday, although firms were less optimistic amid some uncertainty about the Trump administration's fiscal policies.

• Friday, March 3rd 2017 - 12:48 UTC

  Trump comes out strongly in support of Attorney General Sessions accused of misleading Congress

  

  President Donald Trump came out strongly in support of Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, releasing a statement saying Sessions did not make any misleading statements under oath during his confirmation hearings, but that he could have been more accurate in his responses to lawmakers.

• Friday, March 3rd 2017 - 12:01 UTC

  Fearing Russia's increasing pressure in the Baltic, Sweden reintroduces military draft

  

  Sweden's left-leaning government on Thursday reintroduced a military draft for both men and women because of what Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden. The country abolished compulsory military service for men in 2010 because there were enough volunteers to meet the region's military needs.