Politics

• Friday, April 7th 2017 - 10:39 UTC

  Mercosur and Pacific Alliance summit will address potential convergence and Trump's protectionism

  

  Mercosur and Pacific Alliance foreign ministers are scheduled to meet this Friday in Buenos Aires, on an Argentine initiative to advance in a possible political and trade confluence with the prospect of a regional alliance in the near future. The controversial Venezuela case will also be on the table, but attendants have anticipated that they won't let this issue dominate the agenda or cast a shadow on the purpose of the summit.

• Friday, April 7th 2017 - 10:31 UTC

  “I have gotten nothing” from Xi, but a strong friendship has developed, Trump admits

  

  United States President Donald Trump said to light laughter at a Thursday evening dinner he hosted for Chinese President Xi Jinping that after a long discussion, “I have gotten nothing, absolutely nothing” from his guest. But Trump added that the two leaders, who chatted earlier at the president’s Florida resort, had quickly “developed a friendship,” and he predicted that “long term we’re going to have a very, very great relationship and I look very much forward to it.”

• Friday, April 7th 2017 - 10:07 UTC

  Without consent from Gibraltarians, no sovereignty negotiations, PM May tells Donald Tusk

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May reiterated on Thursday the UK’s desire to ensure a deep and special partnership with the European Union, but as the UK exits the EU and “there would be no negotiation on the sovereignty of Gibraltar without the consent of its people”. Mrs. May made the statement after meeting at 10 Downing Street with the president of the European Council Donald Tusk for talks following the triggering of Article 50.

• Friday, April 7th 2017 - 09:55 UTC

  Nigel Farage proposes a Gibraltar referendum to become part of the UK

  

  One in three people in Britain would cede at least some sovereignty over Gibraltar for a better Brexit deal according to a YouGov poll made public this week. The poll conclusions were released when Nigel Farage, Britain's leading Brexiteer expressed support for proposals to hold a referendum in Gibraltar to ask whether they want to become part of the UK.

• Friday, April 7th 2017 - 08:15 UTC

  Massive stoppage in metropolitan Buenos Aires but with limited response in the rest of the country

  

  Airlines in Argentina grounded international flights and riot police scuffled with protesters on Thursday as workers staged a general strike to protest job and pay cuts. Conservative President Mauricio Macri condemned the call to strike where he faces midterm legislative elections in October.

• Thursday, April 6th 2017 - 12:53 UTC

  Uruguay's March inflation finally drops to the Central bank target range

  

  Consumer prices in Uruguay rose 0.68% in March, the government said in a statement on Wednesday, bringing the country's 12-month inflation rate to 6.81%. It was the first time since December 2010 that Uruguayan inflation was within the country's 3% to 7% target range.

• Thursday, April 6th 2017 - 12:46 UTC

  Trump removes top strategist Steve Bannon from the Security Council

  

  President Donald Trump has removed his senior strategist Steve Bannon from the US National Security Council (NSC). The appointment in January raised fears that the circle of US intelligence chiefs was being politicized.

• Thursday, April 6th 2017 - 08:05 UTC

  General strike in Argentina; Macri hosts the World Economic Forum

  

  Workers are committed to a general strike in recession-hit Argentina on Thursday, drawing complaints from conservative President Mauricio Macri as he prepares to host leaders and business people for an economic forum.

• Thursday, April 6th 2017 - 06:52 UTC

  Process for independent Scotland joining the EU could be “relatively speedy” and “no need to queue”

  

  The process of an independent Scotland rejoining the European Union could be “relatively speedy”, a senior German MEP has said. Elmar Brok said there would be few technical obstacles to overcome if the political will was there to allow it to happen.

• Thursday, April 6th 2017 - 06:31 UTC

  Tech entrepreneur wants to rescue Falklands' flagship HMS Hermes from the scrap heap

  

  A technology entrepreneur is looking to raise around £15m to save the Falklands Task Force flagship on which he once served from the possibility of scrap, and is looking to celebrities and the public to help him out on his mission, according to channelweb.co.uk Falklands flagship HMS Hermes was decommissioned last month and is heading towards the scrap heap.