Politics

• Wednesday, May 21st 2014 - 06:01 UTC

  UK denies claims it will send additional military personnel to Gibraltar against Spanish incursions

  

  The UK Ministry of Defense has played down claims that the British Government is to send additional military personnel to Gibraltar. The announcement follows reports in the Daily Express over the weekend that the British Government was to deploy additional sailors to Gibraltar to allow the Royal Navy to operate patrol boats 24 hours a day to challenge “nightmare incursions by Spanish fishing trawlers.”

• Tuesday, May 20th 2014 - 08:55 UTC

  Catholic Church and Cristina Fernandez downplay impact of recent document on 'violence in Argentina'

  

  One of the Pope’s closest collaborators, Argentine Monsignor Guillermo Karcher, said “there is no reason to look for causes for conflict” in the Episcopal Conference document released last week about “violence” in Argentina.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2014 - 08:42 UTC

  Rousseff announces 70bn dollars for Brazilian agriculture at 6.5% interest

  

  President Dilma Rousseff announced Monday that the government will make available to Brazil's farmers and ranchers a 156.1 billion Reais (70.5 billion dollars) credit line, a hike of 14.7% over the previous season.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2014 - 08:07 UTC

  Pele admits tourists are cancelling trips to Brazil because of protests and delays

  

  Protests in Brazil and delays in building stadiums are putting the World Cup next month at risk and prompting tourists to stay away, soccer great Pele said on Monday. Brazil's tournament organizers have faced headwinds since the country was tapped to host the World Cup in 2007.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2014 - 08:00 UTC

  Metropolitan Buenos Aires majority disapproves of Cristina Fernandez, but she retains 36% support

  

  A clear majority of Argentines, 56%, in metropolitan Buenos Aires, which is the most densely populated area of the country, disapprove of President Cristina Fernandez, according to the latest public opinion poll made public but also 36% remain faithful and approve the performance of the controversial Argentine leader.

• Tuesday, May 20th 2014 - 07:31 UTC

  Venezuelan situation impedes Mercosur summit to take place in Caracas, says Almargo

  

  Uruguay Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro said that the political situation in Venezuela makes it quite improbable that the three-times postponed and since delayed Mercosur summit can effectively take place in Caracas sometime in the next two months.

• Monday, May 19th 2014 - 13:54 UTC

  People living longer, both in rich and poor countries, says latest WHO report

  

  People everywhere are living longer, according to the World Health Statistics 2014 published this week by the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on global averages, a girl who was born in 2012 can expect to live to around 73 years, and a boy to the age of 68. This is six years longer than the average global life expectancy for a child born in 1990.

• Monday, May 19th 2014 - 12:04 UTC

  British MEP alleges UK torpedoed Spain's 2020 Olympics' bid because of Gibraltar

  

  The British Government torpedoed Spain’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games as a reprisal for the Spanish Government’s hard line stance on Gibraltar, Sir Graham Watson has claimed.

• Monday, May 19th 2014 - 09:50 UTC

  Gibraltar: Spain hits back at UK accusing the Rock of increased tobacco smuggling

  

  The Spanish Government has accused Britain of failing to tackle a sharp rise in tobacco smuggling at the border. In a statement marking the six-month deadline set by the European Commission following its visit last year, Spain also said that cooperation with law enforcement agencies in Gibraltar had deteriorated.

• Monday, May 19th 2014 - 09:44 UTC

  New Commons' Defense Committee chairman supported by Labor and Lib-Dem

  

  Conservative MP Rory Stewart has been selected to chair the British House of Commons defense committee. In a short statement to the Commons, Speaker John Bercow said 479 MPs voted in the election for the post. In the final round of voting, Mr Stewart got 226 votes. His rival, Julian Lewis received 212 votes. There was one spoilt ballot paper.