Politics

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 06:45 UTC

  Italy experiments with a new prime minister and 16-member cabinet

  

  Center-left leader Matteo Renzi took office on Saturday as Italy's youngest prime minister, facing pressure to show immediate results after he forced out his predecessor over the slow pace of economic reforms.

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 06:42 UTC

  Sao Paulo protest against World Cup and demand more hospitals and schools

  

  Brazilian police used tear gas and made an estimated 230 arrests on Saturday evening to disperse a protest in Sao Paulo ahead of the World Cup. Among those arrested in Brazil's business hub, which will host the opening match of the World Cup on June 12, were five journalists, O Estado de Sao Paulo daily reported.

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 06:40 UTC

  World top economies pledge 2% growth in next five years and millions of jobs

  

  The world's top economies have embraced a goal of generating more than 2 trillion dollars in additional output over five years while creating tens of millions of new jobs, while also promising more transparency in monetary policy to allay the concerns of emerging economies.

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 05:14 UTC

  Rousseff consolidates as favorite to win re-election in October

  

  Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff remains the favorite to win re-election in October with a comfortable lead over possible contenders, according to a poll published Sunday. The Datafolha polling institute said Rousseff has recovered much of the support she had lost in the wake of mass street protests in the middle of last year.

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 05:00 UTC

  Insulza suggests 'outside players' could help reach an agreement in Venezuela

  

  Organization of American States, OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza has suggested the participation of 'outside players' in Venezuela to try and lower the pressure and consequences of the current situation in the country. Insulza made the suggestion in a letter published by several newspapers from the region, but underlining that it is Venezuelans that must reach an understanding to overcome the situation.

• Monday, February 24th 2014 - 04:49 UTC

  Venezuelan situation could delay the Mercosur summit scheduled for March

  

  The Mercosur summit is still scheduled for March but given the current situation in Venezuela, host of the event, “there could be another delay” admitted Paraguay's Foreign minister Eladio Loizaga, who added that there are permanent contacts between members countries to try and avoid another scenario.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 07:11 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez ratifies solidarity with Venezuela: opposition should wait for next elections

  

  In a rally at the Buenos Aires province town of Florencio Varela, President Cristina Fernandez ratified Argentina’s “solidarity” with the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro, as the fifth Mercosur full member continues to be caught up in a wave of violent protests that have claimed the lives of 6 so far.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 06:58 UTC

  The new Falklands war: fought over the waves

  

  By Robert Taylor (*) - It’s 32 years since Argentina’s brief occupation of the Falklands ended in humiliation. But, if anything, her desire to swallow up the Islands is stronger than ever. Oil is a big factor, of course, but even more fundamental is the passionate (if unjustifiable) belief that the British stole the Falklands in 1833 in an act of old-fashioned colonialism – a perceived wrong that successive Argentine governments seem determined to right.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 06:40 UTC

  Falklands' annual inflation 0.6%; improvements planned for the index

  

  The Falkland Islands inflation for the last quarter rose by 0.03% with an annual increase of 0.6% it was announced at this week’s Standing Finance Committee, reports the Penguin News.

• Saturday, February 22nd 2014 - 06:28 UTC

  Argentine economy expanded 4.9% last year, according to government data

  

  The Argentine economy expanded 4.9% last year according to the official stats office Indec 'monthly economic growth indicator', EMAE, which is usually a good anticipation of the final figures. If confirmed Argentina will have grown uninterruptedly since the 2002 crisis, when the major default and melting of the economy.