Politics

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 22:57 UTC

  Tremor in FIFA: Swiss prosecutors open criminal proceedings against Blatter; Platini questioned

  

  President Michel Platini says a payment to him being looked into by Swiss authorities was for work carried out under contract at FIFA. FIFA president Sepp Blatter has been questioned by Swiss federal police over alleged financial corruption. The attorney general's office in Switzerland said it has opened criminal proceedings against Blatter over possible criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of FIFA money.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:52 UTC

  New York cheers Francis; today he addresses UN General Assembly

  

  Pope Francis kicked off his second United States stop in New York City with a Thursday evening prayer at St. Patrick's Cathedral, one of the United States best-known churches. Thousands of people lined up along Fifth Avenue to greet him with cheers as he made his way in his open-sided popemobile to the center of one of the US largest Roman Catholic archdioceses.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:42 UTC

  Francis pleaded for immigrants and praised creation and distribution of wealth

  

  The past, the promise and the potential of the United States must not be smothered by bickering and even hatred at a time when the U.S. people and indeed the world need a helping hand, Pope Francis told the U.S. Congress on Thursday.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:26 UTC

  Argentina remains 'reluctant' and has 'reserves' about a trade accord Mercosur/ Europe

  

  Mercosur foreign ministers meeting held this week in Paraguay to decide on the proposal to present the European Union for a trade agreement, apparently was not as “satisfactory” as announced because of Argentina's reluctance and 'reserves' about opening its market to the EU.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:17 UTC

  Brazil's Real recovers ground after Central bank promises to use all 'instruments available'

  

  Brazil's depressed currency rebounded Thursday after the head of its central bank vowed to use all instruments in its arsenal to curtail the Real's collapse. Earlier in the day the Real tumbled to an all-time low of 4.248 to the U.S. dollar, but bounced back to 4.023 after central bank President Alexandre Tombini, in an unscheduled press briefing, did not rule out selling part of the country's $371 billion foreign reserves to calm the exchange rate market.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:09 UTC

  Guyana believes Venezuela's military display is a 'show of force', but in case send forcers to the border

  

  The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) says it’s ready to defend the country against any act of aggression at the country’s border with neighbour Venezuela. The declaration was made by the GDF’s Chief-of-Staff Brigadier Mark Phillips, as Minister of State Joseph Harmon also assured that President David Granger was “on top of the situation”, which he described as 'a show of force' and 'not a threat of force'.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 07:02 UTC

  Maduro calls for dialogue with Guyana but insists on its claim over Essequibo

  

  Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro says he wants to have a discussion with his Guyanese counterpart to find a way to settle the conflicts between the two countries. He made a call for a meeting to be held on the sidelines of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York, during his ‘Contact with Maduro’ program, according to the statement on the website of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 06:51 UTC

  Falkland Islanders’ voices matter: FIG launches social media campaign

  

  The Falkland Islands Government has launched a new social media campaign focusing on putting Islanders’ voices at the forefront. Starting this week a series of short films and pictures will appear on the Government digital media channels on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 06:37 UTC

  Minister Swire will open UK consulate in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais

  

  The UK will be opening a general consulate office in Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais, one of Brazil's most dynamic states, which outstands both for agriculture and industrial production. Foreign Office minister for Latin America, Hugo Swire is scheduled to be present at the opening ceremony on Friday.

• Friday, September 25th 2015 - 06:14 UTC

  Falklands clearance of Argentine mines takes off to a flying start

  

  Falkland Islands de-mining and ground clearance work has got off to a flying start despite the cold and snowy weather of late, Program Manager Guy Marot confirmed on Thursday to the Penguin News.