Politics

• Monday, April 8th 2013 - 00:45 UTC

  Falklands’ delegation meets in Panama with keen interest in referendum results

  

  Panama City. (Special for MercoPress). As part of an on-going tour of Central America, Falkland Islands lawmaker Dr Barry Elsby and young Islander Krysteen Ormond spent four days in Panama building links and sharing the results of the Islands’ historic March 10/1 referendum.

• Monday, April 8th 2013 - 00:40 UTC

  What do the Falkland Islands continue to tell us about territorial world views?

  

  By Klaus Dodds (*) - The last couple of weeks have been busy ones when it comes to news about the Falkland Islands. Or Islas Malvinas as Argentine and other readers might insist upon. For others, the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) is the preferred naming option — highlighting as it does their continued contested status.

• Monday, April 8th 2013 - 00:22 UTC

  Brazil new defence purchases policy based on ‘geopolitical interests and technology transfer’

  

  Brazil’s defence purchases mainly arms will be ruled by strategic priorities such as geopolitical interests and technology transfers and not only price, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette from the Union.

• Sunday, April 7th 2013 - 23:58 UTC

  Brazil planning agency to manage fluvial ports, waterways and locks

  

  The administration of President Dilma Rousseff is working on the creation of a new agency which will be responsible for Brazil’s fluvial ports and terminals, waterways and locks. The ‘Hidrobras’ project is being drafted by the Ministries of Transport and Planning and will look after shipping in the fluvial system, “which is currently exploited far below its possibilities and potential”.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 04:14 UTC

  “Nothing or nobody” can separate Argentina and Uruguay, Mujica tells the world

  

  Despite Uruguayan President Jose Mujica had anticipated he would give no further explanations about his at least controversial remarks about Argentina’s presidencial couple, Cristina and Néstor Kirchner, the Uruguayan leader on Friday midday stated in his daily broadcast that “nothing or nobody” could separate the brotherly nations.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 04:02 UTC

  S&P strong warning to UK on continuing negative outlook for the economy

  

  Credit rating agency Standard & Poor's has reaffirmed its triple-A rating for the UK, but warned of the continuing negative outlook for the economy. S&P said it may downgrade the UK from the highest rating in the future if economic conditions worsened.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:55 UTC

  Francis calls for “decisive action” in the fight against sex abuse of minors by priest

  

  Pope Francis has called for “decisive action” in the fight against sex abuse of minors by priests. He told Bishop Gerhard Mueller, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith - the Vatican watchdog that deals with sex abuse cases - to ensure that perpetrators were punished.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:50 UTC

  Brazil claims trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”

  

  Brazil admitted that the trade situation with Argentina is “less than satisfactory”, given the ongoing barriers and restrictions imposed by Buenos Aires and revealed that the bilateral trade balance is now inclined in favour of its southern neighbour and Mercosur associate.

• Saturday, April 6th 2013 - 03:44 UTC

  Brazil hopeful an EU/Mercosur trade accord can be concluded this year

  

  Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said he was hopeful that the European Union and Mercosur could advance this year towards a trade agreement they have been negotiating so far unsuccessfully for almost fifteen years and also warned about the coming EU/US trade talks for a comprehensive accord.

• Friday, April 5th 2013 - 07:18 UTC

  Argentina strongly protests President Mujica remarks about Nestor and Cristina Kirchner

  

  Uruguayan president José Mujica’s controversial statements caught on an open microphone referred to President Cristina Fernandez and her late husband Nestor Kirchner, triggered a strong response from the Argentine government saying that such comments are “unacceptable, denigrating and offend the memory of a dead person”.